URGENT RECALL OF ULTRA VIOLETTE LEAN SCREEN SPF 50+


All batch numbers and expiry dates
AUST L 332788


In consultation with the Therapeutic Goods Administration, we are performing a recall for all batches of Ultra Violette Lean Screen SPF50+ because of inconsistent SPF levels shown in independent testing.

As a sunscreen brand, our responsibility has always been to prioritise your safety, protection and skin health above all else. It remains the basis for every decision we make, which is why when you heard from us last, we made a commitment to you that we would continue to investigate a concerning discrepancy in SPF testing results of our Lean Screen.
Before we go further, we want to make it clear that this only concerns the performance of Lean Screen. Additional testing on all Ultra Violette products has reinforced our confidence in the rest of our line.
We had multiple, independent labs conduct new tests of Lean Screen. This week, we received results from those tests that demonstrated significant and, candidly, atypical variability. Across eight different tests, Lean Screen has now returned SPF data of 4, 10, 21, 26, 33, 60, 61, and 64. That wasn’t good enough for us, and it isn’t good enough for you.

Given this pattern of inconsistency in testing, we have decided to recall Lean/Velvet Screen from the market, effective immediately. Purchases of this product will be eligible for a refund and a product voucher, regardless of where it was purchased. Please click HERE to claim your refund.

We are deeply sorry that one of our products has fallen short of the standards we pride ourselves on and that you have come to expect of us.


Here’s what we’re doing:

  •  Unlike the majority of our range, Lean Screen was created by a third-party manufacturer and was the only sunscreen they made for us. We will no longer be making any SKINSCREENS™ with that manufacturer
  •  We are working with a new and wider network of testing facilities that have been BIPEA-audited and independently vetted, and we are no longer working with the original testing laboratory of Lean Screen
  •  Every new Ultra Violette product will be SPF tested at a minimum of two different independent labs prior to launch
  •  We’ve increased the frequency of retesting to 18 months, using off-the-shelf market samples, and will continue to take immediate action if we see any discrepancies
  •  As mentioned above, both refunds and product vouchers will be issued to Lean Screen customers

Trust is built and rebuilt over time, and we know we have work to do.

Thank you to those who have so generously contributed their knowledge, expertise and support throughout this process. And to our customers and community, thank you for your patience, care and support – we’ve never taken it for granted, and we will continue to earn it.


Ava and Bec
Co-founders, Ultra Violette

For those who have purchased Lean Screen or Velvet Screen, whether through our website or a retail partner, you’ll be eligible for a refund and product voucher.

Purchases from our UV website:

  • Lean Screen (or Velvet Screen) is no longer available for sale on our website.
  • For those who have purchased Lean Screen (or Velvet Screen) from January 1st 2023, please complete the form linked here by 30th September 2025 to initiate the refund process. Refunds will be received within 30 business days.
  • You are also eligible for an Ultra Violette product voucher to the value of a full size SKINSCREEN to be used on our website on full price purchases. This will come through via email within 5 business days following the completion of the form linked here.

Purchases from our retail partners:

  • We are working with our retailers to remove Lean Screen (or Velvet Screen) from sale.
  • For refunds of Lean Screen (or Velvet Screen) purchased at any of our retailers, please reach out to the retailer directly.
  • You are also eligible for an Ultra Violette product voucher to the value of a full size SKINSCREEN to be used on our website on full price purchases. This will come through via email within 5 business days following the completion of the form linked here.

Please allow up to 30 business days from the date of your submission for the refund to be processed. It could be completed sooner, but we need time to verify proof of purchase, your details, and process your refund and product voucher.

Because it didn’t meet our high standards. Independent labs returned inconsistent SPF results for Lean/Velvet Screen. While other Ultra Violette products continue to test consistently, at or above their marketed SPF, Lean/Velvet Screen showed a pattern of variability that we were not comfortable with.

We recommend discontinuing the use of Lean Screen as, with these scattered SPF results, we cannot definitively confirm that the SPF protection is as labelled. If you wish to claim a refund and have purchased after January 2023, please fill out this form here. 

The rest of our range has been retested and there are no issues with any other product in the range. As a thank you for your previous support, we’re also sending you a product voucher for a full sized SKINSCREEN™ of your choice.

People using this product may be at an increased risk of sunburn during use and reduced skin cancer prevention long term.

The batches that are eligible for a refund are A1399, A1702, A1702B, A1705, A1961, A1961C, A1981, A2049, A2057, A2127, A2144, A2144A, A2144B, A2360, A2361, A2453, A2453A, A2453B, A2454, A2454A, A2455, A2550.

Yes, none of our other products were made at the same manufacturer as Lean Screen, and because we own the IP for the large majority of our range, we have full visibility of all ingredients and their sources. This gives us confidence in the safety and performance of our products.

The rest of our range has recently been re-tested by independent third-party laboratories, and the results validate our original testing. This means you’re getting the SPF protection listed on the packaging and on our website.

We appreciate how this confusion may have impacted your trust, and we want you to know that restoring that trust is our number one priority. We’re committed to taking every step necessary to earn it back.

