Does Sunscreen Lose Its UV Protection After One Year?
European consumer protection organizations, including the Association for Consumer Information (VKI), launched a long-term test in spring 2024 to answer the question: Continue using opened sunscreens from last summer or better to dispose of them? Two of the eight preparations were not in order after the marathon test because they no longer maintained the advertised sun protection factor (SPF).
"If products are often heated and frequently opened, this accelerates the aging of a product and can lead to the loss of UV protection," warn the experts. Sunscreens with a PAO symbol (period after opening), which shows an open cream jar, can still be used within the specified period. If, for example, 12M is printed on the jar, this means that the preparation should still be usable twelve months after opening. For better oversight, you could note the date of opening on the container.
Some preparations are marked with a best before date (BBD). The symbol for this is a half-expired hourglass. "You should not use these products after the expiration," says the VKI.
Throw away smelly or watery sunscreens
You should not blindly rely on the information: "If the preparation smells unpleasant, the consistency changes, or the product has separated into a watery and an oily phase, it should no longer be used. The risk that the UV protection is also compromised is too great," recommends VKI cosmetics expert Birgit Schiller.
Eight randomly selected products with high sun protection factor (30 and 50), including sprays, lotions, and a pump spray, were exposed to conditions in the laboratory that sunscreens must withstand for the long-term test. Conditions such as a multi-hour flight in the luggage compartment at four degrees Celsius and at 40 degrees on the beach with UV exposure were simulated. The test does not allow conclusions to be drawn about specific brands and products.
Two sunscreens failed
Two preparations no longer reached the advertised sun protection factor at the end. One of these products was also "sensorially noticeable," while the other was completely inconspicuous. Another product was partially dried out but maintained the promised sun protection factor.
"Buy only as much sunscreen as you will use in one summer," advise the consumer protectors. "Do not keep small leftover amounts, but dispose of them after the vacation. Larger leftover amounts and unused products should be stored in a cool place in the house until the next season. Unopened products should only be opened when needed."
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.