(Pic: Thinkstock)Summer is at its peak and understandably, perhaps the most go-to item in your bag is a small bottle of sunscreen. It can keep your skin from getting red and sunburned and prone to wrinkles. Sunscreen also goes to prevent skin cancer. While expiration dates are printed on sunblock tubes and bottles, you might have found yourself still squeezing out some sunscreen and thinking, ‘So what if I use it’? The next time, stop yourself from doing so. Here’s why…
Experts say any sunscreen lasts for just three years or less, but being stored in direct sunlight can ruin their protective chemicals. Thus, using one that has gone beyond its valid date that can have disastrous results. Such expired products also have little or no effect against the sun’s harsh rays as the water and oil in it start to separate after the emulsifier in it starts to break down over time. While one of the ways is to check the date, the other is to see if it is discoloured or if there is an odour emanating from it.
[Source”timesofindia”]
