It’s peak sunscreen season, and the Environmental Working Group’s 2026 Guide to Sunscreens evaluated 2,784 SPF products and found roughly 80% don’t meet its bar. EWG’s own scientists frame the standard as the FDA’s, not just theirs.
“The FDA itself, not EWG, determined that 12 of the 16 chemical filters currently on U.S. shelves lack sufficient safety data to be classified as safe and effective,” said David Andrews, PhD, EWG’s acting chief science officer. “That is not EWG’s opinion. That is the FDA’s own finding.” There is progress, too: “In 2010, about 40% of products contained retinyl palmitate. Today that’s dropped down to 3%, which is good news for consumers,” said EWG senior scientist Alexa Friedman, PhD.
How to Actually Read the Label
Dermatologists say the takeaway isn’t to fear sunscreen. “The main message should not be to avoid sunscreen, but instead to choose and use sunscreen wisely,” said board-certified dermatologist Tanya Evans, MD. Watch the SPF number especially: “Using extremely high SPFs such as SPF 100+ can create a false sense of security and does not dramatically offer greater protection.” Her bottom line: “Sunscreen is still one of the most effective tools we have to reduce sunburn, photoaging, and skin cancer risk, including melanoma.”
Joseph has been writing and editing for a wide variety of publications over the last decade. He loves covering news in the health and wellness space and has written extensively about all aspects of wellness for a wide range of publications.
Is your neighborhood healthy?
Get a free report on your tap water, air quality, walkability and more
