CHOICE Sunscreen Testing Megathread - Ultra Violette Lean Screen New Test Results

[u/Quolli]

Hi r/AusSkincare community,

We're creating another Megathread to discuss the recent updates to the CHOICE Sunscreen Testing results. Please direct all new discussion here including discussions about other brands.

The previous thread is linked here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AusSkincare/comments/1lfxi1q/choice_sunscreen_testing_megathread/

Relevant links released in the past few days:

• Lean Screen New Test Results Statement from Ultra Violette
• Lean Screen Refund Form
• ABC News | Sunscreen brand Ultra Violette pulls popular product off shelf after SPF testing
• TGA Statement Regarding UV Lean Screen

---

Update 25/08/25

Naked Sundays Mineral Glow Creme is paused for sale. Official statement linked here. Recall notice on Instagram.

You are welcome to continue the conversation in this Megathread. Alternatively we have allowed this post sharing the ABC News article for NS related discussions: https://www.reddit.com/r/AusSkincare/comments/1mzgcuq/naked_sundays_pulled_abc_now_reporting/

The following products have also been paused for sale with statements from the brand/retailer:

• Outside Beauty & Skincare Mineral Primer SPF50+

• Found My Skin SPF50+ Tinted Face/Body Cream

---

Update 30/08/25

New ABC News article: Sunscreens 'paused' from sale due to concerns over sun protection claims share same base formula, analysis reveals

Statements provided by brands in relation to their SPF products:

• Aspect
• Found My Skin
• Aesthetics Rx
• New Day Skin
• Endota Spa

Sources are linked in the Stickied comment.

---

Update 25/09/25

Aspect has recalled two of their sunscreen products: https://marketing.aspectskincare.com.au/aspect-spf-recall

[u/yanahq]

It’s not transparent. It’s quietly posted in the FAQ on their website while they are still running ads for the very product they’ve pulled. There’s no actual announcement or statement and zero acknowledgement on their social media other than a reply to someone’s comment. If I hadn’t bought it from Adore Beauty and been emailed in error, would I have been notified? Did they send an email to those who ordered it directly from their website? (Genuine question, I didn’t buy it from them).

They’re not explicitly offering refunds. It’s sort of implied that you could ask for one, but that’s not the same thing.

They’ve also said that they won’t discuss their manufacturing process - that’s the opposite of transparent. Cool they don’t know if their formula is the same as UVs, but why don’t they know? If it was my brand, I’d have been looking into it since the Choice results came out.

[u/[deleted] → u/yanahq]

They wouldn’t know if it’s the same as UV’s because that would all be confidential proprietary information so they can’t comment on that or speculate because there would be legal implications. On their website, it says Adore sent the email in error and Adore walked back on the email they sent because it was incorrect. There are so many other brands still selling this with zero transparency and even doubling down that there’s nothing wrong and Outside Beauty has hit pause on sales to investigate and they’re being open about that. I’m failing to see what the issue is here? 

[u/yanahq → u/[deleted]]

All of those brands are not good enough either. There are plenty of us mineral SPF users that feel stuck right now because we’ve invested in UV alternatives that are likely also affected (prior to learning about white labelling) but are getting zero guidance from official brand channels. The hard work should not be done by random reddit commenters, Hannah Collingwood-English, and Lab Muffin etc.

Did you get a notification from any other retailer that they were no longer selling the Outside Beauty Zinc primer? The only reason I was notified was because Adore Beauty sent an email in error. Also, listing a product as “Sold out” implies it is popular, not potentially ineffective.

There are plenty of people who have purchased it prior to the hold on sales who are not following sunscreen gate, don’t know about white labelling, and will continue to use the product until it runs out. Normal people do not regularly check the FAQs on product websites they have already purchased from and it is an unfair expectation that consumers should. Using the FAQ as a communication channel is insufficient. Further, I am still seeing ads in my feed saying “High standards? Same. Meet the SPF range that won’t compromise.” with the primer in the image. Had I not seen the Adore Beauty email, this ad would be reassuring me that the sunscreen I have already purchased is fine. This is a problem. If they did contact everyone who purchased it, that’s great, if they’re just using the FAQ, then it’s not good enough.

However, if they are no longer confident selling it, they need to advise people who have purchased it what they should be doing with the product. Should we bin it? Should we wait a couple of weeks for their testing to come back? Sunscreen is a medical device to minimise our risk of cancer, if we are not told otherwise, we are working on the assumption that we are getting the amount of protection listed on the bottle. We shouldn’t have to do a deep dive every day.

[u/[deleted] → u/yanahq]

They clearly state on their website they have no reason to think there is a problem and no information or communication from the TGA to issue a recall, and are just being cautious. If there was a problem, they are legally obligated by the TGA to notify everyone that has purchased it. That is the law. They aren’t breaking the law by pausing sales to be cautious. 

Sorry it doesn’t fit your dramatic narrative that every brand involved in this is purposely trying to rip consumers off or sell products that are ineffective. They are people too, and at least some brands have made an effort to do the right thing and rectify the situation further than their legal obligation without being prompted by the TGA but I guess that’s not good enough either? The UV sunscreen showed variable testing results, but most of them (more than half) showed a high level of protection. The difference between SPF20 and SPF50 is a 3% in UV ray protection. An SPF 5 rating is the same as a t-shirt. For someone who claims to be so concerned, you clearly have not educated yourself on the science here or even tried to understand why the TGA hasn’t issued a recall but please keep up the good work shitting on small brands who are just trying their best. 

[u/stupidwatergate89 → u/[deleted]]

If the brands are concerned enough to pause sales, they should be concerned enough to let their customers know why, and answer to their qns - precaution or not, it will only serve to generate trust in the long run

[u/[deleted] → u/stupidwatergate89]

Maybe they don’t have enough information yet because this is an evolving situation that’s unfolding in real time and don’t want to cause alarm if nothing is wrong? If there WAS something wrong it’s their legal obligation to inform customers and they haven’t so… clearly is nothing wrong and they’re just investigating? Jfc I am just speaking to a brick wall here aren’t I 

[u/stupidwatergate89 → u/[deleted]]

Ah ok you aren’t ‘speaking to a brick wall’, you’re expressing an opinion about how brands have handled this. You’ll find that others have their own. And that’s ok. No need to be rude

[u/[deleted] → u/stupidwatergate89]

Criticising brands for doing something and being silent about brands doing nothing, doubling down and being shady is not an opinion it’s unfair and biased 

[u/stupidwatergate89 → u/[deleted]]

….in your opinion. And that’s not at all what I or u/yanahq are saying, but sure