Invisible Zinc Sport Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+: What Consumer NZ Measured
Last updated November 2, 2026
Consumer NZ tested it at SPF 42 against an SPF 50+ label in October 2026; the distributor answered with a 2021 test report from the same laboratory that supported the claim.
Invisible Zinc's sport mineral lotion tested at SPF 42 in Consumer NZ's October 2026 round, against a label of SPF 50+. The case is unusual because both figures come from one laboratory: Consumer NZ reports that the distributor's own 2021 report, which supports the claim, was produced by the same lab that ran Consumer NZ's test.
What was tested
Consumer NZ measured SPF 42, 30 October 2026
Consumer NZ measured SPF 42 against a label of SPF 50+. As the body's results table prints it:
DID NOT MEET SPF LABEL CLAIM · Invisible Zinc Sport Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF50+ · SPF (tested) 42 · SPF protection High
A row of Consumer NZ's results table, transcribed cell by cell with its column headings; the dots separate the cells. Consumer NZ embeds the table in its article.
Method, as Consumer NZ states it: Sunscreens bought from stores and sent “blind” to an accredited laboratory, which Consumer NZ does not name, in light-resistant packaging, and tested against two aspects of the Australian/New Zealand sunscreen standard. Each sunscreen first underwent a five-person panel test; the seven with preliminary results below their SPF claim then went on to the full 10-person test the standard requires. Product applied at 2mg per cm2 and left to dry for 15 minutes, then a lamp simulating the sunburn-causing part of the UV spectrum shone on protected and unprotected skin, with redness assessed by a technician around 24 hours later and the results from all 10 participants averaged. Broad-spectrum protection measured by spectrophotometer on a thin film of sunscreen on a plate, against a critical wavelength and a UVA protection of at least one-third of the tested SPF.
What the brand said
Invisible Zinc's distributors told Consumer NZ the finding was surprising and did not align with the company's own SPF testing. Consumer NZ reported that they supplied a 2021 test report supporting the SPF 50+ claim, from the same laboratory that ran Consumer NZ's test, and said the formulation has not changed since.
We test all Invisible Zinc products for SPF and other label claims in accredited laboratories in accordance with the Australia and New Zealand standard prior to release.
What happened next
Market status: no change has been published by any source cited here. Statuses in this story moved repeatedly between 2025 and 2026, so check the regulator before assuming a product is still on sale.
Alternatives that passed
Consumer NZ reported that three of the 10 sunscreens in the same test met their SPF label claim. It sent only the seven whose preliminary five-person result fell short on to the full ten-person test, so these three carry no tested figure. None of the three is named as a zinc or mineral formula in Consumer NZ's table: Smart365 Sun Sunscreen Lotion SPF50+, met its claim, Cetaphil Sun Ultra Light Lotion SPF50+, met its claim, Cancer Society Everyday Protection SPF50, met its claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Invisible Zinc dispute the result?
Yes. Its distributors told Consumer NZ the finding was surprising and supplied a 2021 test report from the same laboratory Consumer NZ used, saying the formulation has not changed and every batch undergoes quality control testing.
Is this the same product CHOICE tested in 2025?
No. CHOICE tested Invisible Zinc Face + Body Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, a different product from the same brand, and measured 38.
SPF List did not test this product. The results on this page were published by the named test body or regulator; quotes and links go to the original publication. Brand responses and later developments are listed where they were published. Formulations change; a result applies to the batch and date tested.