Tweet
Three Suncreams To Avoid This Summer
Three leading suncreams do not give the protection they promise, a watchdog has warned.
Tests reveal sun lotions sold by leading High Street names such as Tesco and Marks & Spencer fail to provide the protection levels stated on the bottles.
An M&S cream claiming to offer sun protection factor 15 in fact scored a mere 7.1 in lab tests. In tests for Which? magazine, Tesco's SPF15 cream came out at just 12, while Malibu High Protection Lotion provided an SPF level of 10.2 - not the 15 that it claimed.
SPF ratings are measured by timing how long skin that is covered with cream takes to burn compared with bare skin.
Best buy was Sainsbury's factor 15 Sun Protection Lotion which had the highest protection level of 20.2. It costs just £3, proving you don't need to splash out on expensive creams.
Other highly-rated brands included Asda Sun System, Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect, Nivea sun Moisturising Sun Spray, Boots Soltan Moistruing Sun Care Lotion and L'Oreal Solare Expertise Advances Anti-Ageing Sun Protection Lotion.
Tesco and M&S defended their products, saying they were tested to high standards.
Marks said: "We re-tested this product with our independent test house and those tests confirmed our product is, and in some results, exceeds, SPF15."
Tests reveal sun lotions sold by leading High Street names such as Tesco and Marks & Spencer fail to provide the protection levels stated on the bottles.
An M&S cream claiming to offer sun protection factor 15 in fact scored a mere 7.1 in lab tests. In tests for Which? magazine, Tesco's SPF15 cream came out at just 12, while Malibu High Protection Lotion provided an SPF level of 10.2 - not the 15 that it claimed.
SPF ratings are measured by timing how long skin that is covered with cream takes to burn compared with bare skin.
Best buy was Sainsbury's factor 15 Sun Protection Lotion which had the highest protection level of 20.2. It costs just £3, proving you don't need to splash out on expensive creams.
Other highly-rated brands included Asda Sun System, Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect, Nivea sun Moisturising Sun Spray, Boots Soltan Moistruing Sun Care Lotion and L'Oreal Solare Expertise Advances Anti-Ageing Sun Protection Lotion.
Tesco and M&S defended their products, saying they were tested to high standards.
Marks said: "We re-tested this product with our independent test house and those tests confirmed our product is, and in some results, exceeds, SPF15."
Comment