Australian cosmetics company Naked Sundays has paused sales of its SPF50+ Collagen Glow Mineral Sunscreen pending further testing to verify its sun protection factor (SPF) claims. The company announced the precautionary measure on Monday, stating it would await additional test results before resuming sales in Australia.
The move follows a similar action by rival brand Ultra Violette, which pulled its Lean Screen Skinscreen after tests revealed inconsistent SPF results. The Australian sunscreen industry has faced scrutiny since June, when consumer group Choice published an investigation finding that 16 out of 20 popular SPF50 or 50+ sunscreens failed to meet their claimed SPF levels.
Choice's tests on Ultra Violette's Lean Screen SPF50+ Mattifying Zinc Skin Screen returned SPF results as low as four and five, far below its label claim. Naked Sundays was not tested by Choice. The company stated it had been conducting additional checks since the investigation, including tests across multiple independent labs.
Naked Sundays said the US version of the Collagen Glow Mineral Sunscreen had already been retested and met its SPF50 claim, and it plans to sell that version in Australia. The company emphasised that only this specific product is affected, and no other Naked Sundays items are impacted.
Leading beauty retailer Mecca, which stocks Naked Sundays, confirmed it has removed the sunscreen from sale and is offering full refunds. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is investigating testing methods and regulations in the sector, including exploring alternative in vitro testing methods that may produce more reliable results.
