Testing Cancer Council Sensitive Sunscreen (SPF 50, Made in Australia) for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, & Arsenic with Third Party, Independent, Laboratory Testing

ByTamara Posted:
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Published June 6, 2025 — Friday
A Quick Note from Tamara Rubin:

This Cancer Council SPF 50 Sensitive Sunscreen — Made in Australia , tested positive for Lead (a neurotoxin and Carcinogen) and Cadmium (also a Carcinogen). While it did test positive for toxicants – as of the date of publishing this lab report (the full original lab report for this product is at the bottom of this page) it tested positive for the lowest level of Lead we have found in a sunscreen to date (with the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative).

If we find a sunscreen that tests cleaner than this one we will update this article.

We generally do not share links for products that test positive for any amount heavy metals, however – given this is the lowest level of Lead that we have found in a sunscreen product to date (combined with the fact that so many people rely on sunscreen for various outdoor activities during the summer) – we are sharing this link as many Lead Safe Mama community members are choosing to use this product (pending additional testing / pending finding an even-safer choice). It’s also important to state here that we have not evaluated any other potential concerns with the ingredient profile for this product, only the heavy metals concern (and we encourage you to evaluate the full ingredient profile before choosing to use this product with your family) – product link: https://amzn.to/43vMM5a

IMPORTANT: All relevant federal agencies agree there is no safe level of Lead exposure for children (or human beings of any age, for that matter). I personally would not choose to use this product with my family, and the link for this product is not going to be added to our safer choices list (full list below) as the products on the safer choices list are ONLY products that have tested “non-detect” for heavy metals (with independent, third party laboratory testing coordinated by Lead Safe Mama, LLC through this community-collaborative initiative).

For my family:

We do not use any sunscreen products (I do understand that this may not be a practical solution for all families!) We actually stopped using sunscreen over 20 years ago, when my children started having allergic reactions to all sunscreens (including ones sold as safer / more natural choices). Instead we do the following things:

  • We avoid high-noon sun (we typically try to stay out of the sun between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in the summer months whenever possible)
  • We wear protective clothing — full coverage  / natural fiber – as well as hats whenever possible / appropriate!
  • I also personally do an unusual thing that helps us to avoid the sun: I travel to places known for outdoor sports (sailing, swimming, hiking, etc.) and natural habitats only during the off season (usually Fall and Winter), so I can explore those places with my family without a concern for exposure to full summer sun.
How can the toxicants in sunscreen potentially harm my child?

The image below shows three screenshots from the Clean Label Project 2018 Sunscreen Report. While we (here at Lead Safe Mama, LLC) are primarily not in agreement with the standards and practices of the Clean Label Project, we felt these particular “factoids” were relevant and worth sharing – especially when considering the potential ingestion hazard concern related to the contaminants commonly found in mineral sunscreen products. (Note context provided related to the ingestion pathway concern on the center image of the three images below)!

Ingestion Pathway Exposure:

  • A primary concern with Lead and Cadmium contamination in sunscreen products is the possibility of toxicant exposure through  ingestion pathways.
  • Ingestion of sunscreen (and the constituent ingredients and contaminants) is likely to happen with the regular / normal / anticipated hand-to-mouth activity of young children, when these products are applied on children’s bodies and faces (especially at the beach, outdoor events / sporting events, and picnics – where regular handwashing is less likely).
    • Said another way, when you apply sunscreen to young children, that child will inevitably get the product on their hands and will often subsequently put their hands in their mouths (sucking their thumb, licking their fingers after eating finger foods like potato chips, etc.).
  • Even if a sunscreen product is not specifically marketed for use with children, families often buy one sunscreen product to use on all members of the family, regardless of the age of those family members and regardless of any age limits for the use of the product mentioned on the product packaging.
  • Given the significant levels of Lead and Cadmium in this sunscreen product, it unquestionably presents a potential ingestion concern – especially if traces of this contaminated product are ingested daily (multiple times a day) over the summer months.

