New report finds few sunscreens meet safety standards

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect a new sunscreen ingredient approved by the FDA and an increasing number of sunscreens being tested by the Environmental Working Group.

It’s time to stock up on sunscreen, but a study finds that few options on store shelves today are both safe and effective. annual report By the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, a nonprofit health and environmental advocacy organization.

Now in its 20th year, EWG’s 2026 Sunscreens Guide It analyzed 2,990 products and found that only 597 (about 20%) provided safe and effective protection against the sun’s harmful rays.

The new guide, published on May 19, lists the best baby and children sunscreens, including the good ones”get value for money” and top recreational sunscreens Designed for outdoor activities such as playing sports or spending time at the beach.

Additionally, consumers can find top-rated products. daily use sunscreensMoisturizers with sun protection factor (SPF) and including the best lip balm with SPF on report.

To be recommended by the EWG, sunscreens must protect against UVA and UVB, two types of ultraviolet rays known to damage DNA and age skin. Sprays and powders are not included due to respiratory risks. Manufacturers cannot claim SPF more than 50 or use federally prohibited marketing claims such as “waterproof“

Consumers often turn to more expensive products that claim to block 99% of UVB rays, reaching SPF levels of more than 100. But there is little difference in terms of effectiveness; According to the report, a cheaper sunscreen with SPF 50+ can block 98% of the rays.

SPF numbers may also be inflated on some products. A. peer-reviewed study EWG scientists found that sunscreens, on average, provide only a quarter of the UVA protection and 59% of the UVB protection stated on labels.

Sunscreens recommended in the new guideline also avoid retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A; and chemicals suspected of causing cancer, skin irritation, allergic reactions or reproductive harm, developmental problems, or neurotoxicity.

“Retinyl palmitate is part of the retinoid family that dermatologists recommend to combat wrinkles and other signs of aging. These products come with warnings about avoiding sun exposure of the skin,” said Alexa Friedman, a senior scientist at EWG.

“In 2010, approximately 40% of products contained retinal palmitate,” Friedman said. “Today, that rate has dropped to 3%, which is good news for consumers.”

Mineral and chemical sunscreens

The majority of the 597 products recommended by EWG are predominantly composed of minerals that sit on the skin and physically deflect and block sunlight. Mineral-based sunscreens cause little skin irritation or toxicity because they are not absorbed into the dermis.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use in sunscreen of two minerals—zinc oxide and titanium dioxide—known for the chalky, white residue they leave after applying to the skin. Experts say new, innovative formulations and colorful options now on the market have largely eliminated this concern.

However, chemical sunscreens are designed to penetrate the skin and work by creating a chemical reaction that absorbs ultraviolet radiation as energy and dissipates it as heat. A dozen types of chemicals have been used without concern in sunscreens for decades. Later in 2019 FDA scientists It found that six of the most commonly used ingredients could subsequently enter the human bloodstream at unsafe levels. just one day use.

These chemicals remained in the blood for days after administration was stopped. In fact, two of the ingredients (homosalate and oxybenzone) remained above safety thresholds in the bloodstream for more than two weeks.

European Union regulation of homosalate A potential endocrine disruptor is a chemical that can interfere with the body’s hormones and cause adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, or immune effects.

Oxybenzone is a well-studied endocrine disruptor. birth defectsreproduction and thyroid hormone changes and skin allergies. Found in human breast milk, blood, and urine; In one study, oxybenzone 97% of US urine samples.

Oxybenzone is banned in Hawaii due to its impact on the environment. key westFlorida, US Virgin Islands, Thailand and other countries. Studies have found that it increases coral bleaching and reef death, as well as genetic damage to marine life.

According to the 2026 guideline, the number of products using oxybenzone has decreased from 70% to only 5% in the last 19 years. Despite this change, the guide was only able to recommend 70 non-mineral sunscreens. It contains a small number of related components.

There is good news. US Food and Drug Administration for the first time in 20 years approved a new sunscreen ingredient — bemotrizinol, or BEMT — is a safer option than many chemical ingredients currently used in the United States, experts say.

