Sunscreen – Ensuring Its Effectiveness

I was organizing my many bottles of sunscreen this weekend (two kids preparing for summer camp at the same time means duplicates of everything) and I was wondering if the stuff I used last year was still good. Would they still be protected from the sun?

I was happy to learn that the FDA required that sunscreens retain their original strength for three years (that will save me some money), but those ones that I store in my car for an impromptu road trip may not be as effective. The heat inside a closed up car in the middle of a hot summer can weaken the effectiveness.

One last tip, no sunscreen is waterproof…water resistant maybe, but they do wash off in the water. To be on the safe side it is important to apply every 40 to 80 minutes depending on whether the label indicates if it is water resistant or not.

Bottom line, it is important to protect your skin while having fun in the sun…so slather or spray it on and be sure to repeat often! Happy summer!