Can you trust your sun cream?

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New research has suggested that your sun cream might not be protecting you as well as you think.

Which? tested popular brands of sun lotion that claimed to have an SPF of 15 and found that several failed to provide that much protection.

The SPF on sun creams is determined by how well the lotion protects against UVB rays which cause you to burn. In this study Which? tested lots of cheap and expensive brands and found that the more expensive ones didn't always offer the best protection.

Here are the findings from Which?:

The best sun creams...

Sainsbury's Sun Protect
Price per 200mls: £3
SPF: 20.2

Asda Sun System
Price per 200mls: £3
SPF: 18.9

Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect
Price per 200mls: £16.65
SPF: 18.7

Nivea Sun Moisturising Sun Spray
Price per 200mls: £10.99
SPF: 16.9

Wilkinson Wilko Sun Protection System Moisturising Sun Lotion
Price per 200mls: £2.69
SPF: 16.5

Garnier Ambre Solaire Moisturising Protection Milk
Price per 200mls: £8.79
SPF: 16.3

Boots Soltan Moisturising Sun Care Lotion
Price per 200mls: £9.89
SPF: 15.2

L'Oreal Solar Expertise Advanced Anti-Ageing Sun Protection Lotion
Price per 200mls: £19.98
SPF: 15.8

And the worst...

Marks and Spencer Sun Formula Lotion
Price per 200mls: £7.50
SPF: 7.1

Malibu High Protection Lotion
Price per 200mls: £3.29
SPF: 10.2

Tesco Sun Protection Medium
Price per 200mls: £2.99
SPF: 12.

More on staying safe in the sun

- Suncare tips for protecting your kids
- Skin cancer awareness: Know your moles
- The truth about sun beds
- Sunburnt celebrities
- Prickly heat/Heat rash
- Your tips for treating heat rash and sunburn
- Melanoma: Facts and information
- Sun spots (solar keratosis)
- Why men should keep an eye on moles

By Charlotte Gunn

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Natalie Thurtle, 5 months

thank you dfor this article.I can not see this on Which? website.will you please tell me where you found this information as it will be good for my coursework on skincare.thankyou.

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