Finding the best sunscreens

You know the drill: when the sun's rays are fierce, duck and cover.

But sometimes, you're going to be out there in it. EWG’s Sunscreen Guide to 1,400 sunscreens, sunblocks, lip balms and moisturizers tells you what you need to know to find safe and effective sunscreens. EWG's exclusive scientific analysis helps you avoid red-flag ingredients like vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) and oxybenzone. EWG gives you straight talk about SPF.

Tired of the hype? So are we. The FDA should wrap up sunscreen regulations it started drafting in 1978. Americans have waited long enough.

Find Your Sunscreen

Your favorite sunscreen may not be all it’s advertised to be. EWG’s research team found that most brand-name sunscreens either don’t sufficiently protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals — or both.

Ingredients matter - learn if your brand leaves you overexposed to damaging UVA rays, if it breaks down in the sun, or if it contains potential hormone-disrupting compounds. Find your sunscreen, and possibly better choices, in EWG’s sunscreens database.

EWG’s Sun Store

Good sun protection means sunscreens -- and a whole lot more. The International Agency for Research on Cancer recommends clothing, hats and shade as primary protection. “Sunscreens should not be the first choice for skin cancer prevention,” it says, “and should not be used as the sole agent for protection against the sun.”

The FDA concurs. “FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer,” the agency's website says. Yes, sunscreens prevent sunburns. But surprisingly little else is certain about how well they actually protect our skin. Hats, shirts, umbrellas and sunglasses are pool and beach essentials. Find them in EWG's sun store. Your purchases will help support our work.

Sun Safety Tips

You're busy. We get it. Here’s EWG’s speed-read: a checklist to help you protect yourself and your family from UV radiation skin damage, sun-induced cataracts and vitamin D deficit. Plus, special sections on the extra care you should take with infants, toddlers and teens.

EWG’s sun safety tips have everything you need to know before you go out in the sun.

Hall of Shame

When it comes to protecting yourself from the sun, it's easy to go wrong.

Many products carry confusing claims or contain ingredients that could pose health risks. Many people fail to cover up in the mistaken belief that sunscreen alone will protect them from skin cancer risks. There's a questionable "seal of approval" program. Last but not least, a major federal agency has failed for 32 years to finish the job of issuing enforceable standards to protect consumers.

EWG found some prime examples of products and players that typify what's wrong with the sun protection business.

Sunscreens Exposed

It’s a fact that the International Agency for Research on Cancer calls the sun's ultraviolet rays a human carcinogen. But it’s a myth that sunscreens have been proved to protect against sun-induced skin cancer.

According to the latest science, sunscreen likely protects against only one of three kinds of skin cancer, and not against melanoma, the deadliest form. Melanoma accounts for just 3 to 4 percent of all skin cancers but is responsible for 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths. There are other protective steps you can take. EWG’s research team exposes the myths and facts about sunscreens and reveals startling gaps in what is known about how well these creams, sprays and powders actually work.