Look at your sun cream bottle. If it has a little jar icon with a number (like “12M” or “24M”), that’s how many months it’s good after opening. Found a bottle with no date? Toss it after three years from purchase, or if it smells like a dead goldfish. Don’t trust the “natural” ones with no preservatives—those expire in six months and go rancid faster than your leftovers in a hot car.
I once found a tube from 2018 in my camping gear. It looked fine, but it smelled like melted rubber and sadness. I applied it anyway (stupid me) and got a sunburn so crisp, I flaked for a week. My skin looked like a snake shedding its dignity. Don’t be that person.
How Long Does Sunscreen Last? Dermatologists Explain + 3 Long-Lasting