Transdermal Pathway Exposure:

  • There is a secondary concern for potential transdermal absorption of at least some of the Lead and Cadmium in this  sunscreen product (and other similar mineral-based sunscreen products).
  • In a mineral-based sunscreen product, Lead and Cadmium are typically carried (along with the Zinc) in an oil base (tallow, seed oil, etc.), which — when  combined with the fact that the product is generally used in hot weather (when pores are open with sweating from heat and outdoor activities),  makes transdermal absorption of the contaminants in this product significantly more likely than with other Lead-contaminated cosmetics products .
    • While there may be solid science indicating that non-nano Zinc does not present a transdermal absorption hazard (many sunscreen companies use this as their logic for marketing the presence of non-nano Zinc as a beneficial ingredient in their products), there is not (to my knowledge) a similar study (or body of research) specifically related to the potential (or lack of potential for) transdermal absorption of the Lead and Cadmium contaminants common in non-nano Zinc products used in sunscreens.
    • Said another way – while the ZINC present in these sunscreens may not be absorbed through the skin, the science supporting that concern is not comprehensive and does not rule out the possibility of the Cadmium and Lead contaminants (carried by the Zinc) being absorbed through the skin.
  • While there is some solid science supporting this concern (see links below), the possibility of transdermal absorption of Lead and Cadmium specifically from contaminated popular Zinc-based sunscreen products – to my knowledge – has not seen sufficient study [in part due to a lack of specific knowledge about the actual toxicant profiles of products like this, especially sunscreen products made and sold expressly for use by children], and warrants further study.
Relevant studies / links / agency statements include:
  1. 2024: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724025361
    • “Considering frequent exposure to these cosmetics or commercial products, special attention is needed to assess the human health risks associated with these xenobiotics due to dermal exposure directly or indirectly”
  2. 2021: https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/66/3/291/6433554
    • “The literature, while of limited quality, overall strongly suggests inorganic Pb has the potential for dermal uptake in meaningful amounts associated with negative health outcomes based on upper bound diffusion rate estimates.”
  3. 1988: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/004896978890112X
    • “It has been found, however, that finely-powdered lead metal or lead nitrate solution placed on the skin results in rapid absorption of lead, and transport of the metal around the body.”
  4. CDC ATSDR Statement: https://archive.cdc.gov/www_atsdr_cdc_gov/csem/leadtoxicity/exposure_routes.html
    • “Organic lead may be absorbed directly through the skin.”

Lead Safe Mama, LLC’s sunscreen testing initiative will increase the publicly available data, which we hope will – in turn – emphasize the need for further study (precipitating  additional formal scientific inquiry into the concern for transdermal absorption of toxicants — including Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic — from modern sunscreen products).

“I’ve been using this product with my family! What should I do?”

NOTE: we have not yet found a toxicant-free (heavy metals free) sunscreen product. Please subscribe to our Patreon channel to be among the first to see our new lab reports when they are published (and in this way – if we do find a toxicant-free sunscreen – you will know about this discovery as soon as it happens!) You can subscribe to our Patreon channel for free OR you can support this work via Patreon with a small monthly gift (of whatever you can afford). Here’s our Patreon link: patreon.com/LeadSafeMama

In general we recommend avoiding mid-day sun whenever possible (staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in most regions during summer months) and wearing sun-protective natural fiber clothing (and hats) whenever possible if going out in the middle of the day is required.

Some additional related information can be found on the links below:

  1. Here’s a link about testing your kiddos:
  2. Here’s a link discussing whether-or-not you should worry about exposure from this product (or other incidental / seasonal / activity-based possible sources of Lead-exposure):
  3. Here’s a link that is also relevant to this conversation, some reasons why you or your child may not test positive for Lead – even if you have been using this product daily all summer:
  4. Here’s an article about natural detox protocols

Again – thank you for reading and thank you for sharing this information in your communities.

The Lead Safe Mama, LLC Laboratory Testing Initiative is a community-collaborative project (started in March of 2024) through which members of the greater Lead Safe Mama online community nominate products for laboratory testing and then collectively crowd-fund to cover the costs of the lab testing of (and reporting on) nominated products. To help Lead Safe Mama, LLC test and report on more sunscreen products (in search of safer choices for families), please contribute ($15? $25? Or whatever you can afford!) to any of our open campaigns, linked here. We would love to be able to send more sunscreen products to the lab for testing this month (June of 2025) if at all possible. Thank you!

  • Click through to this landing page to see lab reports for more products we have tested, organized by category.
  • To see the original full original lab report for this product, scroll down to the bottom of the page (again, the report is below the shareable social media graphic summarizing the test results at the very bottom of  this page).
  • Our lab-tested safer choices list is below as well. 

