Whether in spring, summer, autumn or winter: At any time of year, you should protect your skin from UV radiation. However, there are considerable differences between the various sunscreen brands. While some discount brands achieve top results, expensive brand-name products, of all things, fail. We show you here which sunscreen is the best, what you should definitely look out for and which products are particularly suitable for children.
This is what you read in this article: In this article, we take a look at the ranking of the currently best sun creams in the Stiftung Warentest test. After presenting the top products from dm, Eco Cosmetics, Aldi and Lidl, we take a look behind the scenes of the test and show you how the test results come about and what you should definitely look out for when buying a sun cream.
When choosing the right sunscreen, many customers reach for brand-name products from Nivea, Douglas or Garnier. However, Stiftung Warentest confirmed in a test: brand-name sunscreen is not better than cheap sunscreen from discounters – but almost always worse. Stiftung Warentest tested 2021 products with different sun protection factors and confirmed earlier results.
Test winner: dm Sundance sun milk SPF 30
First place in the Stiftung Warentest ranking goes to the Sundance sun milk from dm. The sun milk with sun protection factor 30 was rated “very good” in almost all categories. Only in the category of labelling and packaging did Stiftung Warentest give it a rating of “good”. The sunscreen does not contain any critical fragrances and delivers UV protection as promised. At dm, you pay around 3 euros for the Sundance sun milk.
Price tip: Müller Lavozon sun milk SPF 30
The price tip is the Lavozon sun milk from Müller. Both ingredients, application and UV protection do well in the test. At Müller, the sun cream costs a good 2 euros.
Strong alternative for sensitive skin: dm Sundance Sensitiv LSF 30
The Sensitiv sun milk from dm also scores “very good”. There are no questionable ingredients in the cream and the stated sun protection is actually provided. At dm, you pay a good 3 euros for the Sundance Sensitiv.
In 2021, the sun creams from Vichy, Lavera and Biosolis failed Stiftung Warentest. Here, too, the lack of UVB protection was the reason for the poor result.
Test winner: Lidl Cien Sun Kids sun cream SPF 50+
In Stiftung Warentest’s ranking of the best children’s sun creams, the Lidl Cien Sun Kids sun cream scores “very good” (1.4). The strong alternative from Müller also received the same rating. The only difference between the test winners is the price. The children’s sun cream from Lidl is about 20 cents cheaper. The Sun Kids sun cream delivers the promised sun protection with a sun protection factor of 50+ and also comes without perfume. At Lidl, you pay a good two euros for the Cien Sun Kids sun cream.
Strong alternative: Müller Lavozon Kids Med sun milk SPF 50+
The second test winner of the children’s sun creams is from Müller’s own brand Lavozon. In the sub-category “adherence to the declared protection”, the Kids Med sun milk, just like the Lidl cream, secured a rating of “very good” (1.0). When used correctly, the sun milk with sun protection factor 50+ provides reliable protection without containing harmful ingredients. The Kids Med sun milk costs around 6 euros at Müller.
Sun cream for spraying: Aldi Ombra Sun Spray Easy Protect Kids SPF 30
With a test score of 1.5, the sun spray from Aldi can place itself just behind the test winners. Here, too, there is little to criticise for the laboratory and testers. Only the use of fragrances can be criticised here. The Aldi spray also scored well in terms of declared protection and secured a rating of “very good” (1.0). You pay around 3 euros for the spray at the discounter. On Ebay, the spray bottle costs around seven euros.
How much do I have to spend on a good sunscreen?
Sun cream in the test: How were the products rated?
Sun creams in the test: How Stiftung Warentest tests
For this article, a specialist editor has analysed and classified the test results of Stiftung Warentest. We reproduce the consumer organisation’s ratings exactly, but put them in a user-oriented context for the reader. Thus, in addition to the test winner, we also nominate a price tip and identify products for special applications. In addition, we prepare the results of the Stiftung Warentest with detailed buying advice. The products have not been tested in the test centre.
The most important test criterion is “compliance with the promised protection”. For this purpose, Stiftung Warentest exposed voluntary test persons to a defined UVB light dose in the laboratory and applied the sun creams uniformly. The aim of the test is to determine whether the skin really complies with the stated sun protection factor or whether the skin already turns red beforehand. In order to also determine the protection against UVA radiation, standardised tests were also carried out in the laboratory, this time on plastic plates, and it was measured how much UVA radiation gets through. Stiftung Warentest rated this as 35 percent.
