Our SPF Testing Standards

In Australia, sunscreens are regulated as therapeutic goods by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration). While this framework sets some of the highest standards in the world, we believe sunscreen testing should go further. We’ve interrogated every part of our process, from how we formulate and test our products to how results are reviewed and verified, raising our standards every step of the way. The result? A more rigorous testing and validation approach that goes well beyond standard regulatory requirements. 

We test across multiple, independent labs

Every new and existing Ultra Violette formula undergoes at least two, and in many cases three to five, rounds of independent SPF and UVA testing across different laboratories, before it launches. 

We don't stop testing at launch

Testing isn't a box we tick once. Every existing formula in our range has also been retested under these newer, tighter protocols. These checks are performed on products taken straight off the shelf, the same tubes you'd buy, so results reflect how the formula actually performs. Every product has come back with results at or above its labelled SPF. We have also committed to retesting on-the-shelf products every 18 months. 


We vet every testing lab we work with 

We now work with many labs who utilise BIPEA accreditation – an organisation that conducts proficiency testing for in vivo testing labs – plus we independently vet every lab that we use and have conducted audits on a number of these in the last 12 months. 

We get our results independently verified 

We've also brought in Suncert – an international organisation dedicated to sun protection testing – for an extra layer of independent, expert scrutiny. Suncert is recognised globally for its expertise in sun protection science, and works with Ultra Violette in two ways: 

  1. Checking the labs we use comply with ISO protocols and industry best practice. 

  1. Independently reviewing and signing off on our results, before we accept them.  

We’ve also strengthened our regulatory expertise and review process internally with our internal regulatory and QC team.  

Together, these checks and balances make up what we internally call our Testing Dossier, aka a comprehensive record we’ve built for every product in the Ultra Violette range.  

SPF testing is complex, which is why we work with leading, reputable independent laboratories and experts to go beyond regulatory requirements. It’s all part of our commitment to ensuring our products perform as promised and deliver the protection your skin deserves. 

FAQ

All sunscreens sold in Australia are regulated as therapeutic goods by the TGA, and must meet SPF and UVA testing requirements before they can be sold. This involves In Vivo (on human skin) testing to determine the SPF, as well as in vitro (in a lab, not on human skin) to determine the UVA or Broad Spectrum protection. At Ultra Violette, we go beyond that baseline: every formula is tested multiple times across different independent labs, before and after launch.

All our sunscreens, are made in Australia at TGA and FDA licensed facilities that meet the very rigorous standards required in order to manufacture sunscreens.

We develop our core range of formulations in house. As we've grown, owning our formulations has become a priority. Our team of in-house product developers and chemists work directly with UV filter manufacturers/suppliers, other chemists and manufacturers on every new launch – always starting with the problem we're trying to solve, so we're not doubling up on a texture or finish that already exists in the range, and going from there.

We work with a handful of vetted, reputable labs across Australia, Europe, North America and South America, using in vivo and in vitro testing methods across the range to ensure all SPF claims are accurate. Every test result is reviewed by our internal team and an external SPF-testing expert, and we ensure we're never relying on a single test result, method or lab.

Lean Screen was voluntarily recalled due to Independent labs returning inconsistent SPF results. While other Ultra Violette products continue to test consistently, at or above their marketed SPF, Lean  Screen showed a pattern of variability that we were not comfortable with, so we fully withdrew the product from the market. 

Yes. We've tested and retested the entire Ultra Violette range at multiple independent labs, and consistently found SPF results over 50 across the board. This level of consistency gives us confidence in both the performance of the range and the robustness of our testing process.