'INCREDIBLY CONCERNING'
Warning as 3 top sun cream brands fail safety tests in Which? probe – but the best were bargain supermarket buys
How effective is your favourite? Check our full list below
THREE top sun creams have failed an annual safety test.
Consumer group Which? found Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 High, Calypso Press & Protect Sun Lotion SPF30 and Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Fragrance Free Face Sunscreen Lotion did not meet their SPF and UVA protection claims.
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Asda said it did not recognise the results, while Calypso said its product passed EU standards and regulations in independent testing.
Bondi Sands declined to comment.
Which? said the Calypso product, which costs £8 for 200ml, "barely mustered" two thirds of its claimed SPF30 in both tests.
Asda's £2.80 lotion, which also comes in a 200ml bottle, failed both rounds of testing, the watchdog said.
Which? tested face-specific sunscreens for the first time this year, finding that the Bondi Sands SPF50+ product, costing £7.99 for 75ml, "did not come close" to the claimed SPF.
It also didn't reach the minimum required UVA protection.
However, Lidl's Cien Sun Spray SPF30, costing £3.29 for 200ml, "triumphed" in the testing and did an "all-round excellent job" of protecting skin.
Another budget brand, Aldi's Lacura SPF30 Sun Lotion, which is available for just £2.49 for 200ml, also passed the SPF and UVA tests.
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Lidl's Cien Kids Sensitive Sunscreen Spray 50+ (£3.29 for 200ml) also proved to meet its SPF and UVA protection claims.
Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which?, said: "It is incredibly concerning that some big brands failed our tests and did not offer the level of sun protection claimed on the packaging.
I found the best sun cream on the high street - it goes on perfectly, isn’t sloppy and is a total bargain, best of all it smells nice
"However, it is great to see cheaper top quality sunscreen options available on the high street and in supermarkets at a time when shoppers need affordable options.
"Our results prove that there's no need to splash out to keep you and your loved ones safe in the sun this summer and that many of the supermarket own-brand products can do a good job."
An Asda spokesperson said: "We recently had our Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF 30 High re-tested by a leading external provider using internationally recognised testing methods.
"These test results confirmed that this product has a sun protection factor of 31.5, and therefore we do not recognise the test results Which? has published.
"When Which? reviewed this same product in 2022, they awarded it 'Great Value' at that time and it passed their SPF test."
Calypso Sun said: "All products are carefully and independently tested and have passed EU standards and regulations."
Bondi Sands did not respond to a request for comment.
The full list of sun creams that passed and failed
Fails:
- Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 High, £2.80/200ml
- Calypso Press & Protect Sun Lotion SPF30, £8/200ml
- Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Fragrance Free Sunscreen Lotion, £7.99/75ml
SPF30 passes:
- Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Spray SPF30, £4.50/200ml
- Lidl Cien Sun Spray SPF30 High, £3.29/200ml
- Aldi Lacura SPF30 Sun Lotion, £2.49/200ml
- Asda Protect Refreshing Clear Sun Spray SPF30, £4/200ml
- Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture SPF30 Lotion, £7.90/200ml
- Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture SPF30 Spray, £7.90/200ml
- Piz Buin in Sun Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30, £6.50/200ml
- Sainsbury's Sun Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30, £5.50/200ml
- Soltan Protect & Moisturise Lotion, SPF30, £4.50/200ml
SPF50+ passes:
- Garnier Ambre Solaire Kids Water Resistant Spray SPF50, £8/150ml
- Lidl Cien Kids Sensitive Sunscreen Spray SPF50+, £3.29/200ml
- Nivea Sun Kids Protect & Care Coloured Spray SPF50+, £7/200ml
- Aldi Lacura SPF50+ Kids Mini Lotion, £1.35/50ml
- Asda Kids Sun Lotion Spray SPF50+, £4/200ml
- Boots Soltan Kids Protect & Moisturise Lotion SPF50+, £4.50/200ml
- Child's Farm 50+ SPF Sun Lotion Spray, £12/100ml
- Child's Farm SPF50+ Kids Roll-on Sun Lotion, £10/50ml
- Superdrug Kids SPF 50+ Roll-on Sun Lotion, £2.79/100ml
- Ultrasun Kids SPF50+, £32/150ml
Face sunscreens - SPF50 and 50+ passes:
- Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV Daily Invisible Face Serum SPF50+, £9.49/30ml
- Boots Soltan Brightening Protect & Moisturise w/ Vitamin C SPF50, £6.50/50ml
- Nivea Sun UV Face Anti-Age Q10 Cream SPF50, £10/50ml
- Ultrasun Face SPF50+, £26/50ml
Which? tested 26 sunscreens in total using international standard methods in an independent laboratory.
For SPF, this involved applying the products to the backs of volunteers and using a UV lamp to shine rays onto the skin until it turns red.
SPF is determined on the amount of energy (UVB) required to turn the skin red with and without sunscreen.
To pass this test, sunscreens needed to achieve their claimed SPF.
For UVA protection, lotions were applied to glass plates and a spectrophotometer was used to measure the amount of light filtered by the sunscreen.
To pass, sunscreens needed to have at least a third of the claimed SPF, as per the EU recommendation for UVA protection.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF PROPERLY
The SPF - or sun protection factor - number indicates how well a sunscreen protects against sunburn (UVB), while the UVA number denotes the percentage of UVA radiation that’s absorbed compared to UVB.
For both, the higher the number, the better the protection.
UVA and UVB are damaging to the skin, but UVA penetrates more deeply. Both play a role in skin cancer.
To meet EU standards, the ratio of UVA to UVB protection must be 1:3. This is denoted by the letters 'UVA' inside a circle.
But the NHS says products should also carry a four-star rating or above, whatever the SPF, as it isn't the only measure of effectiveness.
“When buying sunscreen, the label should have an SPF of at least 30 to protect against UVB and at least four-star UVA protection,” the health service states.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which sets the guidelines, adds: “To reduce the risks of sunlight exposure, sunscreen should meet minimum standards for UVA protection.
“The label should have the letters 'UVA' in a circle logo and it should be at least four‑star UVA protection.”
It's not that products below this threshold don't work, but a higher rating means better protection.
What does the UVA star rating mean?
THE star rating for sun cream bottles was developed to illustrate the balanced protection that a product offers against both UVA and UVB rays.
The index ranges from 0 to 5 stars. These indicate the percentage of UVA radiation absorbed by the sunscreen in comparison to UVB.
The higher number of stars means the more balanced that protection is.
You may also see the letters 'UVA' in a circle, which means the product has been approved by the EU.
It is another way of saying that the product provides good balanced protection against UVA and UVB.
Why should people care about choosing a sunscreen with high SPF and high UV protection?
Extended exposure to the sun can lead to skin damage, experts say.
There are four types of skin damage: skin ageing, hyperpigmentation, sunburns, and skin cancer.
"By protecting yourself from the sun, you reduce the likelihood of damaging your skin," the British Association of Dermatologists says.
"Make use of the shade during the hours of high intensity (11am and 3pm in the UK typically), wear clothing that will shade your skin, and use sunscreen with at least SPF30 and either the UVA logo or 4 to 5 stars, making sure you’re applying it well and re-applying it regularly."
Source: British Association of Dermatologists
Inadequate sun protection puts people at risk of severe burns and skin cancer, charities and health bodies warn.
But it's not only about sunscreen. Spending time in the shade and covering up with clothing are the best and cheapest ways to protect yourself against damage, Cancer Research UK says.
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At least 100,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, and the disease kills more than 2,500 annually, according to the British Skin Foundation.
Experiencing severe sunburn, particularly in childhood, increases the risk of developing it in later life.