From the June issue of O, The Oprah Magazine:
This month the FDA’s new sunscreen regulations go into effect. Here’s what you should look for.
Only the term ‘sunscreen’ can appear on a label. The word ‘sunblock’ can no longer be used, because it overstates effectiveness.
“Waterproof” and “sweatproof” are no longer acceptable claims (because, as it turns out, they’re false.) A “water resistant” claim must specify how long the sunscreen can stand up to swimming or sweating (either 40 or 80 minutes, based on testing).
“Broad spectrum”- a previously unregulated claim- now means that a sunscreen has undergone testing to ensure that it provides protection against both skin-burning, cancer-causing UVB rays (those included in the SPF rating) and skin-aging, cancer-causing UVA rays.
Only sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher that have passed the broad-spectrum test can claim to reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature aging anywhere on their packaging. If a sunscreen has an SPF below 15, or has not passed the broad-spectrum test, it can claim only to help prevent sunburn.
DIY BRONZING TIP: Don’t try to mask the scent of self-tanner with perfume! The combination of perfume and self-tanner can temporarily give your skin an eerie and otherworldly green tint. To avoid a sci-fi pallor, resist the urge to apply fragrance (and other body products like deodorant and lotion) for at least six hours after self-tanning.
Definitely helpful I guess. But it just seems to me that the companies will just find new words/phrases to overstate their product. No regulation will save us from ourselves.