The full original lab report for this supplement product is at the bottom of this article. Please scroll down.

As far as safer choices for foods, supplements, and cosmetics go (including toothpastes and other personal care products), we have a few lists on our laboratory testing landing page (linked here) that you may find to be helpful in making safer choices for your family. We even have one dedicated to safer snack choices, here. 

Here’s the link to our landing page with ALL of the lab reports for the independent, third-party laboratory testing Lead Safe Mama, LLC has coordinated since March 2024 — this is also a good page to bookmark and check back on periodically (it is always pinned at the top of the website’s Menu via the button graphic below, and the Menu can be found at the top of every page on this site).

Please check out our open/ not-yet-funded campaigns on GoFundMe if you would like to support some of our additional independent, crowd-funded, third-party laboratory testing. Thank you!

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website:

Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).

This is an ad-free article.

Advertising and affiliate income help Lead Safe Mama, LLC cover the costs of the work we do here (independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead poisoning prevention advocacy). We have removed ads from most of our more widely-read articles and new articles (like this one!) to make them easier for you to read. In addition to supporting this work by starting any shopping you might be doing with a click on our affiliate links, if you would like to support the independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead poisoning prevention advocacy work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC by making a contribution (which will also help us keep our more widely-read articles ad-free), click here. Thank you!

NEW! You can also support our work with a small monthly gift on Patreon. All of our newly published lab reports are first shared on Patreon before we share them on social media (our Patreon has an option to subscribe for free as well)!

Are you interested in seeing MORE safer choices?

Below is an expanding list of products (foods, supplements, cosmetics, and personal care items) that tested “non-detect” for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic with independent, third-party, community-funded laboratory testing coordinated by Lead Safe Mama, LLC (an Oregon-based small business with a unique community-collaborative business model and a focus on consumer goods safety and childhood Lead poisoning prevention). The product examples below clearly demonstrate that companies can manufacture safer choices (at least from the perspective of a concern for heavy metals contamination).
–
The limits of detection (low-threshold of detection) for each of the metals tested are noted in the lab report for the specific product listed. To see the full original lab report for any of these products, type the brand name into the search bar at the top of any page on Lead Safe Mama dot com (and scroll down to the bottom of the related article). All our published lab reports are also linked here, on our lab testing landing page.
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Flavors (or specific variations) tested are noted, and other flavors of the same product (or other products from the same brand) have either not been tested or have been tested but did not yield similar results. Test results only apply to the specific products linked below.

Products on our “safer choices” list are retested periodically (annually or more frequently, as funding permits). If a product no longer tests clean, it is removed from the list.

