Consumer group tests burn sunscreens over SPF 50 claims
Consumer advocacy group Choice tested 20 sunscreens with SPF 50 or 50+ labels and found only four met the criteria.
"Consumers expect sunscreen to protect them in line with the SPF rating on the product, but as our testing has shown, the SPF label doesn't always match what's in the bottle," the group's CEO Ashley de Silva said.
Some of the Cancer Council's own sunscreen products were egregiously falling behind.
The Kids Clear Zinc 50+ tested at 33, the Everyday Value Sunscreen 50 scored just a touch above the halfway mark at 27 and the Ultra Sunscreen 50+ came at a shockingly low 24.
Only one product from the council matched the label - the Kid Sunscreen 50+ scoring a strong 52.
AAP has contacted the Cancer Council about the results.
Three other products from well-known brands - La Roche-Posay, Neutrogena and Mecca Cosmetica - delivered on their dermatological declarations.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Wet Skin Sunscreen SPF 50+ tested at 72, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Lotion SPF 50 came in at 56 and Mecca Cosmetica To Save Body SPF 50+ Hydrating Sunscreen scraped through at 51.
The sunscreen which scored the lowest was Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of 4, the consumer group said.
Ultra Violette disputed CHOICE's testing methodology and results, saying it did not arbitrarily slap on a SPF 50+ label but was following Therapeutic Goods Authority guidelines.
"We do not accept these results as even remotely accurate," the company told AAP.
"Lean Screen contains 22.75 per cent zinc oxide, a level at which, when applied sufficiently, would render a testing result of SPF 4 scientifically impossible."
Industry body Consumer Healthcare Products Australia assured people they can step out into the sun "with full confidence in the quality, safety and effectiveness of Australian sunscreens".
The body said in a statement that it worked closely with the TGA and Standards Australia to ensure consumers were protected by some of "the most stringent requirements in the world".
Choice said it had informed the TGA, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as well as the brands concerned of the results.
It has requested the authority conduct its own compliance testing.
Mr de Silva tempered any concerns for people heading to beaches or enjoying scorching sunny days, noting that "any sunscreen is better than none at all".
Winter has come and chilly conditions have set in, but those looking forward to summer are being warned that not all sunscreens are equal when they slip, slop, slap.
Consumer advocacy group Choice tested 20 sunscreens with SPF 50 or 50+ labels and found only four met the criteria.
"Consumers expect sunscreen to protect them in line with the SPF rating on the product, but as our testing has shown, the SPF label doesn't always match what's in the bottle," the group's CEO Ashley de Silva said.
Some of the Cancer Council's own sunscreen products were egregiously falling behind.
The Kids Clear Zinc 50+ tested at 33, the Everyday Value Sunscreen 50 scored just a touch above the halfway mark at 27 and the Ultra Sunscreen 50+ came at a shockingly low 24.
Only one product from the council matched the label - the Kid Sunscreen 50+ scoring a strong 52.
AAP has contacted the Cancer Council about the results.
Three other products from well-known brands - La Roche-Posay, Neutrogena and Mecca Cosmetica - delivered on their dermatological declarations.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Wet Skin Sunscreen SPF 50+ tested at 72, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Lotion SPF 50 came in at 56 and Mecca Cosmetica To Save Body SPF 50+ Hydrating Sunscreen scraped through at 51.
The sunscreen which scored the lowest was Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of 4, the consumer group said.
Ultra Violette disputed CHOICE's testing methodology and results, saying it did not arbitrarily slap on a SPF 50+ label but was following Therapeutic Goods Authority guidelines.
"We do not accept these results as even remotely accurate," the company told AAP.
"Lean Screen contains 22.75 per cent zinc oxide, a level at which, when applied sufficiently, would render a testing result of SPF 4 scientifically impossible."
Industry body Consumer Healthcare Products Australia assured people they can step out into the sun "with full confidence in the quality, safety and effectiveness of Australian sunscreens".
The body said in a statement that it worked closely with the TGA and Standards Australia to ensure consumers were protected by some of "the most stringent requirements in the world".
Choice said it had informed the TGA, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as well as the brands concerned of the results.
It has requested the authority conduct its own compliance testing.
Mr de Silva tempered any concerns for people heading to beaches or enjoying scorching sunny days, noting that "any sunscreen is better than none at all".
Winter has come and chilly conditions have set in, but those looking forward to summer are being warned that not all sunscreens are equal when they slip, slop, slap.
Consumer advocacy group Choice tested 20 sunscreens with SPF 50 or 50+ labels and found only four met the criteria.
"Consumers expect sunscreen to protect them in line with the SPF rating on the product, but as our testing has shown, the SPF label doesn't always match what's in the bottle," the group's CEO Ashley de Silva said.
Some of the Cancer Council's own sunscreen products were egregiously falling behind.
The Kids Clear Zinc 50+ tested at 33, the Everyday Value Sunscreen 50 scored just a touch above the halfway mark at 27 and the Ultra Sunscreen 50+ came at a shockingly low 24.
Only one product from the council matched the label - the Kid Sunscreen 50+ scoring a strong 52.
AAP has contacted the Cancer Council about the results.
