The importance that the sun has for our body is now known, from mood to the production of vitamin D, but equally important is that of protecting ourselves from harmful rays which can cause very serious damage to the skin, including the risk of developing skin tumors. If this assumption is important in adults, it is even more so in children.
The analysis of Altroconsumo
Altroconsumo magazine analyzed 15 Spf 50+ sun creams for children and 21 creams with Spf 30 for everyone (cream and spray versions), to test whether the promised protection corresponds exactly to the real one. A specialized laboratory has verified the protective efficacy of the product and its correspondence with that declared on the label, evaluating both the protection against UVB, the rays responsible for possible burns and rashes, and that against UVA, responsible for damage to the skin at long term and photo-aging.
The evaluation method
A new analysis method was applied for this evaluation, Hybrid Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy more ethical than the standard method ISO which involves subjects being subjected to radiation that causes rashes. The new method irradiates the volunteers’ skin very little and causes no damage. When there are products that do not meet the level of protection indicated on the label, as in this test, the products have been tested a second time according to current ISO standards and, in this case, the results have been confirmed.
The test carried out also verified that in the formulations analyzed there are no ingredients that may be harmful to health and which, although authorized, are not considered completely safe and for which problems related to their use have been highlighted.
The analyzed products were purchased between July 2023 and April 2024 and tested between October 2023 and May 2024. The price survey was carried out for all products in April 2024. To select the creams to be included in the test, market relevance is considered in the various sales channels (large-scale distribution, pharmacies, perfumeries, large specialized outlets). For new products sold in large-scale retail trade, Altroconsumo based itself on sales data provided by Circana and referring to the period November 2021 – November 2022.
The score based on the various analyses
The protective efficacy from UVB (SPF) and UVA rays accounts for 65% of the overall rating. Consumer proof of use and environmental impact weigh 20% and 10% respectively. The evaluation of the label accounts for 5%. The presence of non-recommended ingredients in the formulation limits the overall quality judgment.
The good news
Almost all creams, except two which “Altroconsumo deemed it necessary to report the non-conformities detected and therefore reported it to the Ministry of Health and the AGCM“, I am found to be satisfactory with the parametersFurthermore, many ingredients that are unsafe for health no longer appear in the formulations despite being permitted by law and that the baby creams tested do not contain allergenic fragrances.
The best and those that did not keep their promises
Among sunscreens for children, SPF 50+ wins as Best in the Test Angstrom Children Moisturizing Sun Spray Milk 50+ (175 ml) and as Best Buy Nivea Sun Babies & Kids Sensitive Protect 5 in 1 Spray 50+ (270ml) e Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advance Kids Spray 50+ (300ml).
Laboratory tests show that 2 out of 15 children’s sun creams Nivea Sun Kids Ultra Protect & Play Cream 50+ And Bilboa Bimbi Spray 50+do not protect as much as they promise, as the protection would correspond to a protection index of Spf 30 (high), therefore lower than that declared on the label 50+ (very high).
Furthermore, despite being effective in protection, two other creams tested were penalized in the overall quality rating, as they contain non-recommended ingredients, Leocrema Bimbi triple protection spray 50+ which contains octocrylene, a much-discussed sun filter for its safety and use Bilboa Bimbi Multi-position Solar Spray 50+ which contains ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, a sunscreen that is considered a potential endocrine disruptor.
Other parameters used including environmental impact
The test also evaluated the environmental impact general of these products, penalizing those that contain ingredients that are toxic to the marine ecosystem. Those that are difficult to dispose of in the recycling bin or with double packaging are also negatively evaluated (Relax And Lancaster with box) and those made of recycled plastic were awarded (Garnier Sensitive).
In general, the environmental impact assessment of these cosmetics is mediocre and the only barely sufficient result is that of Nivea Sun Kids Mineral sun milk which has a formula with less impact on the environment especially because it contains only physical filters and not chemical (or organic) filters, which are most frequently the most negative for the environment.
Sun sprays
Sun sprays were also analyzed and according to the investigation. All tested products are effective and protect as they promise. It wins the title of Best of the Test, for sun creams, Nivea Sun Protect & Hydrate 30 (200 ml) and Best Buy Prep Sun Milk 30 (200ml).
While, for the sprays, it wins the recognition of Best of the Test and Best Purchase Nivea Sun Protect & Bronze 30 Sprays (270 ml) and, always as Best Buy, Nivea Sun Protect & Hydrate 30 spray (270 ml).
