What are the risks of old sunscreens?

What are the risks of old sunscreens?

As much as we love the Sun and being touched by its rays, it can actually be dangerous for our skin. That's why precautions are mandatory and should be integrated into your daily routine. A variety of sun protection products are available on the market - sprays, creams, spray oils, two-phase lotions. What product you choose to apply daily is up to you and your preferences. But no matter how much you love your old sunscreen, at some point you'll need to replace it with a new one.

And do you really know what the risks are behind using an old sunscreen product and what to look for in a new one? How are the formulas of new SPF products improved? In this material, we at the Sunlike team have tried to synthesize information that will be extremely useful to you in the care and protection of the skin from the sun's rays.

How do you know if your sunscreen is safe to use?

Everyone who applies sunscreen wants to avoid sunburn and the damage the sun can do to the skin – but can you use old sunscreen? If the sunscreen was only opened a few months ago, you don't need to worry. If you apply sunscreen in the first warm days at the end of April, you can use the same sunscreen in winter.

There are two main signs that will help you orient yourself correctly to find out just that - is the available product suitable for use today. If so, by when and in what period of time should you get a new pack to continuously protect your skin.

Expiry date: Often there is an expiry date printed on the packaging of sunscreen products. This will show you how long you can store the product before you open it. As a rule, the shelf life is from 36 to 60 months after the date of manufacture and varies according to the ingredients in the consistencies. The effectiveness of the product is guaranteed until this date.

Expiry date symbol: This symbol resembles an open package/jar with a number written on it. This is also the period in which you can use the product after the date of opening. For example, if 12 is marked, the product can be used 12 months after the date of opening. The term may decrease depending on what measures you take to store the product. Once the sunscreen is opened, oxygen begins to enter it, which affects the ingredients.

Studies on sunscreen formulation stability

Of course, the fragrance, the application method, the moisturizing properties of an SPF product are of great importance to anyone buying a new sunscreen, but it all depends solely on the formula and the ingredients that are contained in it. In the USA, a study was conducted in which creams were placed in an incubator at 40 degrees and about 70% relative humidity for 6 weeks. At the end of this test, the products are in the same condition as if they had been stored at room temperature for 1 year. At the end of the study, a chemical analysis was made, indicating that 16 out of 17 products contained benzophenone. This affects all sunscreens that contain UV filter octocryl. Over the course of one (simulated) year, octocrylene is converted to the molecule benzophenone.

What is the effect on the skin that absorbs the substance octocrylene and benzophenone, there have long been different opinions. Both substances are said to have allergenic and hormone-like effects. Benzophenone has also been shown to be carcinogenic in animal studies. According to the present study, the skin can absorb 70% of the benzophenone contained in the sunscreen. One of the leading researchers in this direction - Philippe LeBaron - says that he was able to demonstrate the degradation of octocrylene into benzophenone precisely in sunscreen products.

Octocrylene is a chemical UV filter. Therefore, we do not recommend the use of sunscreen products left open after use in the previous year.

In conclusion, it is important to note that the ingredients contained in sunscreen products can have a major impact on their efficacy and safety. That's why it's important to be aware of the ingredients in sunscreen and make sure they're of the highest quality when buying a new product.

The Sun Like team's mission is to provide our customers with high-quality products that are as pure as possible. In this way, you will protect your skin without having to worry about whether the relevant products would harm both you and your family. Last but not least, we are the ones who have to take care of our planet as well. For this, in addition to safe formulas, we also try to reduce the plastic we put in the packaging of the manufactured items.