Three other products from well-known brands - La Roche-Posay, Neutrogena and Mecca Cosmetica - delivered on their dermatological declarations.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Wet Skin Sunscreen SPF 50+ tested at 72, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Lotion SPF 50 came in at 56 and Mecca Cosmetica To Save Body SPF 50+ Hydrating Sunscreen scraped through at 51.
The sunscreen which scored the lowest was Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of 4, the consumer group said.
Ultra Violette disputed CHOICE's testing methodology and results, saying it did not arbitrarily slap on a SPF 50+ label but was following Therapeutic Goods Authority guidelines.
"We do not accept these results as even remotely accurate," the company told AAP.
"Lean Screen contains 22.75 per cent zinc oxide, a level at which, when applied sufficiently, would render a testing result of SPF 4 scientifically impossible."
Industry body Consumer Healthcare Products Australia assured people they can step out into the sun "with full confidence in the quality, safety and effectiveness of Australian sunscreens".
The body said in a statement that it worked closely with the TGA and Standards Australia to ensure consumers were protected by some of "the most stringent requirements in the world".
Choice said it had informed the TGA, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as well as the brands concerned of the results.
It has requested the authority conduct its own compliance testing.
Mr de Silva tempered any concerns for people heading to beaches or enjoying scorching sunny days, noting that "any sunscreen is better than none at all".
Winter has come and chilly conditions have set in, but those looking forward to summer are being warned that not all sunscreens are equal when they slip, slop, slap.
Consumer advocacy group Choice tested 20 sunscreens with SPF 50 or 50+ labels and found only four met the criteria.
"Consumers expect sunscreen to protect them in line with the SPF rating on the product, but as our testing has shown, the SPF label doesn't always match what's in the bottle," the group's CEO Ashley de Silva said.
Some of the Cancer Council's own sunscreen products were egregiously falling behind.
The Kids Clear Zinc 50+ tested at 33, the Everyday Value Sunscreen 50 scored just a touch above the halfway mark at 27 and the Ultra Sunscreen 50+ came at a shockingly low 24.
Only one product from the council matched the label - the Kid Sunscreen 50+ scoring a strong 52.
AAP has contacted the Cancer Council about the results.
Three other products from well-known brands - La Roche-Posay, Neutrogena and Mecca Cosmetica - delivered on their dermatological declarations.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Wet Skin Sunscreen SPF 50+ tested at 72, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Lotion SPF 50 came in at 56 and Mecca Cosmetica To Save Body SPF 50+ Hydrating Sunscreen scraped through at 51.
The sunscreen which scored the lowest was Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, which returned an SPF of 4, the consumer group said.
Ultra Violette disputed CHOICE's testing methodology and results, saying it did not arbitrarily slap on a SPF 50+ label but was following Therapeutic Goods Authority guidelines.
"We do not accept these results as even remotely accurate," the company told AAP.
"Lean Screen contains 22.75 per cent zinc oxide, a level at which, when applied sufficiently, would render a testing result of SPF 4 scientifically impossible."
Industry body Consumer Healthcare Products Australia assured people they can step out into the sun "with full confidence in the quality, safety and effectiveness of Australian sunscreens".
The body said in a statement that it worked closely with the TGA and Standards Australia to ensure consumers were protected by some of "the most stringent requirements in the world".
Choice said it had informed the TGA, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as well as the brands concerned of the results.
It has requested the authority conduct its own compliance testing.
Mr de Silva tempered any concerns for people heading to beaches or enjoying scorching sunny days, noting that "any sunscreen is better than none at all".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
When the end is near, psychedelics may ease the anguish
Psychedelics could significantly alleviate the anguish, debilitating depression and death-anxiety often experienced by the terminally ill but its implications could be much more profound, clinicians say. In an Australian-first, a near three-year clinical trial examined the use of psilocybin - a naturally occurring compound found in some species of mushrooms - in combination with psychotherapy for dozens of people living with crippling, life-threatening illness. Psychologist Margaret Ross and psychiatrist Justin Dwyer, who co-led the study, said the drug was able to ease the debilitating death-related anxiety and depression experienced by many palliative care patients. "When you're told you're going to die, your entire world collapses ... it's the final unknowable frontier," Dr Dwyer told AAP. "Many people find themselves stranded in this endless moment of waiting to die, just waiting for the axe to fall ... with that, comes crushing feelings of despair." There are few treatments available for people experiencing distress around dying. Between January 2020 and October 2023, 35 terminally ill participants were given psilocybin over two eight-hour treatment sessions several weeks apart at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne. Both sessions were accompanied by nine psychotherapy sessions before and after dosing. The trial's findings have been published in General Hospital Psychiatry. Those in the study reported significant reductions in depression and anxiety as well as sustained gains in mood, outlook, and wellbeing within 24 hours of treatment. But Dr Dwyer said these results only touched the surface. "Many patients reported having a transformational experience," he said. "They felt they had a sense of being back in life in a richer, more vibrant way. "One patient said they felt saturated with a divinity that wasn't there before." While results are promising, the clinicians emphasised psychedelic-assisted therapy is still in its early stages. "It didn't work for everyone," Dr Dwyer cautioned. "And it shouldn't be a treatment