Analysis of Recent Unqualified Sunscreen Products in China

Takehome:

CFDA is paying special attention to supervision and enforcement of sunscreen products.
15 sunscreen products were found unqualified, the major reason was that ingredients claimed on label did not correspond to the actual product.

Unqualified Sunscreen Products 2017

No.	Product Type	Investigating Result
1	UV filter Cream	Absence of Benzophenone-3, 3-(4'-Methylbenzylidene)-dl- camphor, 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione, 2-Ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate which are claimed on the label
2	Sunscreen Lotion SPF30+ PA+++	Absence of preservatives, Benzophenone-3 which are claimed on the label
3	Light Sunscreen lotion SPF30+	Contain 2-Ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate (concentration 6.6%) which is not listed on the label; Absence of 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione which are claimed on the label
4	Sunscreen Lotion SPF30	Contain 3-(4'-Methylbenzylidene)-dl- camphor (concentration 2%), 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione (concentration 0.5%) which is not listed on the label
5	Light Sunscreen Lotion SPF30 PA++	Contain 3-(4'-Methylbenzylidene)-dl- camphor (concentration 2%) which is not listed on the label
6	Light Sunscreen Lotion SPF30 PA++	Absence of 3-(4'-Methylbenzylidene)-dl- camphor, 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione which claimed on the label
7	Light Sunscreen Lotion SPF25 PA++ (water proof)	Contain 2, 2'-Methylene-bis (6-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-butyl)phenol) (concentration 0.66%) which is not listed on the label; Absence of 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione which is claimed on the label
8	Sunscreen sprayer SPF50+ PA+++	Absence of 2-Phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid, 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione , Homosalate, 2,2'-(6-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)bis(5-((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)phenol) which are claimed on the label
9	Sunscreen scream SPF30 PA+++	Absence of 2-Cyano-3,3-diphenyl acrylic acid, 2-Cyano-3,3-diphenyl acrylic acid, 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione which are claimed on the label; contain Benzophenone-3(concentration 2%) which is not listed on the label
10	UV filter(Lotion type)	Absence of 2-Cyano-3,3-diphenyl acrylic acid, 2-Ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate, 2-Ethylhexyl salicylate, Benzophenone-3 which are claimed on the label
11	Sunscreen cream SPF30 PA++	Absence of 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione which is claimed on the label; contain 2,2'-Methylene-bis(6-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-butyl)phenol) which is not listed on the label
12	Sunscreen cream SPF30 PA++ (batch overdue)	Absence of 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione propane-1,3-dione which is claimed on the label; contain 2,2'-Methylene-bis(6-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-butyl)phenol) (concentration 0.1%) which is not listed on the label
13	UV filter CC cream	Absence of 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfonic acid and its sodium salt which is claimed on the label; the batch name doesn't line in with the sample name
14	Whitening UV filter BB cream	Absence of Benzophenone-3, 3-(4’-Methylbenzylidene)-dl- camphor, 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dionepropane-1,3-dione, 2-Ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate, 2-Ethylhexyl salicylate which are claimed on the label
15	Sunscreen lotion SPF30	Absence of Benzophenone-3, 3-(4'-Methylbenzylidene)-dl- camphor, 1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione propane-1,3-dione which are claimed on the label

The above unqualified products violated "Regulations concerning the Hygiene Supervision over Cosmetics" and "Administrative Measures on Cosmetics Labeling (draft)", all distributors should stop selling these products at once; any of these products on the market will be promptly recalled; if the product can make the actual formula correspond with that claimed on the label by only amending the label information, it can be marketed again, but if the product needs ingredient adjustment, it will be regarded as fraud and be subject to prosecution.

Annex:
Exact Standard of Sunscreen Ingredients Appeared in this Article

No.	INCI Name	Maximum concentration used in cosmetics	English Name
1	Benzophenone-3	10% (should claim "Contains benzophenone-3" on the label)	Oxybenzone (INN)
2	4-Methylbenzylidene camphor	4%	3-(4'-Methylbenzylidene)-dl- camphor
3	Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane	5%	1-(4-Tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propane-1,3-dione
4	Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate	10%	2-Ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate
5	Methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol	10%	2,2'-Methylene-bis(6-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-butyl)phenol)
6		8% in total (acid)	2-Phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid and its potassium, sodium, and triethanolamine salts
7	Homosalate	10%	Homosalate (INN)
8	Bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine	10%	2,2'-(6-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)bis(5-((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)phenol)
9	Octocrylene	10% (acid)	2-Cyano-3,3-diphenyl acrylic acid, 2-ethylhexyl ester
10	Ethylhexyl salicylate	2-Ethylhexyl salicylate	5%
11	Benzophenone-4	2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfonic acid and its sodium salt	5% in total (acid)