Bemotrizinol is a chemical filter that provides adequate UVA protection, is not easily absorbed by the skin, and has the most robust safety data of any UV filter to date, according to EWG. Products containing BEMT should be on shelves by early fall.

The Personal Care Products Council, which represents the industry, told CNN via email that questioning the safety and effectiveness of sunscreen products undermines decades of evidence-based research.

PCPC chief scientist Dr. “Suggesting that only a limited number of sunscreens are safe and effective discourages sunscreen use, which can harm public health, especially for those with repeated sun exposure,” Jaap Venema said. he said.

David Andrews, EWG’s chief scientific officer, told CNN in an email: “The FDA itself, not EWG, has determined that 12 of the 16 chemical filters currently on US shelves do not have sufficient safety data to be classified as safe and effective. This is not EWG’s opinion. This is FDA’s own finding.”

Federal action postponed

Trump-appointed FDA Commissioner Dr. According to Scott Gottlieb, the FDA proposed new sunscreen regulations in 2019 requiring manufacturers to use sunscreen. research security To see whether oxybenzone, homosalate, and 10 other chemicals should be considered GRASE or “generally recognized as safe and effective.”

At the time, these 12 chemicals had been used in sunscreens for decades and are still used today. To date, these studies have not been disclosed and the FDA has not adopted any updated regulations.

The FDA is reviewing the public comments it received, a spokesperson for the FDA said in an email to CNN. “These timelines may vary depending on the volume and content of comments received. FDA cannot comment on the exact timing of the final order or the specific content of this final order.”

Despite the historical lack of regulation, there is a sunny spot: FDA announced In December, U.S. manufacturers may be allowed to use bemotrizinol, a popular chemical used for decades in Europe.

“BMT is a filter that provides adequate UVA protection, is not easily absorbed by the skin, and has the most robust safety data of any UV filter to date,” Friedman said. “This is the first innovation shift we’ve seen in the last 20 years.”

Although it is technically illegal to sell non-FDA-approved sunscreens in the U.S., consumers purchasing European and Asian products have been around for a while now due to their lightweight feel, better protection and availability on a wider range of skin tones. HE cosmetic touch Experts, like many, say this is important avoid sunscreen Because of its heavy and oily feel.

More than sunscreen

Experts say sunscreen should actually be at the bottom of your list of sun protection options. Consider a “layered approach”: wear clothing made from tightly woven fabric, sunglasses, and sunglasses. wide brimmed hats and stay in the shade between 10:00 and 16:00, when the sun is hottest, and use sunscreen.

Experts say sunscreen can only reach its SPF value when applied correctly, and many people don’t apply enough. One ounce of sunscreen, enough to fill a shot glass, is considered the amount needed to cover exposed areas of the body. American Academy of Dermatology.

The academy recommends applying sunscreen to dry skin 15 minutes before going outside. Remember to reapply sunscreen to yourself and your children every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the sun; Babies under 6 months should never be exposed to direct sunlight. Sunburns in babies can cause medical emergencies. American Academy of Pediatrics. A few bad sunburns in childhood can increase the risk of developing the deadliest type of skin cancer called melanoma. Toxic chemicals used in sunscreens for decades can harm developing bodies and brains.

Ignore dangerous social media messages

Don’t fall for any social media hoaxes that try to say that the sun “does not cause skin cancer.” Ultraviolet radiation is a “proven human carcinogen” causing squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Skin Cancer Foundation.

Unless accelerated by a tanning bed, skin damage can take years, if not decades, to develop, putting today’s unwary youth at risk of premature skin aging and deadly skin cancers like melanoma, experts say.

D., clinical director of the Smilow Melanoma Program at Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Connecticut. “Melanoma is the deadliest cancer known to man,” said Kelly Olino. previous CNN interview.

“Melanoma is the only type of cancer where, even if it’s two millimeters in size, we say, ‘Oh my God, this is serious,'” he said. “If you had two millimeters of colon cancer, we would have a parade saying, ‘Wow, we caught this really early.'”

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