Yes, sunscreen expires. In the US it's regulated as a drug and must carry an expiration date unless testing shows it stays stable for at least three years. If yours has no date, the FDA says to treat it as expired three years after purchase. Toss it sooner if it has separated, changed color, or baked in a hot car.
Both rules come from the FDA's sunscreen guidance. The three-year exemption is why some bottles have no date on them. It doesn't mean they last forever.
Where to find the expiration date on sunscreen#
Check the crimped end of a tube first. The date is often stamped into the metal or plastic seal, and it can be hard to read without tilting it into the light. On bottles and cans, look at the bottom or near the barcode. Look for "EXP" followed by a month and year.
A string of letters and numbers with no "EXP" is usually a lot code, not a date.
What to do with old sunscreen#
| What's on the package |
What to do |
| An expiration date that has passed |
Throw it out |
| An expiration date still in the future |
Use it, unless it has changed or been overheated |
| No date, and you know when you bought it |
Use it until three years after purchase |
| No date, and you have no idea how old it is |
Throw it out |
| In date, but separated, discolored, or smells off |
Throw it out |
| Left in a hot car or in full sun for long stretches |
Check it closely; replace it if anything looks or smells different |
The fix for the undated-bottle problem is a marker. Write the month and year on the bottle when you buy it.
Does expired sunscreen still work?#
Maybe partly, but you can't know how much. The expiration date is the point up to which the manufacturer has shown the SPF holds. After that, nobody has checked, and there's no way to test it at home. Sunscreen is cheap compared with a bad burn, so replace it.
Does heat ruin sunscreen?#
Heat is the big risk before the date runs out. US sunscreen labels have to carry the line "Protect the product in this container from excessive heat and direct sun," and the FDA suggests wrapping the bottle in a towel or keeping it in the shade if you're out in the heat for a long time.
In practice that means:
- Don't keep your everyday sunscreen in the glovebox or door pocket all summer.
- At the beach or pool, keep it in a bag in the shade or in a cooler, not baking on the towel.
- At home, a cupboard away from a sunny window or radiator is fine.
Heat-damaged sunscreen often gives itself away. Lotion that has split into an oily layer and a thick layer, a cream gone runny or grainy, or a sour smell all mean it's done. A bottle that lived in the car through a heat wave but looks, feels, and smells the same as new is probably fine, but if you're unsure, buy a new one.
How fast should a bottle of sunscreen run out?#
Faster than most people think, which is the other reason old bottles pile up. The American Academy of Dermatology says most adults need about 1 ounce of sunscreen, roughly two tablespoons, to cover all exposed skin, and recommends reapplying about every two hours or after swimming or sweating.
Do the math on a day at the beach. You put sunscreen on in the morning, again two hours later, and again two hours after that. That's 3 ounces for one adult. Two adults will get through most of an 8-ounce bottle in a single beach day.
If one bottle lasts you a whole summer, you're almost certainly using too little.
Spray, stick, and mineral sunscreens#
The same expiration rules apply to every type. A few specific things to check:
- Sprays: if the nozzle is clogged or the spray comes out patchy, you can't get enough on evenly. Replace it. Keep aerosol cans away from heat and flame, and don't use a can that's dented, rusted, or bulging.
- Sticks: these can soften and warp in heat. A stick that has melted and reset may not spread evenly.
- Mineral (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide): many say "shake well" on the label. If a good shake won't bring it back to a smooth lotion, it's done.
What to buy when you replace it#
An in-date sunscreen still has to be the right kind. The AAD recommends a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. The FDA's minimum recommendation is broad-spectrum SPF 15, with higher SPF values up to 50 giving more sunburn protection.
One thing to know for babies: the FDA says sunscreen isn't recommended for infants under six months old. Keep them in the shade and ask your pediatrician before using any sunscreen.
Facial moisturizers and foundations with an SPF count as sunscreen too, so they follow the same expiration rules.
Outside the US#
In the UK and EU, sunscreen is sold as a cosmetic, not a drug, so the labeling is different. Look for a small open-jar symbol with a number of months, like 12M, which tells you how long it lasts after opening. Products that keep for less than 30 months carry a "best before" date instead, under UK guidance on the cosmetics regulation. Follow the label for the country you bought it in.
Check your sunscreen twice a year#
Sunscreen ends up everywhere: the beach bag, the gym bag, the car, the kids' backpacks, the travel kit. Twice a year, gather them up, check dates, toss anything undated and old, and write purchase dates on anything new. Spring, before the sunny months, and fall, before ski season, work well. A recurring ChoreLists.com reminder keeps it from slipping.
Keep this separate from your regular skincare expiration check, since sunscreen follows drug rules in the US. And while you're thinking about sun damage, it's a good moment to book a skin check with a dermatologist if you're due.