Sunscreen Reviews

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Sunscreen Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sunscreen Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me >> Details/Subscribe	Untitled Paula Begoun 7th edition, 2008		This book is an excellent resource for research on nearly every type of cosmetic product, not just sunscreen. Here, author Paula Begoun rates sunscreen based on research into ingredients. Clinical trials and government resources are included in her research. Information on the common ingredients found in sunscreens is provided. Begoun discusses effectiveness, possible risks (e.g. skin irritation), and whether or not an item is worth its cost. Her bottom line with sunscreens is whether or not they contain UVA-protective ingredients in the form of avobenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, Mexoryl SX or Tinosorb.
2. CosmeticsCop.com	Best of 2007 Paula Begoun As of May 2008		After reviewing hundreds of beauty products for her newsletters and beauty bulletins, Paula Begoun lists the best products of 2007. Each product includes a brief description of why it works and how it is formulated. Begoun appreciates that cosmetics companies are paying more attention to current research. Her top picks for sunscreens include M.D. Skincare, by Dr. Dennis Gross, Powerful Sun Protection SPF 30 Sunscreen and Mary Kay SPF 30 Sunscreen. Along with product reviews, CosmeticsCop.com also provides useful skin-care information that can be found in the "Learn" section of the website. This is one of the companion websites to Begoun's book (cited above).
3. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Sunscreens: Some are Short on Protection Editors of Consumer Reports July 2007		Consumer Reports tests the UVA and UVB protection levels in 19 sunscreens. Although all products come within ten percent of meeting their claimed SPF rating, several score poorly in UVA tests. Each sunscreen is rated from poor to excellent and includes an overall score from 0 to 100. Seven of those tested receive ratings of very good, or excellent, for both UVA and UVB protection.

Sunscreen Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sunscreen Ratings Comments on Reviews

4. Natural Health >> Details/Subscribe	Winning Way Olessa Pindak Oct. 2007		For its third annual beauty awards, Natural Health collaborated with dermatologists and readers to test and rate hundreds of products. Products are said to be tested for effectiveness as well as safety (based on the ingredient list), and each has a natural component to it. One winner is listed for each category for a total of 27 top picks. G.M. Collin Mineral Sun Veil SPF 15 is top-rated among sunscreen.
5. Health >> Details/Subscribe	The Best Beauty Buys of 2007 Jolene Edgar Nov. 2007		Editors of Health magazine, along with a panel of dermatologists, test and rate new beauty products from 2007. Only the top 25 are listed, but there is a winner in every category and each listing includes a description detailing its benefits. The judging criteria, however, is unclear, and none of the sunscreens that didn't make the cut are identified. MD Skincare Powerful Sun Protection SPF 30 is chosen as the best sunscreen.
6. Shape magazine >> Details/Subscribe	The Best of the Beauty Aisle: Shape of Beauty 2007 Awards Sally Wadyka Sept. 2007		This is the fourth consecutive year in which Shape magazine rates beauty products. Over 4,000 readers, along with Shape staff and beauty experts, weighed in on several products in 23 categories. Each category includes picks in both the drugstore and higher-end price ranges. Winning sunscreens include products from Murad, Neutrogena and Clinique. Unfortunately, editors do not disclose what criteria were used in making these picks and we can't tell whether these were tested.
7. InStyle >> Details/Subscribe	141 Best Beauty Buys Elizabeth Passavella Apr. 2008		InStyle magazine interviews nearly 200 experts and conducts some product testing (though exactly how much is not clear). Each winning sunscreen includes a description of its benefits and often quotes testers' experiences. Lancôme UV Expert with Maxell SPF 20, Banana Boat Sun Wear SPF 50 and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist SPF 45 make the list for best sunscreens.
8. CEW.org	2007 Insider's Choice Beauty Winners CEW Associates Not Dated		Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) lists the 2007 Beauty Award winners. Products are chosen by a group of 'experts' but specific testing isn't cited. CEW.org claims that the Beauty award is "the beauty industry's highest honor" and is given to "the most innovative beauty products of the year," but only new formulas are considered. Both La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55 make the list of best sunscreens.
9. Real Simple >> Details/Subscribe	The Best Drugstore Beauty Buys Editors of Real Simple May 2007		More than 100 readers of Real Simple magazine test more than 300 drugstore beauty products and choose their favorites. Those with the most votes are listed here. Sunscreens are chosen in lotion, spray, gel and stick formulations with winners in both the SPF 15-30 and SPF 30+ categories. Reader's choice products include sunscreens from Banana Boat, Neutrogena, Coppertone, Bull Frog

Sunscreen Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sunscreen Ratings Comments on Reviews