LIST UPDATED — June 4, 2025
Now at 68 products + 6 “bonus” options. Scroll down to see all 74 Lab-tested Safer Choices:
  1. Baby Food — 1 — Little Spoon Kale, Carrot + Pear BabyBlends
  2. Baby Food — 2 —Little Spoon Butternut Squash + Blueberry BabyBlends
  3. Baby Food — 3 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato BabyBlends
  4. Baby Food — 4 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato + Carrot BabyBlends
  5. Baby Food — 5 — Little Spoon Banana + Pitaya BabyBlends
  6. Beverage — 1 — Honest Kids Organic Appley Ever After Apple Juice Drink: https://amzn.to/4fjGhov
  7. Beverage — 2 —  Olipop Grape Tonic: https://amzn.to/4cjFYZu
  8. Breakfast Cereal — 1 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Panda Puffs: https://amzn.to/4fo1crf
  9. Breakfast Cereal — 2 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Corn Puffs Gorilla Munch: https://amzn.to/3FHZCDO
  10. Candy — 1 — Cavendish & Harvey Wild Berry Drops, not organic (Germany): https://amzn.to/3Z1Jxjr
  11. NEW! Candy — 2 — Haribo Gummy Bears** (Made in Germany, Not USA Produced): https://amzn.to/3FCGVlu
  12. Candy — 3 — Lindt White Chocolate Bar (Made in USA, New Hampshire): https://amzn.to/3OXkyIm
  13. Coffee & Tea — 1 — Chameleon Handcrafted Organic Cold Brew Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3OcrH77
  14. Coffee & Tea — 2 —Tao of Tea Organic Genmaicha (Tamara’s favorite, from Japan, sold by a Portland, Oregon-based company!): https://amzn.to/3Dp8Fsd
  15. Coffee & Tea — 3 — Califia Farms Almond Latte Cold Brew (XX Espresso): https://amzn.to/4gTTGoJ
  16. Coffee & Tea — 4 — Death Wish Organic Espresso Roast Ground Coffee (Multi-country origin, non-USA): https://amzn.to/3yo1eiL
  17. Cosmetic— 1 — Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Lotion: https://amzn.to/3YmKxy1
  18. Cosmetic — 2 — Kora Organics Noni Face Oil: https://amzn.to/43hy2XO
  19. Dairy — 1 — (cheese) — Babybel Mini Original Snack Cheese: https://amzn.to/3ZY5noO
  20. Dairy — 2 — (coffee creamer) —  Organic Valley Grassmilk Half and Half: https://amzn.to/4fHJIWT
  21. Fruit Snack — 1 — (bar) — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Raspberry Lemonade Flavor: https://amzn.to/3XcFsIp
  22. Fruit Snack — 2 — (bar) —Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Strawberry Banana Flavor: https://amzn.to/3WQEekA
  23. Fruit Snack — 3 — (pouch) — Costco’s Kirkland Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/4gOYpZ9
  24. Fruit Snack — 4 — (pouch) — GoGo Squeez Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/3XhWYLe
  25. Fruit Snack — 5 — (pouch) — Once Upon A Farm Dairy Free Fruit Smoothie Pouch in Strawberry Banana Swirl Flavor: https://amzn.to/3CPMbAw
  26. Infant Formula — 1 — Bobbie Organic Gentle Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (pink and white can): https://amzn.to/3YYb849 
  27. Infant Formula — 2 — Bobbie Organic Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green and white can): https://amzn.to/3VOr4Vy
  28. Infant Formula — 3 — Bobbie Grass-Fed Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green can): https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
  29. Infant Formula — 4 — ByHeart Infant Formula (USA-made, not organic): https://amzn.to/48DJjTb
  30. Infant Formula — 5 — HiPP Bio Combiotik Infant Formula Powder, Stage 1 (imported)
  31. Infant Formula — 6 — HiPP HA Stage PRE (0+ Months) Combiotic Formula  (imported)
  32. Infant Formula — 7 — Holle Bio Goat Stage 2 Infant Formula (for 6-10 months, organic, European — Swiss/ German/ Austrian) is not available on Amazon, but the Stage 3 version of this product is (not yet tested, but will likely test similarly): https://amzn.to/3BVU7zI
  33. Infant Formula — 8 — Kendamil Goat Infant Formula (not organic): This product may be available at Target (it is not available on Amazon)
  34. Infant Formula — 9 — Kendamil Organic Follow-On Milk (European/ British Toddler Formula, for 6-12 months, Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon 
  35. Infant Formula — 10 — Kendamil Whole Milk Infant Formula (from Europe, pink can, not organic), available at Target
  36. Infant Formula — 11 — Kendamil Organic Infant Formula (Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon but may be available at Target
  37. Ingredient — 1 — (baking flour) — Jovial Organic Einkorn Flour (Italy): https://amzn.to/3LIqxix 
  38. Ingredient — 2 — (beans) — Jovial Organic Chickpeas, Product of Italy: https://amzn.to/4iRON1l
  39. Ingredient — 3 — (vinegar) — Napa Valley Naturals Organic Red Wine Vinegar (California): https://amzn.to/4jWhHOg
  40. Oil — 1 — (avocado) — Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/3YDZSuv
  41. Oil — 2 — (coconut) — Dr. Bronner’s Regenerative Organic Coconut Oil: https://amzn.to/40xwBmv
  42. NEW! Oil — 3 —  (olive) — Bryan Johnson BluePrint Snake Oil Olive Oil** (not organic): https://amzn.to/4mMieUj
  43. Oil — 4 — (perilla seed) —  Dr. Adorable’s Organic Perilla Seed Oil (Korea): https://amzn.to/3NDt7Yc
  44. Plant-Based Milk — 1 — (coffee creamer) — Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer: https://amzn.to/4fItA7A
  45. Plant-Based Milk — 2 — (plant milk) — Kiki Milk Organic Plant-Based Milk (original flavor): https://amzn.to/3AA6Qrt
  46. Plant-Based Milk — 3 — (soy milk) — West Soy Unflavored Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk: https://amzn.to/4dwev8l
  47. Salt — 1 — Jacobsen’s Sea Salt (Oregon, USA): https://amzn.to/4dcbk5L
  48. NEW! Salt — 2 —Maldon Sea Salt Flakes**: https://amzn.to/4iTzWTE
  49. NEW! Salt — 3 — Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt** : https://amzn.to/4cVQMiy
  50. Seeds — 1 — (chia) —Navitas Organic, Gluten-Free Chia Seeds (Mexico): https://amzn.to/3YvE7xC
  51. Seeds — 2 —  (hemp) — Costco Kirkland Organic Hemp Seeds: https://amzn.to/4e05RP9
  52. Supplement — 1 — (adult) — Doctor’s Best Vitamin C with Q-C: https://amzn.to/4hlVvea
  53. Supplement — 2 — (adult) —Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil: https://amzn.to/48q1j2V
  54. Supplement — 3 — (adult) — Pectasol Modified Citrus Pectin, Formulated in the USA: https://amzn.to/3QUmZfN
  55. Supplement — 4 — (adult) — Pendulum Metabolic Daily Dietary Supplement: https://amzn.to/4gY5wOm
  56. Supplement — 5 — (kids) —Baby Ddrops, Organic Vitamin D3 Supplement for Babies: https://amzn.to/49C3ktH
  57. Supplement — 6 — (kids) — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Multivitamin Liquid Drops with Iron: https://amzn.to/3YPhcgx
  58. Supplement — 7 — (kids) —Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Elderberry Liquid Drops: https://amzn.to/42617TU
  59. Supplement — 8  — (kids) — Nordic Naturals Kids Vitamin D3 Gummies (Ages 3+): https://amzn.to/4l7117a
  60. Sweetener — 1 — (sugar) — Anthony’s Organic Granulated Cane Sugar: https://amzn.to/4jf6vLv
  61. Sweetener — 2— (xylitol) — Espure Organic Xylitol: https://amzn.to/3GsCSrU
  62. Sweetener — 3— (xylitol) —Now Real Food Granulated Xylitol: https://amzn.to/4cNWDpM
  63. Toothpaste — 1 — Fluoride-free Orajel Kids Training Toothpaste in Natural Berry Fruity Flavor with Elmo Sesame Street Packaging: https://amzn.to/41wxtrY
  64. Toothpaste — 2 — Fluoride-free Miessence Mint Toothpaste: https://amzn.to/4bJc4PO
  65. Toothpaste — 3 — Dr. Brown’s Fluoride-free Baby Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor: https://amzn.to/3DCehzZ
  66. Toothpaste — 4 — Pegciz Kids Foam Toothpaste in Watermelon Flavor, Low Flouride (packaging varies, see report): https://amzn.to/3YzP68e
  67. Toothpaste — 5 — Kid’s Spry Fluoride-free Tooth Gel with Xylitol in Original Flavor: https://amzn.to/41GZb4e
  68. Toothpaste — 6 — Fluoride-free Essential Oxygen BR Certified Organic in Peppermint Flavor: https://amzn.to/4lARZ2J

