CNN – Only one fourth of sunscreens on store shelves in the United States deliver safe and effective protection against the harmful rays of the sun, according to an analysis of more than 2,200 sunscreens.
“Our criteria include the ability of the sunscreen’s active ingredients to provide balanced protection against both UVA and UVB rays, as well as any hazardous chemical ingredients in the product,” said David Andrews of the Environmental Working Group, a consumer organization that has produced the annual sunscreen guide since 2007.
UV radiation vs. chemicals in sunscreen: Which is a bigger threat?
The 2025 Sunscreen Guide lists the best baby and child sunscreens, including those with the best “bang for the buck;” highly rated daily use sunscreens, including moisturizers with SPF; the best lip balms with SPF; and the top recreational sunscreens designed for outdoor activities such as sports or spending time at the beach.
“We want people to wear sunscreen and at the same time recognize there are other ways to protect their skin as well — seeking shade, wearing wide-brimmed hats, lightweight long-sleeve shirts and pants and covering up your feet are very effective ways, especially if you’re concerned about sunscreen ingredients.”
Choosing not to protect your skin from the sun, an idea promoted by some Tiktok influencers, should not be an option, according to Dr. Kathleen Suozzi, a dermatologic surgeon at Yale School of Medicine.
“Extensive research has shown that UV radiation from the sun is a significant cause of skin cancers such as melanoma. It’s really indisputable at this point,” Suozzi told CNN in a prior interview. “UV radiation has both UVA and UVB, and we know that both of them damage the DNA in skin cells.”
Concerns with chemical sunscreens
Sunscreens come in two types, chemical and mineral …