10. Allure >> Details/Subscribe	Best of Beauty Awards 2007 Editors of Allure Oct. 2007		Editors of Allure, along with cosmetics chemists and dermatologists, choose 187 products as the best in their categories. The products tested include new and old sunscreens alike in order to find the best on the market. This year's winning sunscreens are Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray SPF 45 and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55. However, the testing criteria here are not well defined.
11. Cosmopolitan >> Details/Subscribe	Beauty Awards 2007 Editors of Cosmopolitan Not Dated		Editors of Cosmopolitan magazine list top beauty picks for 2007. There are several products chosen for face, body and hair categories and each includes a brief explanation of why it was chosen. Sunscreens are listed under the "skin savers" category, where Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 45 Daily Moisturizer is awarded the title "Protection Perfection."
12. Self Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	2007 Healthy Beauty Awards Editors of Self magazine Not Dated		Editors of Self magazine list what they consider the best beauty products of 2007. Top products are listed under face, body, makeup, hair and sun categories. Banana Boat UltraMist Sport SPF 30 Continuous Clear Spray is listed as the best body sunscreen, though no information is given as to why it is chosen. No comparison information is given and the process in which products are top-rated is unclear.
13. Redbook >> Details/Subscribe	The Best Beauty Booty of 2007 – MVP Beauty Awards Krista Bennett, Cheryl Kramer Kaye, Crystal Martin Dec. 2007		In this article, Redbook lists the 45 best beauty products of the year, but we're not sure about the basis for inclusion. Olay Body Age Transform UV Defense Serum, La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizing Cream SPF 15 and Vichy Laboratoires Capital Soleil Sunscreen Cream SPF 15 all make the list. Products listed are not rated or compared to any others.
14. Prevention.com	Summer Sunblocks: Find your best defense against damaging rays Sherry Kiser July 2004		The editors of Prevention review six "great" summer sunblocks, although only three of the products are still available. The list includes best picks for swimming, anti-aging, a polished face, rigorous activity, repelling insects and sensitive skin. No information is provided about testing methods or how the editors made their picks, but all six sunscreens recommended contain UVA protection in the form of avobenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or a combination.
15. Slate Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	There Goes the Sun - Which sunscreens work best? Douglas Wolk Aug. 9, 2005		Douglas Wolk performed his own informal testing of nine sunscreens in a variety of price ranges. Testing included the ability to prevent sunburn, water resistance and whether they stained clothing. While this isn't a scientific analysis, Wolk provides good information on ingredients and his experiences are helpful. His picks are based largely on how well the product goes on and stays on. He then rates the sunscreens in order of worst to best. The article is a bit dated, but most of the sunscreens tested are still available. Only the top pick, Neutrogena Healthy Defense Oil-Free Sunblock Spray, has been discontinued. Other higher-rated sunscreens include Hawaiian Tropic Ozone Sport Sunblock and Coppertone Sport Ultra Sweatproof Lotion.

Sunscreen Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sunscreen Ratings Comments on Reviews

16. StyleBakery.com	Drugstore Favorites Editor of StyleBakery.com Mar. 4, 2008		This website is dedicated to all things beauty and provides several product reviews and application tips. This particular article lists 22 "favorite" beauty products from the drugstore. Included in the list are La-Roche Posay Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizing Sunscreen and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunblock. Each product is reviewed, but it is unclear how they were chosen or who they were chosen by. Products are not rated or compared.
17. The Green Guide	Sunscreens and Sunblocks Editors of TheGreenGuide.com June 1, 2006		Written from an environmentally conscious point of view, this article draws attention to the potential harmful health effects of benzophenone, a chemical UVA-protecting ingredient in some sunscreens. Products using zinc oxide and titanium dioxide for UVA protection are recommended instead. A list of sunscreens and lip protection products are recommended but none of them are rated or compared.
18. About.com	Top 9 Best Sunscreens Julyne Derrick Not Dated		This is a short write-up, but author Julyne Derrick knows her stuff about sunscreens. She gives a good explanation about UVA rays and the UVA-blocking ingredients to look for. She then names her top-rated sunscreens in several categories, including best facial sunscreens for various skin types, based on personal and expert recommendations. La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Lait is called "The Best Sunscreen in the World" due to the ingredient Mexoryl SX. As for full-body formulas, Bull Frog Superblock and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch are on the list. No testing is mentioned, but this is still a helpful article. (Note that ConsumerSearch and About.com are owned by the same parent company, but are not affiliated editorially.)
19. iVillage.com	Top 10 Ratings: Sunscreens Contributors to iVillage Beauty June 2004		These top-ten sunscreens, as chosen by contributors to iVillage Beauty, all receive five or fewer comments from contributors, except Neutrogena Sunblock SPF 45, which receives seven comments. Labeling this as a top-ten list is a little misleading, since the high ratings are based on so few reviews. Coppertone Sport, Ocean Potion Lotion SPF 30 and Sea & Ski Daily Suncare are among the other products listed.
20. MakeupAlley.com	Sunscreen Contributors to MakeupAlley.com As of May 2008		This site invites consumers to rate beauty products, and 674 sunscreens are reviewed by members of this website. Product reviews can be sorted in many ways, making it easy for users to find the highest consumer rated products, as well as those that are reviewed most often. Some products receive many reviews while others receive only a few. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock receives high ratings from hundreds of reviewers.
21. Drugstore.com	Sunscreen Contributors to Drugstore.com As of May 2008		Drugstore.com features dozens of consumer reviews for some products it sells, and those in the Neutrogena line generally receive high ratings from those who post here. Users generally give enough detailed commentary to address the concerns of most potential buyers, including how sunscreens perform while running or exercising. However, there are hundreds of products listed, and most get similar ratings, so this site is best once you've already got your choice narrowed down.

Sunscreen Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sunscreen Ratings Comments on Reviews

22. Choice.com.au >> Details/Subscribe	Sun Safety Editors of Choice.com.au Oct. 2003		This article from the Australian Consumers' Association has helpful sun safety information and rates the top seven (of 40 tested) SPF 30+ broad-spectrum sunscreens. However, most of these are Australian products that aren't available in the U.S., making this article less useful for those in North America. The article is also a few years old.