**Lab reports pending/ Not yet published as of 6/4/2025

Here’s a link to our landing page featuring all the third-party lab reports for the foods, supplements, and cosmetic products we have published to date, including those listed above: https://tamararubin.com/2024/05/food-articles/

Stand by for more!

BONUS: Below are SIX additional products that each tested positive for trace (very low levels of) Arsenic — at levels considered safe by all standards (with the limits of detection noted in the lab report for the specific product listed).

  1. Infant Formula — Kendamil Goat Toddler Milk, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): May be available at Target or through other online retailers of European infant formulas
  2. Ingredient — Maseca Instant Corn Masa Flour, Product of Mexico (positive for traces of Arsenic):  https://amzn.to/4iR8qWN
  3. Fruit Snack —  That’s It Apple Cherry Bars, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/4fHkSWV
  4. Oil — Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado oil, organic (postive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3BVQYQa
  5. Supplement — (adult) —  Now Sunflower Lecithin, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3AFdHzO
  6. Supplement — (adult) —  WishGarden Immune Boost Seasonal Rescue for Pregnancy: https://amzn.to/3Cd940N

Amazon links are affiliate links. 

Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on a Lead Safe Mama, LLC Amazon affiliate link, Lead Safe Mama, LLC may receive a percentage of what you spend, at no extra cost to you.

Lab report for the product pictured above:

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