EWG's 2025 Guide: Only 1 in 5 of ~2,800 SPF Products - Including SPF Makeup - Made the Cut
EWG's 20th annual guide screened nearly 2,800 SPF products - including tinted moisturizers and SPF makeup - and only about 1 in 5 cleared its bar.
EWG's 20th Annual Guide to Sunscreens, released May 19, 2025, reviewed nearly 2,800 SPF products - including SPF moisturizers and tinted formulas - and found only about 20% met its safety and efficacy standards, with just around 130 earning the EWG Verified mark.
EWG cautions that an SPF rating on a moisturizer or makeup product doesn't guarantee meaningful protection, since people typically apply far too little for the labeled SPF. The group recommends treating SPF makeup as a bonus on top of a dedicated sunscreen, not a replacement.
Questions we get a lot
How many products met EWG's standards in 2025?
EWG's 20th annual guide, released May 19, 2025, reviewed nearly 2,800 SPF products and found only about 20% met its safety and efficacy standards. Only around 130 products earned the EWG Verified mark. EWG excluded categories like aerosol sprays, powders, and SPF-50+ claims from that top tier.
Can SPF makeup replace regular sunscreen?
Generally no. EWG's guide includes SPF moisturizers and tinted formulas but warns most people apply too little to reach the labeled SPF. Treat SPF makeup as an extra layer over a dedicated sunscreen rather than your only protection.
What does the EWG Verified mark mean?
EWG Verified is the group's highest designation, given to products that meet its strictest criteria for ingredient safety and transparency. In the 2025 guide only about 130 of nearly 2,800 reviewed products earned it. It's a small subset, so the mark is meant to make shopping easier, not to imply other products are unsafe.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'Does my tinted moisturizer with SPF 30 actually count as sunscreen, or do I still need a real one underneath?'