Is There Benzene in Sunscreen?
It has been found in some. In May 2021 the testing company Valisure said it analyzed 294 sunscreen and after-sun batches from 69 companies and found detectable benzene in 78 lots, with 14 lots from four brands at 2.78 to 6.26 parts per million.
In July 2021 Johnson and Johnson Consumer Inc. voluntarily recalled all lots of five Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreen lines after its own testing identified low levels of benzene in some samples. The company said daily exposure at the levels it detected would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences, and that it recalled out of an abundance of caution. The FDA lists aerosol sunscreens and antiperspirants among the product types recalled for benzene contamination.
The FDA says long-term exposure to benzene may result in cancers such as leukemia and other blood disorders. It tells manufacturers of drug products at risk of contamination not to release a batch that would expose consumers to more than 20 micrograms of benzene a day, which for a product with a 10 gram daily dose means no more than 2 parts per million.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Independent testValisure said it analyzed 294 batches of sunscreen and after-sun products from 69 companies and found benzene at 2.78 to 6.26 ppm in 14 lots from four brands, 0.11 to 1.99 ppm in 26 lots, and below 0.1 ppm in 38 lots. Valisure ↗
- RecallJohnson and Johnson Consumer Inc. voluntarily recalled all lots of five Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreen product lines in July 2021 after internal testing identified low levels of benzene in some samples. US FDA, posting the company’s recall notice ↗
- Brand statementJohnson and Johnson said daily exposure to benzene in those aerosol sunscreens at the levels it detected would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences, and that it recalled all lots out of an abundance of caution. US FDA, posting the company’s recall notice ↗
- Government sourceThe FDA says hand sanitizers, aerosol sprays including antiperspirants and sunscreens, and benzoyl peroxide acne treatments have been recalled due to benzene contamination. US FDA ↗
- Government sourceThe FDA says long-term exposure to benzene through inhalation, oral intake and skin absorption may result in cancers such as leukemia and other blood disorders. US FDA ↗
- Government sourceThe FDA tells manufacturers of drug products at risk for benzene contamination not to release any batch that would expose consumers to more than 20 micrograms of benzene a day, no more than 2 ppm for a product with a 10 gram daily dose. US FDA ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.