Just like your other precious belongings, your sunscreen needs some extra care lovin’ in its storage too! Do you know that you have to store your sunscreen somewhere cool, dark and dry? 

Although the function of sunscreen is to combat UV rays from being absorbed into your tender skin, it’s extremely crucial that you store your sunscreen away from direct sunlight. This is because excessive heat and sunlight exposure could cause your sunlight to lose its effectiveness. 

The best way to store your sunscreen is to keep it in a drawer in your bedroom. You might have dreamed about having a Vogue girl’s skincare bathroom drawer where everything is stored inside according to its sizes, but unfortunately, the bathroom is not really the best place to store your delicate sunscreen because the temperature changes all the time and not to mention it gets pretty humid inside. 

How about when you need to bring your sunscreen outdoors? Fret not, storing it in your bag should be fine! But if you’re bringing it along to the beach, wrap it in a towel to keep your skin armour safe. 

Another intriguing question, when should you throw away your sunscreen? Lucky for you, the simple rule of thumb is all sunscreens generally last for at least 3 years after the sunscreen has been opened, unless the expiry date states otherwise. Discard your sunscreen if you notice any obvious changes in its colour or consistency, or both. 

Usually the best way to discard a sunscreen is by rinsing the container and then disposing of it in the garbage. Even better if you can throw your sunscreen bottle at the recycling bin hence why rinsing it is crucial so it can be recycled directly rather than your trash ending up at the landfill instead (TIL: In order for something to be recycled, it shouldn’t contain anything else like liquid, etc). 

You must be wondering, can you wear an expired sunscreen? Let’s face it. Sunscreens or just skincare and beauty in general can be pretty expensive. Well, you may go for it because expired sunscreens usually won’t harm your skin however, the SPF has already worn out so you’re exposing your skin to even a bigger harm: UV rays. 

Pro tip: Avoid hoarding skincare and makeup products, just buy what you need to avoid wastage.