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To protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun, choosing a good sunscreen is essential. The UFC-Que Choisir association recently tested several for the face. The result is edifying: a third of products announcing SPF 50 do not, in reality, provide this degree of protection.
In this summer period, it is time to look for the right sunscreen, the one that will effectively protect you from UV rays. The consumer association UFC-Que Choisir has established the ranking of 13 tested products and their results are surprising.
A non-compliant sun protection index
UFC Que Choisir therefore analyzed 13 references of special facial sun creams, in order to know if they really provided the level of protection displayed on their packaging.
Result: only 8 sun creams obtained a satisfactory rating on this specific point. These conclusions are all the more worrying since the SPF 50 or 50+ indications are supposed to ensure optimal protection of the skin.
“While users expect maximum protection by opting for indices 50 or 50+, This promise is far from being kept for 5 out of 13 references. What is more, most of these failing creams are marketed by well-known cosmetic brands” writes UFC Que Choisir. These are in fact the brands Vichy, Biotherm, Lancaster, Isdin and Rituals.These poor results are all the more surprising given that the prices of these references are extremely high.” she denounces again.
UFC Que Choisir demands sanctions for these brands
In its press release, the association therefore encourages manufacturers to rectify their products, because the SPF defect is “all the more annoying because, as it does not cause any immediate discomfort, one cannot see for oneself the ineffectiveness of the product“.
Failing this, it calls for the withdrawal of these products from sale and also announces that it has contacted the General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) in order to strengthen its controls. It also threatens legal action against the brands concerned.
Negative impact of certain products on the environment
The consumer association’s investigation also revealed that 10 of the 13 products analyzed contain components that are harmful to the environment and aquatic organisms. Chemical substances present in certain creams pollute the seabed and the environment in general.
This is why it invites consumers to study the different products carefully – without necessarily relying on the information on the packaging! – in order to choose the best ones, both for their health and for the environment.
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