In addition to the protection factor, the moisture enrichment was also tested to find out whether the cream supplies the skin with moisture or perhaps even dries it out. This accounts for 20 percent of the overall rating.
Also important is the application of the creams, which accounts for 25 percent of the overall score. Here, they not only tested how easy or difficult it is to get the sun cream out of the tube, bottle or can with dry or wet hands at temperatures of 20 or 40 degrees Celsius respectively. Another test is the feeling on the skin and the actual application: What is the consistency like? Is the sunscreen easy to spread? Does it absorb quickly into the skin or does it leave white streaks on the skin or is it even sticky?
Deductions are made, for example, if questionable ingredients are detected or the germ load in the product is not right. However, packaging, labelling and product information are also included in the rating by 20 percent.
What is sunscreen and how does it work?
Sun creams are used to protect the skin from harmful sun rays. There are so-called UV filters in the creams. These can be chemical or mineral. In the case of the former, organic molecules are in the product. These absorb the sun’s rays and release them again in the form of heat. With mineral filters, on the other hand, white pigments such as zinc oxide reflect the sun’s rays and practically let them bounce off the skin. However, because this form of protection is usually also responsible for the “whitening” of the sunscreen
What types of sunscreens are there?
Although sunscreen comes in many different forms, the types of protection are limited to the two filters explained in the previous chapter. Rough distinctions are therefore made between sunscreens based on their form of presentation:
- Sun cream
- Sun milk
- Sun spray
Sun creams also differ in their sun protection factor (SPF). This indicates how well the product protects: The higher the sun protection factor, the less radiation reaches the skin. At SPF 15, about seven percent of the sun’s rays still reach the skin. With SPF 30, the value is halved. The maximum stated sun protection factor in Germany is 50+. This is because it is not possible to guarantee one hundred percent protection. Even with an SPF of 60, a little less than two percent of the radiation still reaches the skin.are responsible, both UV filters are often used in a sunscreen.
What should I look for when buying sunscreen?
Which sunscreen is best for you depends on what skin type you are, how long you spend in the sun and which formulation is most convenient for you.
- If you have rather dry and sensitive skin or are also prone to allergies, moisturising, sensitive sun creams without artificial fragrances are best.
- Sun sprays can come in handy when you’re on a beach holiday. Even with wet, salty or sandy hands, the sunscreen can be easily sprayed onto the skin. For optimal protection, however, you should pay attention to the application instructions. You often need to re-apply two or three times to get the full protection.
How do I apply sunscreen correctly?
To ensure that the sunscreen really protects your skin well, application is an important factor. Incorrect application, too little cream and so on can ensure that the specified sun protection factor is not reached and that you are insufficiently protected. You should therefore pay attention to the following points when applying the cream:
- Make sure that you apply the cream properly to all parts of your body. Ears, the crown of the head and lips are often neglected. The latter are particularly susceptible to sunburn, as they belong to the so-called “sun terraces”. The sun hits these parts of the body almost perpendicularly. In addition, the skin of the lips is particularly thin and has neither sweat nor sebaceous glands, which is why they dry out extremely quickly. Lips also cannot produce their own melanin and therefore do not turn brown.
- You should not skimp on sunscreen. For the whole body, you need about the size of a golf ball. You should also make sure that you apply the cream in a thin film instead of rubbing it into the skin. Otherwise, the protective function will decrease and you will not be able to maintain the desired sun protection factor.
- Even if you are wearing clothes, you should apply sunscreen underneath. This way you are protected even if the clothes slip.
- You should always make sure that the sunscreen is waterproof. Otherwise, the sun protection would decrease considerably when you sweat.
- Self.
- Even with waterproof sunscreen, protection cannot be guaranteed after bathing and drying off. You should therefore reapply sunscreen after bathing.
- Applying sunscreen once a day is not enough. Even if you do not go into the water, you should reapply sunscreen every two hours or so.
- Sunscreen is not enough.
- Sun creams with chemical UV filters need about half an hour to provide full protection. Therefore, you should apply the cream before you go out in the sun.
For babies and children, the highest sun protection factor of 50+ is generally recommended, as well as fragrance-free sunscreens for allergy sufferers.