open slather for all." Melbourne psychiatrist Eli Kotler is among a handful of Australian doctors able to prescribe psychedelic medication and agreed the treatment needs to used cautiously. Dr Kotler said psychedelics such as psilocybin help with human suffering, a condition he believes is at the heart of the St Vincent's study for those confronting dying. "In many ways mental health has lost it's heart and soul and runs the risk of treating psychiatric diagnoses rather than helping humans heal," he told AAP. Psilocybin appears to work by changing the way parts of the brain connect and interact. But Dr Dwyer says whilst there are theories, nobody really knows how the drug works. In recent years, there has been an explosion of interest in its therapeutic effects with half-a-dozen studies underway in Australia, and many more in the pipeline. Psilocybin and MDMA have been able to be prescribed by approved psychiatrists for certain mental health conditions since July of 2023. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
When the end is near, psychedelics may ease the anguish
Psychedelics could significantly alleviate the anguish, debilitating depression and death-anxiety often experienced by the terminally ill but its implications could be much more profound, clinicians say. In an Australian-first, a near three-year clinical trial examined the use of psilocybin - a naturally occurring compound found in some species of mushrooms - in combination with psychotherapy for dozens of people living with crippling, life-threatening illness. Psychologist Margaret Ross and psychiatrist Justin Dwyer, who co-led the study, said the drug was able to ease the debilitating death-related anxiety and depression experienced by many palliative care patients. "When you're told you're going to die, your entire world collapses ... it's the final unknowable frontier," Dr Dwyer told AAP. "Many people find themselves stranded in this endless moment of waiting to die, just waiting for the axe to fall ... with that, comes crushing feelings of despair." There are few treatments available for people experiencing distress around dying. Between January 2020 and October 2023, 35 terminally ill participants were given psilocybin over two eight-hour treatment sessions several weeks apart at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne. Both sessions were accompanied by nine psychotherapy sessions before and after dosing. The trial's findings have been published in General Hospital Psychiatry. Those in the study reported significant reductions in depression and anxiety as well as sustained gains in mood, outlook, and wellbeing within 24 hours of treatment. But Dr Dwyer said these results only touched the surface. "Many patients reported having a transformational experience," he said. "They felt they had a sense of being back in life in a richer, more vibrant way. "One patient said they felt saturated with a divinity that wasn't there before." While results are promising, the clinicians emphasised psychedelic-assisted therapy is still in its early stages. "It didn't work for everyone," Dr Dwyer cautioned. "And it shouldn't be a treatment open slather for all." Melbourne psychiatrist Eli Kotler is among a handful of Australian doctors able to prescribe psychedelic medication and agreed the treatment needs to used cautiously. Dr Kotler said psychedelics such as psilocybin help with human suffering, a condition he believes is at the heart of the St Vincent's study for those confronting dying. "In many ways mental health has lost it's heart and soul and runs the risk of treating psychiatric diagnoses rather than helping humans heal," he told AAP. Psilocybin appears to work by changing the way parts of the brain connect and interact. But Dr Dwyer says whilst there are theories, nobody really knows how the drug works. In recent years, there has been an explosion of interest in its therapeutic effects with half-a-dozen studies underway in Australia, and many more in the pipeline. Psilocybin and MDMA have been able to be prescribed by approved psychiatrists for certain mental health conditions since July of 2023. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Prize shines light on top Aussie women in STEM research
Women working in science, technology, engineering or mathematics sectors are being encouraged to apply for a world-first prize for emerging researchers. The inaugural Marie Krogh Young Women in Science prize, launched by healthcare company Novo Nordisk, will consist of a $50,000 cash prize as well as $5000 for seven finalists. It's named in honour of Danish physician Marie Krogh (1874-1943), who pioneered treatment for diabetes as one of the first women in Denmark to earn a doctorate in medicine. In Australia, women make up 37 per cent of university enrolments in STEM and hold just 15 per cent of jobs in those sectors. The prize aims to recognise mid-career women in STEM for their contributions to science and medicine and recognise future leaders, Murdoch Children's Research Institute director Kathryn North said. "Supporting the next generation of women in science and medicine isn't just about equity, it's about excellence," Professor North said. The judging panel is made up of several esteemed scientists and doctors, including Royal Children's Hospital centre for community child health director Sharon Goldfeld. It was exciting for an international company to recognise the contributions of Australian women in STEM, Professor Goldfeld told AAP. "Awards like this try to right some of the imbalance in the sector. It's not that there are no women in STEM, there are amazing women, but this is a leg up," she said. "We talk about the 'cliff' in research where often early career researchers are tracking along well but then can't quite make it to the next stage. A prize like this helps to fix that." Judges would be on the lookout for applicants who could communicate their research well, alongside excellent ideas. "I am blown away by the amazing women scientists of today and their ability to traverse all sorts of sciences and think cleverly about the way they communicate," Prof Goldfeld said. "We are looking for the STEM researcher who is not only excellent but also able to say why their research project is going to make a difference." Applications are now open, with finalists to be honoured at a Parliament House reception and awards dinner in Canberra in November 2025.
