CVS Stops Selling Sunscreens Below SPF 15
The Food and Drug Administraiton approves of sunscreen starting with a protection of SPF 15, but the American Academy of Dermatologists says that using SPF 30 or higher is the most beneficial with protecting against sun damage and skin cancers. Because of this, CVS Pharmacy pulled sunscreens that were below SPF 15 off their shelves last month.
Johnson and Johnson will dontate $1 from any Neutrogena or Aveeno sunscreen products sold at CVS from June 18-24 to the American Cancer Society. IPhoto: Johnson & Johnson)
SPF stands for sun protection factor, a measure of how well a sunscreen protects against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, the main cause of sunburn and a contributor to skin cancer. Assuming you use it correctly, if you would burn after 10 minutes in the sun, an SPF 30 protects for about 300 minutes or 5 hours. UVB intensity varies during the day and by location, so sunscreens should be reapplied every 2 hours when you are in the sun.
The move comes on the heels of a campaign called Long Live Skin, which has women talking about advice they wish they would have given their younger selves, and one of those pieces of advice is to wear sunscreen. The hashtag for the campaign is #advicetomyyoungerself.
It also includes removing tanning oils that only contain an SPF of 4. We all remember those, don’t we? With those tropical smells we loved, and the oil was brown, so surely it had to get the job done. Well, thankfully times have changed, and we are more aware of the dangers of sun damage that can come from not using a product with the proper amount SPF in it. CVS’ aim is to educate and lead their customers to a healthier lifestyle, much like how they removed cigarretts from their shelves.
Judy Sansone, CVS’ senior vice president, said that the removal of these lower SPF sunscreens is following in the footsteps of the removal of tobacco products and trans fats from the store’s brand of food products in the future as well.
Even better news about CVS’ healthier outlook is that it has joined with Johnson & Johnson to donate $1 from the sale of any Aveeno or Neutrogena sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher between June 18-24 to the American Cancer Society. How much better does that make it knowing that in purchasing sunscreen that is actually approved by the FDA, you are also helping to find a cure for skin cancer? Johnson & Johnson will donate up to $100,000 from this partnership. You protect yourself by buying a more effective sunscreen, while at the same time helping to advance skin cancer research.
The highest-rated sunscreens in Consumer Reports’ test are pictures from left to right. (Photo: Dan Saelinger/Consumer Reports)
Consumer Reports released their best recommendations for summer 2017 sunscreens. The highest rated sunscreens from that list are: La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios 60 Melt-In Sunscreen Milk, which retails for $36; Equate’s Sport Lotion SPF 50, which retails for an affordable $5; Pure Sun Defense’s Disney Frozen Lotion SPF 50, which is also affordable at $6; Coppertone’s WaterBabies Lotion SPF 50, which retails for $12; and Equate’s Ultra Protection Lotion SPF 50, which retails for $8.
You can find your pick of price ranges that work for you, but remember the Academy of Dermatologists recommends SPF 30 or higher, so since the SPF already exists and in a price range that works for you, why risk it? Especially now that you know you can walk into a CVS and buy one of Consumer Reports‘ best pick of sunscreens listed above..
Born and raised in the DMV, Emma Blancovich has a big appreciation for discovering things to do around town, such as new restaurants to try and supporting the local music scene by attending live shows. During the week she is an editor for trade associations, but on the weekends you can find her hiking up trails with the latest fitness gadgets then getting ready for a night out using the latest beauty and health products.
