Some may wonder which sunscreen works best for their skin. If they tend to read the label before purchasing a sunscreen, then chances are they do care about what they plaster over their beloved skin. Based on a new study, not every sunscreen is good for the skin, even the ones with attractive labels and ingredients.
Consumer Reports tested 20 sunscreen products, only to find out that some of them failed to meet the SPF [sun protection factor]. Now, this doesn't mean these sunscreen products aren't able to do the job, they are just less protective, but why settle for less performance when the other performs better.
Out of the 20 products tested, only BullFrog WaterAmor Sport InstaCool SPF 50+, Coppertone Sensitive Skin SPF 50 and five others provided the right amount of SPF, which means a total of 13 failed to meet the standard. Many of these products even claim to meet the SPF standard on the labels, yet that is not the case.
The following are the seven best out of the 20 tested products:
- Banana Boat
- BullFrog WaterAmor Sport InstaCool SPF 50 - provides full SPF promised on the label
- Coppertone Sensitive Skin SPF 50 - provides full SPF promised on the label
- Equate (Walmart)
- Neutrogena
- Up & Up (Target)
- Well (Walgreens)
The numbers are quite surprising to the least, and it only goes to show that consumers are being deceived on a regular basis. Then again, it possible there could be a flaw in the Consumer Report tests, though we may never know for sure.
At the end of the day, Consumer Reports is rallying consumers to remember the following factors when purchasing sunscreen products.
- Kids don't need a special formula. The FDA doesn't make a distinction between kids' sunscreen and other kinds.
- Apply large amounts often. Apply sunscreen 15 minutes to 30 minutes before time in the sun and then reapply every two hours.
- "Natural" sunscreens are not safer. The sunscreens that claim to be "natural" or mineral-based are no better than chemical sunscreens.
- Spray sunscreens don't provide the best coverage. It can be hard to judge the amount of sunscreen being sprayed, which can lead to less protection. Some sunscreens can be good options if used correctly.
