I transferred some spf30 into a couple of smaller tubes so that i can have one in my GHB and one at home. I don't have the original container and the sunblock is a few yrs old. Should i get some new sunblock? Does it lose its protective qualities after a few yrs?

YES!!

Not even a few years... much less time than that.

I believe they suggest replacing it every season.

Yup... trust me on this one. You don't want to put on what you think is 70+spf then you get burnt in 30 mins.

Yeah, it won't go "bad" but it loses the power of blocking the sun.. basically it degrades the longer it's on the shelf.

Sunblock or sunscreen? There is a difference.

Difference Between Sunblock and Sunscreen



I recently had a basil cell carcinoma removed from my face, and did some research into how to prevent getting more in the future. My dermatologist recommended always using at least SPF 20 when outside. SPF numbers over 50 really don't offer more protection than 50 does. Also, most people tend to not apply as much as is needed to achieve the full level of protection. If you only apply half as much as is needed, you are only getting 1/4 the protection, while only 1/4 recommended reduces protection to 1/16, so SPF 50 at 1/4 level is same as SPF 3. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied much more often than most people bother with (30-60 min) to keep full effect.

Sunscreen doesn't last a long as sunblock - replace the former every year and the latter every 2-3 years. If you go with sunblock, make sure it has Titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide - anything else isn't really proven (according to my dermatologist).

I wouldn't just throw it out. My understanding it is degrades slowly instead becoming useless on a particular date. I would use it for the less important uses. Using it up by applying it more frequently like you would a lower SPF.

IMHO for emergency and survival use sun blocks, like zinc oxide, are more appropriate. They last longer and beat even a high SPF sunscreen. Nobody cares if your nose is white in a survival situation.

I've heard it does, but can't source it. I replace mine every year ( but need to replace my sunblocking lip balm.) I use 30-50 everytime I'm working outdoors.

2 years after the manufacture date, according to the poster in my dermatologist's clinic.