<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Many Australians have been studying the claims on the back of their sunscreen bottles following the release of a Choice report last week which alleged that 16 out of 20 popular Australian sunscreens "failed" to meet their own SPF claims. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The report sparked commentary and speculation on social media, where consumers questioned how sunscreen is tested in Australia and why products with lower-than-advertised SPF ratings would be allowed to go to market.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian chemistry PhD, science communicator and cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong understands their concern but said testing sunscreen is much more complicated than most realise.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/israel-iran-conflict-iran-claims-more-than-200-dead-since-friday/9e1adb88-d06f-4ddc-a672-a94efcebdfae" target="_blank"><strong><span>Israel strikes surface-to-surface missile sites in central Iran</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think [the report] looks shocking because a lot of people don't realise how much variability there is in SPF testing," she told 9news.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She also warned Australians not to fall prey to sunscreen misinformation that has emerged in response to the Choice report.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Anti-sunscreen rhetoric has been gaining traction online in the last few years, with a 2024 </span><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11036192/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="study"><span>study</span></a><span> showing that claims that sunscreen actually causes skin cancer rather than preventing it are on the rise.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/sunscreen-products-australia-testings-spf-ratings-explained/164c0a25-9cb0-4ccd-acb3-e0aae631bcfc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some social media users have incorrectly pointed to the Choice report as "evidence" that sunscreen doesn't work, despite the wealth of research proving that UV exposure causes cancer and sunscreen protects against UV rays.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I've seen comments saying, 'So sunscreen doesn't work and it's toxic, why are we rubbing it on our skin?'" Wong said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She encouraged Australians to educate themselves on how sunscreen is tested and approved for sale in Australia rather than falling for online misinformation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>How do SPF ratings work?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>SPF stands for sun protection factor, a measurement of how well a product (in this case, sunscreen) protects the skin against ultraviolet radiation from the sun.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A product's SPF rating is determined by testing the product on human skin and measuring how long it takes for the skin to start burning.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Products with a rating of SPF 10 or below are considered low protection, meaning the skin will start burning relatively quickly compared to products with higher ratings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sunscreens with SPF 15-25 offer moderate or medium protection and those with SPF 30-50 offer high protection.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>SPF 50+ is considered very high protection and will protect the skin against sunburn for longer than its lower-rated counterparts – when applied correctly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Applying adequate sunscreen is more important than the actual SPF number," Wong said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If you apply any sunscreen according to the directions, on any day where the UV is forecast to be three or over, then you're going to be doing a lot for your skin."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cold-front-lower-temperatures-strong-wind-gusts-south-east-australia/97d1e13b-cac7-4a80-9a8b-5b8ddbf7000d" target="_blank"><strong><span>Millions to shiver through multi-day blast of polar winds</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to the </span><a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/blog/everything-you-ever-wanted-know-about-sunscreens-were-afraid-ask" rel="" target="" title="Therapeutic Goods Administration"><span>Therapeutic Goods Administration</span></a><span>, an adult needs to apply about 40ml of sunscreen to adequately cover their body and must reapply regularly to ensure proper sun protection.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That becomes one teaspoon for your head, face, neck, ears, one teaspoon for each limb, one teaspoon for the front of your body and one teaspoon for the back of your body," Wong explained.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Basically, if you're not sure if you've applied enough sunscreen, you need to apply more."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some sunscreens are also broad spectrum, meaning they protect against both UVA and UVB rays.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About 95 per cent of the sun's UV rays are classified as UVA while just five per cent are UVB, but it's important to protect your skin against both.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>How are sunscreens tested in Australia?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While the </span><a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/news/about-sunscreens" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)"><span>TGA</span></a><span> regulates the supply and advertising of sunscreens in Australia, it is not responsible for testing sunscreens sold in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That responsibility falls to individual sunscreen brands, which are required to meet strict standards for sunscreen testing if they want to sell their products here.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Brands calculate the SPF rating of their products by testing them on people in accredited laboratories, many of which are overseas.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sunscreen is applied to a person's skin before they are exposed to a solar simulator that imitates sunlight. