Consumer Reports sunscreen reviews?

[Lucysql]

Does anyone know which sunscreens did NOT make the cut in their new review? I gather they specifiically identified a number that did not include the appropriate amount of the active ingredient to support their SPF claim.

TIA!

[adawn]

I found this webmb article of the 7 out of 20 sunscreens that earned a recommendation from consumer reports.

Here's EWG's annual guide. I'm sad Vanicream doesn't appear to be rated at all anymore.

[mbcatac7]

Thank you... Find this very helpful

[Lucysql]

Thanks for posting that WebMD link. That helped.

The only thing I don't get is, if only two lived up to their SPF claims, how far off were the other "recommended" sunscreens?

I notice they say everyone had to CLAIM 30 SPF, but evidently you could still be "recommended" even if your product fell short of the claim?

Hmmm....

Maybe I'll just stick with my Blue Lizard mineral sunscreen.

[Joni O]

I was wondering about that, too. Recommended even though they don't live up to their claims? Huh?

[adawn]

Ok, because I clearly have too much time on my hands...

I accessed the consumer reports article online through my library. I learned...

Consumer Reports does not recommend spray sunscreens for children.

Further,

Use spray sunscreens carefully. The FDA has said it is exploring the risks of inhaling spray sunscreens. Until we know more, our experts say to avoid using sprays on children, and do not spray them directly on your face. Instead, spray sunscreen onto your hands then apply it to your face.

The resulting UVB Ratings reflect each product's actual effectiveness, not how close it came to meeting its SPF claim.

Overall scores are based on results of the above UVB and UVA tests.

While 18 out of 20 tested didn't match the SPF on their labels,

That doesn't mean the sunscreens aren't protective, but you may not be getting the protection you think you are

For the moisturizers with sunscreen, we followed the same procedures, but we did not test after water immersion because these products don't claim to be water resistant.

Research shows that people who rely on sunscreens alone tend to burn more than those who stay in the shade and wear long sleeves.

The ratings also describe scent and if it leaves residue, feels slightly oily on skin, etc.

In the ratings section, here are the only ones that scored excellent for BOTH SPF & UVA:

Lotions
Coppertone Water Babies SPF 50

Sprays
Bull Frog WaterArmor Sport Instacool SPF 50+
up & up Target Sport SPF 50

Ultra-high SPFs
Banana Boat Ultra Defense Max Skin Protect SPF 110
Neutrogenia Ultimate Sport SPF 70+

Moisturizers w/sunscreen
Neutrogena Healthy Defense daily moisturizer SPF 50

All are "Water resistant for 80 minutes" except the Neutrogenia Healthy defense daily moisturizer.

I'll remove my post if I've included too many quotes from the actual article.

I guess rating the "actual effectiveness" is the most important thing, but it sure would be nice if they would call out the companies whose SPF claims are inaccurate. I always assume there's no such thing as an SPF higher than 30 and reapply accordingly, but it's misleading to consumers to have inaccurate SPFs listed, which may affect how often they reapply the product.