What goes into a perfect summer? On the list we write: sun, beach and ice cream, but also UV protection for the skin. Because the UV radiation from sunlight can lead to painful sunburn, premature skin aging and, in the long term, to skin cancer.
Sun creams, lotions and sprays with a high or very high sun protection factor (30, 50 and 50+) should protect against this. Stiftung Warentest tested 20. The good news: 16 products provide reliable protection against UV light, nine of which are very good overall. Particularly inexpensive lotions are also convincing. They are already available from 1.12 euros per 100 milliliters.
Why the sunscreen test is worthwhile for you
- Testergebnisse. The sunscreen test by Stiftung Warentest offers quality assessments of 20 sunscreens with a sun protection factor of 30, 50 or 50+. Also included: classics such as Nivea, Garnier and Ladival, products from dm, Rossmann and Lidl as well as from the pharmacy of Avène, Eucerin and La Roche-Posay.
- The best sunscreen for you. With just a few clicks you can filter the sunscreens, lotions and sprays in the test according to your own needs. Additionally short and compact: The very good and good products from the tests 7/2019 and 7/2021, which according to the providers are still available unchanged. We updated availability and pricing of these products in May 2022.
- tips and background. We classify the criticism of the sunscreen filters octocrylene and homosalate. In an interview with an environmental protection expert, you can read about the influence that UV filters have on nature and what environmentally conscious sun fans can bear in mind.
- Magazine article as PDF. After activation, you will receive the magazine articles from test 8/22 and 7/21 for download.
A flop for almost all natural cosmetics
Our sunscreen test is likely to disappoint fans of natural cosmetics in particular: we cannot recommend three of the four certified natural cosmetic products. In some cases, they fall well short of the protection factor (UVB protection) specified on the packaging and are therefore unsatisfactory. The same applies to a conventional spray. Three of the four defective products also do not offer adequate UVA protection.
Only those who apply cream correctly are properly protected
Even the best sun protection products can only provide reliable protection if they are used plentifully: spread creams, lotions and sprays generously over the skin over and over again. Especially if you sweat, swim or splash a lot, you should diligently apply cream afterwards. But: re-cream does not extend the maximum protection period. The skin therefore regularly needs longer breaks in the shade (see FAQ sunscreen). Particular caution is required with children, because their skin is much more sensitive to the sun than that of adults.
Tipp: We last tested sunscreen for children in the summer of 2020. According to the suppliers, three good products are still available in stores unchanged.
The sunscreen test in the video
Test results for 20 adult sunscreens
Test with new test program
The current results are not directly comparable with those of earlier tests because we have streamlined the test program: We no longer test the microbiological quality, for example, germs were not a problem in the past anyway. In addition, we no longer test how well the products moisturize and care for the skin. Because rich sun creams are now rare, but particularly light sprays and gels are popular. The test of how well the products can be used has also been omitted.
Tipp: For UV protection plus care, first apply a body lotion and let it absorb well, then use sunscreen.