I think she has a good point with how Asian brands tend to produce different sunscreens with the same name, which leads to confusion for consumers (and IMO it erodes their reputation – I’m very disappointed that Shiseido does this) – it would be great if they didn’t do that! But I disagree with many of the points:

* The Consumer Reports test replicates the official water resistance test used in many places (US, Australia, EU, Brazil etc.), so it isn’t a “made-up methodology” or “terrible science” – perhaps she’s less familiar with it because there’s no regulation for water resistance in Japan. Third party tests from ICRT organisations usually use valid methodologies (but with lower reliability due to sample sizes).
* In vivo UVA testing is not considered by sunscreen scientists to be superior to in vitro UVA testing – in vitro UVA tests are standardised by comparison to in vivo SPF results for the same sunscreen, and there isn’t a universally recognised biological endpoint for UVA like erythema for UVB.
* She didn’t mention this in this particular post, but I’ve seen her say elsewhere that the Consumer HK tests that found some Japanese sunscreens were invalid because they used in vitro tests, but they used in vivo (https://twitter.com/ratzillacosme/status/1340471948535447552)

She covers some interesting discrepancies for East/South East Asian consumer tests.

My MIL had 2 melanomas removed off her legs. It’s quite sad to see people now in their 50’s and older who are constantly having atypical moles removed. A lot of men particularly get lesions on their face and upper back. Back in the 80’s there was the “slip, slop, slap” marketing for skin protection but many people only felt the need to apply sunscreen if they were going to the beach for the day or attending a sports game. Not the incidental exposure.

Yes you’re so right Emily! I knew people back in the ’70’s who had skin cancer. The problem however is that the threat is much greater. When I started using sun screen (early ’80’s) I was using a 15 SPF while out in the sun all day in Mexico! I came home as white as if I hadn’t been south at all – no one believed me honestly 🙂 now a 15 would be problematic. In fact I had been using the Klairs and did notice some colour in my face which I found alarming. I don’t believe we should be using anything less than 30 and that’s on dark, winter, overcast days at most. Most days in the summer I wouldn’t venture out less than a 50 PA++++.

Really? My grandfather had melanoma on his ears and nose thanks to an outdoor job (park ranger) and no sunscreen. Skin cancer existed back then, my dude.

It seems to be made by the same lab, which is a bigger cause for concern IMO.