Each summer season asks the same question: can we take the tube or the solar spray half full, vestiges of the previous holidays? It already depends on the date of these. Because a one -year -old sunscreen will not offer you optimal protection.
Reuse your sunscreen, a false good idea?
Even if a recent survey indicates that certain well -preserved creams could remain effective from one year to the next, caution remains in order. For Dr. Gallay, dermatologist, the answer is clear: “A tube or a spray that has been opened all summer has been exposed to oxygen, light, heat, which degrades the molecules that compose it and are there to protect us. It is therefore not a good idea. At best, it will have lost its effectiveness, at worst it can even be toxic”she explains to us in a previous article.
Once the product is opened, the shelf life to which to trust is generally indicated on the packaging by the symbol of an open pot followed by a duration (9m, 12m, etc.). Little tip to “find it:”It is advisable to register the opening date to the marker on the tube to find your way the following year. “
Past cream: these signs that must alert you
As for the creams bought more recently, or only a few months ago (on winter holidays for example), they should normally be effective. “It is still rare that sunscreen changes or texture. These are highly controlled products and chemical filters contain very stable emulsions today.” said our expert. But several signs can betray an alteration.
- A suspicious odor
A sunscreen should not have an unpleasant odor. If it smells of rancid or gives off an unusual odor, direction the trash. This can translate bacterial contamination or degradation of its components. - A texture that is no longer the same
If you observe an oily liquid that comes out instead of a homogeneous cream, this means that the product has been “out of steam”: the aqueous phase and the fatty phase have separated. In this case, some filters will no longer be active because they are only soluble in one of the two environments. - Sunburn despite the application
Obviously, if you notice the appearance of sunburn despite a normal and reasonable application, it is an unequivocal signal. Even if the product seems intact, it has lost its effectiveness. No need to insist: you have to throw it away. - The presence of octocrylene
Finally, vigilance if your cream contains octocrylene, a current chemical filter? This compound can degrade over time in a potentially toxic substance, especially in ancient products. If your cream is several months old … direction the basket.
The only exception to the rule
It is therefore better to change protection regularly, even if we appreciated the smell or texture of that chosen. Can we still keep a sunscreen for more than a year? Yes, but on one condition: “If it has not been started, has not been opened and the seamless one is in place, in this case, it can be used as a first use, there is no reason that its properties are altered “reassured Dr. Gallay.