How to ruin your SPF

Here's why you shouldn't transfer your sunscreen to different packaging.

🙋🏻 I'm Michelle, a chemistry PhD, cosmetic chemist and science educator, here to explain how beauty products work, debunk myths, and help you make smarter decisions about your skincare, hair and makeup!

[hetastic_bro]

_Let me just slather on my sunscreen rocks_

[SkrToon]

Can we start a petition to either have sunscreen companies do a better job of making smaller travel sizes or to get the TSA to back off on the size of sunscreen??
I can never find a travel version for brands I like & when I do they’re almost as expensive as the bigger size!

[call_me_mad]

Yeah true, I work for a pharmaceutical lab and Im on the “leachables” team. Literally all we do is test if the packaging is leaching into the medication

[rowidaedris]

I’m a pharmacist and i can approve that these containers are there for a reason, some products decompose and some react with the materials in the container itself, they undergo different tests to see which is best to handle the specific chemicals, please don’t do it and keep ur sunscreen/ creams/ pills/ whatever in their original package.

[alaa.h.m.]

I made that mistake with a relatively expensive sunscreen years ago and I learned the lesson the hard way, it turned into a rock. I not only lost a good portion of the sunscreen but also felt guilty for the money lost on buying both the sunscreen and the container and I lost the container too obviously. And I had an allergic reaction to the sunscreen so I had to give it away to a friend who was able to use it. I admit I cried, I was a student working real hard for that money. 😂

[roozz]

I had my sunscreen in a compact too, because of the convenience. I threw it out, but still believe companies should try to make compact sunscreens! Then it'd be safe!

[ownsbytessa]

I almost made the decision to squeeze some of my body sunscreen into a little travel container to put in my bag but… i guess i rather just carry the 170ml tube in my bag 😂😂

[mdml]

Speaking of sunscreen, have you seen that sunscreen that's formulated into a whipped cream in a can? Classic whip is the name, i think. 😅

[SecretSquirrelFun]

Well now, how flipping COOL is it that someone saw your video and decided to actually do their own experiment.*

Awesome. Thanks for sharing.

(and thanks to the person that did the experiment)

* Edited because Helen was mean in the replies 😞

[moxiebadger]

It's worth noting that the products were examined at the 12 week point. A week or two of sunscreen in a silicone or other container for travel would not have nearly the same degradation as displayed in the result pictures. I also question who this would apply to, given anyone concerned enough to utilize sunscreen on a regular basis in another vessel would surely run out before that 3 month mark

[Tayloraurrekoetxea]

Could you talk about guasha? And whether it works? I love how evidence based and accessible your vids are!

[kimnotkardashian]

Could you delve further into the chemical reactions between sunscreen and it’s packaging? I find that concept super intriguing

[AngelaSmith_]

Thank you 🙏🏽 because I’m tired of certain YouTubers pushing the “airless jars” on people

[expansefloating]

Wow this never would have crossed my mind.

On the topic, Michelle do you know if applying a loose powder over sunscreen to reduce the greasy, shiny look can compromise the SPF? I have wanted to do this with a mattifying powder I have but am worried.

[nikkyhasyou]

What about sunscreen left in the car on hot days? Does that effect the protection in anyway? I like to apply sunscreen on my hands as I drive all day for work and would like to keep my sunscreen in the car

[XOXOdsouza]

Oh my God, I was thinking about transferring my sunscreen into another bottle.Few weeks back and well, I didn't do it.But now that I've stumbled upon this video.I now know that I shouldn't do it .i'm so glad I actually found this

[ToriKlassen]

Thanks for the info! Canadian rules for flying stipulate you can take up to 355 or so grams of sunscreen or other needed products (like medications) in your carry on so no, I don’t transfer my face sunscreen to a 100g size when travelling. But this is good to know!

[raraavis]

I have to admit, I'm shocked. I would have guessed for sure, that glass is safe. Silicone, too, if I'm honest.
The more you know... luckily, body sunscreen in 'handbag sized' containers is readily available here, including my favorite, inexpensive drugstore option. It's a bit sticky, but on arms and legs, I can deal with that.
And good facial sunscreen always comes in 'rob you blind', 50ml for a gazillion € containers anyway 😏

[tayadragonia]

All cossmetics can react with their container, and that is why we cant have just one kind of container/plastic. I wwas in beauty school and a cosmmetologist came talk to us, she told us they ruined a whole batch of product because they used the wrong plastic for the container... the product turned bad and they had to redo it with new containers.

[lis]

The music got me all results from every scientific research ever should be presented like that