Sunscreen under investigation by Therapeutic Goods Administration as summer looms
It’s been three months since a shocking sunscreen safety report exposed SPF failures.
Questions remain over whether some products actually deliver the protection they promise.
Consumer group CHOICE tested 20 sunscreens and found 16 didn’t meet their advertised SPF 50 claims.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Three months on, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is carrying out an investigation into SPF testing.
“The current advice continues to apply. The benefits of sunscreen in preventing sunburn and skin cancers are well established,” a TGA spokesperson said.
The sunscreen which scored the lowest in testing was Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of just 4.
“We have tested and retested the entire Ultra Violette range at multiple independent labs and consistently found SPF results over 50,” a spokesperson from Ultra Violette told 7NEWS.
“This gives us confidence in the safety and performance of our products and reassures us that customers can stay confident in using them.”
Other brands, that weren’t included in CHOICE’s original testing but are believed to share the same formula as Ultra Violette’s recalled product, have temporarily paused sales as they investigate SPF claims.
They include:
- Found My Skin’s SPF50+ Tinted Face/Body Cream
- Outside Beauty’s SPF50+ Mineral Primer
- Endota’s Mineral Protect SPF 50
- Aspect Sun’s Physical Sun Protection SPF 50+
- Naked Sundays’ SPF50+ Collagen Glow Mineral Sunscreen
Not all sunscreens failed the test.
CHOICE found several products actually outperformed their claims, providing higher than advertised SPF protection.
They were:
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios Wet Skin Sunscreen SPF 50+ – tested at 72
- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Lotion SPF 50 – tested at 56
- Cancer Council Kid Sunscreen 50+ – tested at 52
- Mecca Cosmetica To Save Body SPF 50+ Hydrating Sunscreen – tested at 51
But CHOICE CEO Ashley De Silva said those results don’t translate across all products.
“We did see a few examples, Cancer Council being one of them, Neutrogena being another, where they actually had one product that met claims and one product that didn’t,” he said.
Cancer Council had mixed results.
- Cancer Council Kid Sunscreen 50+ – tested at 52
- Cancer Council Everyday Value Sunscreen 50 – tested at 27
- Cancer Council Ultra Sunscreen 50+ – tested at 24
- Cancer Council Kids Clear Zinc 50+ – tested at 33
“Recent reports have highlighted the limitations and variability challenges in SPF testing, and we welcome the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA) ongoing investigation into these issues,” a spokesperson told 7NEWS.
“Cancer Council is following the regulator’s guidance and will await the outcome of the TGA’s investigation before taking any required steps.
“All Cancer Council test results have been provided to the TGA, and based on those results, the regulator has confirmed there is no safety concern with our sunscreens and no reason to withdraw products at this time.”
The best sunscreen is one you want to wear every day.
The advice is to apply a teaspoon to each limb and reapply every two to three hours, especially if you are spending more time in the sun this summer.
Originally published on 7NEWS
