Can I transfer sunscreen into a smaller travel bottle?

Why does the bottle matter?

Sunscreen's original packaging helps keep its formula stable, so the bottle is doing more than providing somewhere to print the logo. The formula and its container need to work together throughout storage and use.13

Some sunscreen filters can interact with plastic packaging. In tests of specific sunscreen formulas in polyethylene packaging, the plastic absorbed some octocrylene, a sunscreen filter. Filter levels in the formula can fall over time, reducing protection. That makes the container material relevant, not just whether the lid stays shut.3

What if my travel bottle is airtight?

An airtight lid does not settle whether the bottle is suitable for your sunscreen formula. Keep the sunscreen in its intended packaging rather than choosing a replacement container by its seal alone. There is no established safe number of days to use decanted sunscreen here.13

What should I pack instead?

A factory filled travel size keeps sunscreen in its intended packaging, without making your wash bag a bottling plant.1

1. 1Choose sunscreen sold in a travel size, or plan to buy a full size bottle at your destination.
2. 2Check the expiration date before packing. If there is no date, mark the purchase month and year and replace the sunscreen three years after purchase. Discard sunscreen if you do not know how old it is.
3. 3Plan for enough sunscreen, not just a bottle that fits. An average sized adult or child needs at least one ounce for a full body application.

What if I have already transferred it?

Use sunscreen in its original packaging instead of relying on the decanted portion for sun protection. Transferring sunscreen can reduce its effectiveness; it does not mean every transferred portion immediately loses all protection.1

How should I store sunscreen while travelling?

Keep sunscreen in a cool, dry place and out of direct sun. At the beach, use a cooler or a temperature controlled bag; wrapping the container in a towel or keeping it in shade also helps protect it from direct sunlight. Take sunscreen with you rather than leaving it in a hot car. Original packaging does not remove the need to protect sunscreen from excessive heat.14

Keep the application directions with you

Read the label on the sunscreen you pack or buy abroad, because directions vary between product forms. Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply at least every two hours, more often when swimming or sweating. Water resistant sunscreen labels specify either 40 or 80 minutes of protection during swimming or sweating; follow the product's reapplication directions.45

For a daytime flight, especially in a window seat, apply broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher before boarding and reapply every two hours on longer flights. UVA rays can pass through airplane windows. Closing the window shade adds protection.1