The journal “60 million consumers” has tested eight high sun protection products offered by dew, SVR, La Roche-Posay, Avène, Garnier, Nivea, Bioderma and Mixa. With a clear preference for products sold in pharmacies.
Which high protection sunscreen this summer? To see a little more clearly, the journal “60 million consumers” has tested eight products among the leading market brands (dew, SVR, La Roche-Posay, Avène, Garnier, Nivea Sun, Bioderma and Mixa), displaying a 50 + SPF as well as protection against UVA.
Seven of them are formulated with a combination of chemical filters deemed more covering in terms of absorption spectrum. The eighth is a product intended for intolerant or allergic to chemical filters (AVENE), with a mineral filter, titanium dioxide.
Verdict? All the solar products tested comply with a recommended minimum condition: 90 % of the UV rays absorbed by the creams are less than 370 nanometers. Regarding UVB protection, a SPF greater than 50 was found for all products, except that of Bioderma, which is below. “60 million consumers” indicates that only the three products La Rosée, SVR, Avène and Garnier reach a SPF 60 (necessary to justify the SPF 50 + allegation on the packaging). However, it has little impact for the user, because “The increase in protection between the two is negligible”. The National Health Safety Agency (ANSES) also offers to group the SPF 50 and SPF 50 + in the same category. The stake: to avoid the mention “Very high protection” does not induce false security, encouraging the consumer to expose himself longer or to renew the application less often.
On the UVA side, protection is necessary because they are involved in skin aging, the risk of allergy … and cancer. A UVA logo on the packaging is supposed to guarantee protection at least 1/3 of the SPF (20 for SPF 50 + products supposed to exceed protection 60), but only three products (dew, SVR and La Roche-Posay) actually exceed a UVA-PF of 20.
“60 million consumers” has also allocated a cosmetoscore to each product, an indicator that assesses health and environmental risks. The notes are rather mediocre, with the exception of the dew product. The journal recalls, however, that it is mainly solar filters that degrade the health note (irritating or endocrine disturbing potential), but they are currently essential to guarantee real efficiency.
In the end, “60 million consumers” highlights products available in pharmacies and awards the best note to solar milk with organic apricot oil in dew (17/20). It combines excellent UV protection and good health/environment profile (Cosmetoscore a). Follow the Sun Secure SVR milk (12.8/20), Anthelios Invisible UVMUNE Fluid 400 from La Roche-Posay (11.2/20), the very high Avène protection mineral cream (10.1/20), which have good UVA and UVB protection, but a smaller cosmetoscore. Finally, with notes below the average: Sensitive Solar Amber Expert + Garnier PROTECT Ceramide (9.2/20), Sensitive Solar Spray Fivea Sun (9/20), Photoderm Spray of Bioderma (8.8/20) and Dermo Protect Anti Salt, Sand, Chlorine, Hydration 24 Hours of Solar Mixa (8.5/20).