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Researchers then measure how long it takes for the skin to react where the sunscreen has been applied.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Measurements are also taken from an area of the skin where no sunscreen has been applied to compare the reactions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The international standard for sunscreen testing mandates testing on at least 10 volunteers to calculate a product's SPF.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Even then, results can vary between different labs because the human element of testing and recording results can lead to human error.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"SPF testing is one of those things that has a lot of variability," Wong said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sunscreen sold in Australia must also be manufactured in a TGA-approved manufacturing facility, meet manufacturing quality standards, therapeutic good legislative requirements, and the testing and labelling requirements outlined in the Australian/New Zealand Sunscreen Standard (AS/NZS) 2604.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>These rules apply to all sunscreens that are classified as therapeutic goods, which includes all primary sunscreens (products used primarily for UV protection) and some secondary sunscreens (products with a primary purpose other than sun protection, but which also contain sunscreening agents).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Once a sunscreen has been approved by the TGA for sale in Australia, it is entered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The TGA may also conduct random or targeted reviews to ensure the sunscreens it has approved continue to meet strict safety and efficacy requirements.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bali-news-hunt-continues-for-gunmen-who-killed-australian-zivan-radmanovic-and-injured-sanar-ghanim/de2eb951-4297-4704-a460-a97da936e390" target="_blank"><strong><span>Race against time to find gunmen who shot Aussies in Bali</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2025/05/30/12/35/most-trusted-distrusted-brands-australia-bunnings-woolworths-coles-aldi-optus-telstra-qantas-ranked-roy-morgan"><img sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/x6Q1racnqItzoumEDxcYSOHaPs0=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Ff751b89c-f24c-490c-9b48-446211754586" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/x6Q1racnqItzoumEDxcYSOHaPs0=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Ff751b89c-f24c-490c-9b48-446211754586 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/miMu0bgs-5vdjMhOL_o5hcXNTsc=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Ff751b89c-f24c-490c-9b48-446211754586 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">Surprise entrant to top 10 most trusted brands in Australia</div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2025/05/30/12/35/most-trusted-distrusted-brands-australia-bunnings-woolworths-coles-aldi-optus-telstra-qantas-ranked-roy-morgan">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>What about the </span></strong><span>Choice </span><strong><span>sunscreen test?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Last week, Choice released a </span><a href="https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/beauty-and-personal-care/skin-care-and-cosmetics/articles/sunscreen-test" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="report"><span>report</span></a><span> claiming that 16 of 20 popular Australian sunscreens failed to live up to advertised SPF claims when tested.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to the consumer advocacy organisation, it sent samples of the sunscreens to Eurofins Dermatest, an accredited and specialised Sydney-based lab which tested the samples in line with the AS/NZS and TGA requirements.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>All 20 sunscreens underwent a five-person panel blind test, followed by a second five-person panel test for all but the two sunscreens which returned the highest SPF results.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One sunscreen, the Ultra Violette Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen, was also sent to Normec Schrader Institute in Germany for additional testing (another five-person panel blind test) after reportedly returning an SPF of 4.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Choice said it "used the same process that manufacturers use to test their products" and "received advice from the specialist laboratory and prominent experts in this field" to ensure the validity of results in an </span><a href="https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/beauty-and-personal-care/skin-care-and-cosmetics/articles/how-we-test-sunscreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="article"><span>article</span></a><span> outlining how it tested the sunscreens.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yesterday, it released the </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xfZ_N0zhAwhYoErZfMwnkaTDSd5G-bhf?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="full results"><span>full results</span></a><span> of the tests.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Choice called on the TGA to further investigate the SPF claims of the 16 sunscreens that "failed" its testing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wong agreed that all of the sunscreens which reportedly recorded lower SPF ratings than advertised should undergo additional testing by the brands that manufacture them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Several sunscreen brands including Bondi Sands, ALDI, Coles/Baxter Labs and Ultra Violette have disputed the Choice findings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Two blind tests with a very small sample size are not substantial in comparison to the extensive rounds of testing with supporting documentation Ultra Violette have conducted in accordance with the TGA testing guidelines," Ultra Violette said in a </span><a href="https://ultraviolette.com.au/blogs/news/lean-screen-spf-50-testing-results" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="statement"><span>statement</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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