After we were notified of the Choice test results, we immediately conducted our own 10 panel test which justified our claims on pack. From there we decided to dig deeper and validate these results at other labs, as well as checking all elements of product quality and stability. Some of the product investigations are still ongoing, however once we received SPF testing that revealed the pattern of inconsistency, we made the immediate decision to remove the product from sale. We conducted over twenty different tests - which takes a significant amount of time. 

We have also tested the rest of the range and not found this level of inconsistency, so you can be assured, the remainder of the range is safe to keep using. We appreciate how this confusion may have impacted your trust, and we want you to know that restoring that trust is our number one priority. We’re committed to taking every step necessary to earn it back.

We are working with a new and wider group of independent labs, all of which have been audited by the BIPEA, an organisation that ring-tests (sending the same batch to multiple labs) SPF testing labs for accuracy. We have also done significant research into the ISO 24444 method, and our in-house Regulatory Team is closely inspecting every result against the standard.

We are no longer working with the original testing laboratory of Lean Screen.

Unlike the majority of our range, Lean Screen was made using a third-party base formula. We are no longer manufacturing any SKINSCREENS with this supplier and the testing labs involved.

From the beginning, our preference has always been to own and develop our formulas in-house, which allows us to retain the highest level of control over quality, consistency and accountability.

We completely understand your concern around ensuring that this never happens again and there are additional safeguards in place.

Our entire range has recently been re-tested at independent third-party labs and the results validate our original testing. This means you’re getting the SPF protection listed on the packaging and on our website. These labs have also been audited by BIPEA, to ensure the laboratory is providing reliable results.

Moving forward, we will be testing the SPF protection of all new products at a minimum of two independent third party labs, in addition to regularly re-testing the whole range every 18 months. We will also be conducting ring-testing (sending the same batch to multiple labs) to ensure the validity of results that come from all of the labs.

From the beginning, our preference has always been to own and develop our formulas in-house, which allows us to retain the highest level of control over quality, consistency and accountability. In line with this, we have terminated our relationship with the contract manufacturer and testing laboratories involved in the development of this product. We are also fast-tracking the internal development of our next gen 100% mineral SPF 50 formulation.

As part of our movement to owning and developing all of our products, a next-generation Lean Screen is underway and has now been prioritised. We will be involving our community in the development of the new formula, ensuring it lives up to your expectations of the product.

We have tested and retested the entire Ultra Violette range at multiple independent labs and consistently found SPF results over 50. The level of consistency we are seeing with the rest of the range gives us a huge level of confidence as it is at odds with what we were seeing when we started the retesting process at other labs with Lean/Velvet Screen, where we were unable to replicate results at a level even close to SPF 50. 

Every new Ultra Violette sunscreen is tested at two or more independent, ISO-accredited labs before launch. We also retest every existing product every 18 months using off-the-shelf bottles (the exact ones you’d buy), to make sure they’re still performing as promised. 

While Lean/Velvet Screen isn’t harmful, its SPF protection can’t be guaranteed. Because of that, we recommend you stop using it. Refunds and vouchers are available for every customer, no matter when or where you purchased it. 

It might sound boring, but compliance is the starting point: each region has different regulations and permitted UV filters. We always develop using the most efficacious and efficient filters available, so that means we may have up to 3 versions of a formulation globally! From there, we choose the most effective filters while balancing cosmetic elegance, viscosity, and overall formula style (for example, a watery style of SPF like Fave Fluid requires more water-soluble filters). Finally, we ensure we have a good cross-section of UVA and UVB coverage.

Absolutely. One of our internal goals this year was to develop our next-gen version of Lean Screen. This has now been prioritised, and we are working on a pure mineral, mattifying SPF that is both soothing and blurring. If you want to be involved in the process, please drop a comment below!

For our sunscreens, we undertook considerable SPF re-testing at multiple independent labs to ensure their protection. We’re also working with an independent expert to audit and validate all SPF reports and engaging testing facilities that are ISO accredited and BIPEA-audited.

Some formulations are trickier to develop than others. Very rarely, a formulation can come together in 9–12 months, and others might take 4 years!!! And that’s before testing. Our team has a constant and agile innovation pipeline, as formulations can get as far as SPF testing and then fall apart in stability. Then, it’s back to the drawing board and we start again! Once it’s perfect, it then gets passed over to the manufacturer, who will make the product (known as a tech transfer), and then it’s another 12-ish months to actually get the product into market.

Yes, the majority of our formulations are owned and developed in-house. As we’ve grown and expanded, we’ve prioritised the ownership of IP and formulations. Alongside our team (UV’s in-house product developers and chemists), we work closely with UV filter manufacturers/suppliers, chemists, and manufacturers to innovate with every new launch. We always start with the problem we’re trying to solve and ensure we’re not doubling up on textures/finishes that exist in the range, and go from there.

Please don’t decant your sunscreen! This applies to any sunscreen – but when products are moved into other containers, the packaging materials can sometimes interact with the SPF filters or stabilisers, potentially breaking them down. The product’s packaging is specially designed to protect against light, air, and heat, and is tested to ensure its stability. That’s why minis exist – bring them on your holiday!

Yes! As a part of the regulatory process, all listed SPFs are stability tested to withstand extreme temperatures (45°C/113°F). We also need to do freeze-thaw testing for some markets to ensure that it is stable in cold conditions, too. We’re looking at you, Canada!
LEAN SCREEN REFUND FORM