Sunscreen controversy includes some locally sold brands

A sunscreen controversy that began in Australia has raised serious questions about the reliability of some popular sun-protection products sold on Cayman shelves.

In June, Australian consumer advocacy group CHOICE tested 20 sunscreens at an accredited laboratory and found that 16 failed to meet their advertised SPF levels. Several well-known sunscreens readily available in Cayman were among those tested, including some under the brand names Neutrogena, Nivea, Sun Bum and Banana Boat.

Major sunscreen makers have defended their products, with Banana Boat’s parent company, Edgewell, and Nivea’s owner, Beiersdorf, both stating their sunscreens meet strict standards and are approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Sun Bum also said it stands by its SPF50+ claims based on accredited lab results. However, CHOICE maintains that its independent testing was accurate and conducted using approved methods.

Among the worst offenders was Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen SPF 50+, which registered an SPF of just 4, far below its label claim of 50+. After retesting with multiple laboratories and obtaining results that ranged wildly from SPF4 to 64, the company recalled all Lean Screen batches worldwide.

With investigations now revealing unreliable SPF claims from several major sunscreen brands, consumers are facing growing uncertainty over which products can actually be trusted to protect their skin.

“It’s difficult to know which sunscreens we can trust,” said consultant dermatologist Dr. Nevianna Bordet, who practises at Integra Healthcare. “Some we believed were SPF50+ have tested as low as 4.”

Bordet – who recently released a TikTok on ‘understanding UV factor’ – says the best approach is caution and independent verification using trusted sources.

“If people are worried, they can consult with independent testing agencies, for example, Which? and the Environmental Working Group,” she said. “They independently test sunscreen.”

Testing investigations

CHOICE’s findings have had a ripple effect throughout the sunscreen industry.

Following that report, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the regulator overseeing sunscreens and other therapeutic products, launched its own investigation. While the agency typically relies on manufacturer-supplied data to verify SPF claims, its independent testing found that the base formulation used in Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen was unreliable for effective sun protection.

On 30 Sept., the administration issued a warning on 21 sunscreen products from 17 brands identified as sharing the same base formulation as Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen. The flagged products have been published on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration confirmed on 3 Oct. that it is investigating the reliability of SPF testing conducted by Princeton Consumer Research (PCA), a US- and UK-based laboratory that many of the sunscreen companies used to certify their SPF claims. The administration said it had “significant concerns” about the lab’s results and has since reached out to Princeton Consumer Research but has not yet received a response.

PCR Corp has previously faced accusations – later dismissed – of manipulating lab data in unrelated trials.

Beauty industry news source, BeautyMatter, recently followed up with its own investigation on PCR Corp and reported finding “highly unusual” SPF test results in the documentation for several brands, some of which are available on-island.

Implications for Cayman

With Cayman’s tropical UV index among the highest in the world, the implications of sunscreen underperformance are serious.

Dr. Alison Duncan, consultant dermatologist at Integra Healthcare, warns that even a few severe burns can have lifelong consequences. “Just one to five bad sunburns doubles your risk of melanoma,” she told Daybreak host Raegan Rutty, who was diagnosed with skin cancer at just 23 years old.

Duncan says most people get far less protection than they think. “While SPF30 filters out about 97% of UVB radiation, which is good, real-world protection is often significantly lower because most people apply far less sunscreen than recommended, so I usually recommend SPF50+ with broad spectrum protection, as the UV index here is usually very high,” she said.

Bordet warns consumers not to rely solely on sunscreen, but to avoid sun overexposure – particularly between 11am and 3pm – and to wear protective clothing such as “long sleeves, rash vests and wide-brimmed hats”.

She also warns against spray sunscreens, which can apply unevenly and pose inhalation and fire risks, and to avoid ingredients such as oxybenzone or octinoxate – chemicals linked to endocrine disruption in lab and animal studies and coral reef damage. She also encourages use of mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide that are non-nano, broad-spectrum and free of unnecessary fragrances.

When wearing sunscreen, Bordet stresses that it should be regularly re-applied even if it is SPF50+ and reminds consumers that a thin application reduces effective protection.

“My advice is to never fully trust sunscreen alone because it can get washed off or it might not be applied evenly or its claims can even be discredited as in this instance,” said Bordet.