Does sunscreen expire?

[nanette1985]

Should I buy it new every year, or is it okay to reuse the stuff from last year? From two years ago? Five years? Ten? More?

Are some brands longer lasting than others?

 

[Drakkon]

If you keep it out of the heat/moisture etc it should last for years.
Maybe not the same UVA/UVB protection but still enough not to get ya burned.

 

[jagec]

I've used the same sunscreen for a few years running. Just put more on to be sure.

 

[Dirigible]

I got burned using old sunscreen. I thought it was a fluke, used it again, got burned again. New sunscreen solved the problem.

Lately I've been using it up so fast it doesn't have time to get old.

 

[spaceman]

i always end up losing a bottle(that and insect repellant)

 

[MrWizzard]

Yep, got some nasty weird burns from expired sunscreen. It's chemical breakdown.

 

[moshquerade]

the sunscreen i buy has an expiration date printed on it. it usually lasts up to 2 years.

 

[marvdmartian]

It's usually good for 2-3 years, but then you get a breakdown of the various items they use to make sunscreen. I pulled some out of the closet once, that was probably on it's 3rd year, and didn't bother shaking or squeezing the tube to mix the sunscreen, and when I opened it up, and squeezed some out, it had seperated. Needless to say, that was a bit on the YUCK side, so I threw it out and bought some new stuff.

 

[FoBoT]

no, it doesn't expire

 

[JujuFish]

Yes, it does. My cousin got burned just a few days ago because her sunscreen had expired.