Environmental Working Group’s 2025 Sunscreen Guide finds most products fall short of UVA protection
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released its 2025 Annual Guide to Sunscreens, finding that fewer than a quarter of more than 2,200 SPF products meet the nonprofit’s safety and efficacy standards, as it renewed calls for stronger federal oversight.
Of the 2,204 sunscreens reviewed, only 498 met EWG’s criteria, despite modest improvements in ingredient safety and formulation since the group began publishing the guide in 2007.
EWG scientists say the Food and Drug Administration has failed to update sunscreen regulations since 1999, leaving consumers vulnerable to misleading marketing and potentially harmful ingredients. The group’s analysis points to poor UVA protection across many products, concerns over undisclosed fragrance chemicals, and the ongoing use of SPF “boosters” that may inflate protection levels without improving safety.
“This guide continues to be a vital resource for consumers navigating a confusing and outdated regulatory landscape,” said Carla Burns, EWG senior director for cosmetic science. “Too many sunscreens still rely on risky chemicals or high SPF claims that don’t offer the broad-spectrum protection users expect.”
Among the guide’s findings:
- Mineral sunscreens are on the rise: Products containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide — the only active ingredients “generally recognized as safe and effective” by the FDA — now make up 43% of sunscreens reviewed, up from 17% in 2007.
- Oxybenzone and vitamin A decline sharply: Just 9% of non-mineral sunscreens contained oxybenzone in 2025, down from 70% in 2016. Only 2% now contain retinyl palmitate (vitamin A), once used in 41% of products in 2010.
- Spray sunscreens remain popular despite safety concerns: Spray formats account for 26% of the products reviewed, though studies show potential inhalation risks and uneven application.
- Fragrance remains a concern: 36% of products contained “fragrance,” a generic label that may mask allergens, hormone disruptors or carcinogens. New FDA rules mandating disclosure of some allergens have yet to be finalized.
- SPF claims often mislead: Only 10% of reviewed sunscreens had SPF values over 50. EWG warns that high-SPF products often rely on boosters like butyloctyl salicylate, which may distort actual UV protection and increase safety concerns — particularly for children.
A 2021 peer-reviewed study by EWG found that most U.S. sunscreens provided significantly less UVA protection than their SPF ratings implied, with many failing to meet European standards.
The guide also highlights the expansion of the EWG Verified® program, which now includes 63 sunscreen products from 13 brands. These products meet stringent ingredient and UVA performance standards exceeding both U.S. and European benchmarks.
“Until FDA regulations catch up with modern science, consumers must rely on independent resources like ours,” Burns said. “Choosing a mineral-based, fragrance-free sunscreen with broad-spectrum protection remains the safest bet.”
For the full list of recommended sunscreens, visit ewg.org/sunscreen.
