Is this the end of foam sunscreen?

Whipped and mousse sunscreens could soon disappear from store shelves after the FDA issued warning letters to brands over regulatory issues with the foam format. 

In a post shared by the FDA on X last week, the government agency warned consumers to “beware of sunscreen products in mousse form because they might not be effective.” 

The FDA regulates sunscreen as part of its over-the-counter drug monograph, or set of acceptable standards that brands must follow. This includes approved sunscreen formats like oil, stick, lotion, spray, powder, cream, gel, butter and paste. Foam or mousse, however, is not an accepted format for sunscreen, and distributing the format as sun protection is therefore against federal law, according to the agency. 

In the same post on X, the FDA shared that it sent letters to five beauty brands earlier this month, including Vacation, Supergoop, Tizo, Kalani, and K & Care Organics, giving them 15 days to respond. 

In a statement issued to Glossy, Supergoop said, “The recent communication from the FDA regarding our PLAY SPF 50 Body Mousse is focused on product labeling and has nothing to do with its safety, effectiveness or formula. We are working closely with the FDA to resolve this matter as we continue to uphold the high standards our consumers expect from us.”

Vacation issued a similar statement: “At Vacation Sunscreen, we take regulatory compliance seriously, and appreciate the opportunity to address the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent Warning Letter. We have full confidence in the safety, efficacy and integrity of our product. We are committed to working collaboratively with the FDA to satisfactorily resolve this matter.”

Cosmetic chemist Laura Lam-Phaure told Glossy that, although this regulatory hurdle is likely to see all foams removed from store shelves in the coming weeks, a regulatory issue doesn’t mean the products are ineffective. 

“To call foam sunscreens dangerous is a stretch,” she said. “They’re not dangerous, and they’re not ineffective.” That is, regardless of the format, these sunscreens would still have had to pass internal brand testing through an FDA-approved facility to have been released into the market. 

“It could be that the interpretation of the Monograph was misunderstood [by the brands], or they thought they could lean in the gray area, because a lot of cosmetic products do lean a little bit gray,” Lam-Phaure said.

However, the brands still made a very costly misstep that is likely to require a voluntary recall. 

“To have a whipped or foam sunscreen format approved, a brand would need to submit it through the FDA’s new drug application process,” said cosmetic packaging expert Allison Kent-Gunn. “That requires full safety and efficacy data specific to that dosage form. This is a very expensive, multi-year process  and not something brands typically pursue for packaging driven novelty.” 

Still, there could be an argument to be made by the brands, said Kent-Gunn. “What’s important to understand with ‘whipped’ sunscreens is that the texture isn’t actually inherent to the formula. It’s created by the pressurized metal canister and valve system,” she told Glossy. “When the actuator is pressed, the propellant expands and aerates the emulsion, giving it that fluffy, mousse-like effect. Without the canister, the same sunscreen base would dispense as a standard lotion or cream.” 

Still, given the slow pace of FDA, resolution isn’t likely to happen quickly. 

“The FDA has already issued warning letters, which signals that brands are expected to take corrective action, [which] typically means halting the sale of the product in its current format unless the company is willing to pursue a formal new drug application,” Kent-Gunn said. “Realistically, most brands won’t take on the cost and time that requires.”

Executive moves:

• Freddy Bharucha will take over the CEO role at P&G Beauty on December 1. He will succeed Alexandra Keith, who has spent six years in the role and a combined 35 years at P&G. Bharucha has been with the conglomerate for 22 years, most recently serving as president of global and North America personal care. 

• Ray Carreon is the new svp of growth for Lashify where he will oversee marketing, creative, paid media, customer service and retention for the lash brand. His CV includes One/Size by Patrick Starrr and Revolve. 

• Melissa Welch has been named evp at Ogaki, a social-first agency that works with brands like Jillian Dempsey, U Beauty and D.S. & Durga. She joins the team from Supergoop, where she served as global brand marketing lead. Her CV also includes Estée Lauder Companies and Shiseido-owned Drunk Elephant. 

News to know:

• Makeup artist Hung Vanngo, best known for his A-list clientele like Selena Gomez, Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lawrence, is launching a color cosmetics line on September 8. The line, which will launch at Sephora, includes lipstick, lip liner, eye shadow, eyeliners, bronzer and blush priced between $22-$49. It comes on the heels of a new makeup line from celebrity artist Mary Phillips, who works with Chrissy Teigen, Kendall Jenner and J.Lo, which launched at Sephora earlier this month. 

• E.l.f. Beauty has issued a statement in response to the backlash it faced last week around casting comedian Matt Rife in its latest advertising campaign. Rife has garnered criticism for jokes on domestic violence in the past, and his presence struck a chord on social media with many fans and publications accusing E.l.f. of “rage bait,” a term that loosely means a brand courts controversy for attention. In an IG post responding, the company said its ad “missed the mark.”
  
• OneSkin, the biotech-powered skin-care line launched in 2020, has taken on $20 million in funding from Prelude Growth Partners. The firm has also made investments in Sol De Janeiro and Summer Fridays. It’s part of the biotech boom in beauty that includes funding from VC and PE firms, as well as heavyweight conglomerates. 
  
• Ova, a fertility-focused supplement company launched in early 2025 by Net-A-Porter alums Danielle Fox-Thomas and Kat Lestage, has taken on $1 million in pre-seed funding led by Era VC, Ventures Together and Syndicate Room, as well as many angel investors. The line currently has four oral supplements for men and women sold at U.K. retailers like Boots and Sainsbury’s. 

Stat of the week:

Investment in retail real estate rose by 23% during the first half of the year, according to a report from JLL, a global commercial real estate and investment management company. This surpasses 2023 and 2024 numbers, which sat at 17% and 23%, respectively. 

In the headlines:

“We’ll bring what real K-Beauty Is”: Olive Young builds buzz ahead of US retail expansion. As Target faces issues on multiple fronts, these once-loyal shoppers are still boycotting the chain. Confessions of an agency exec on using AI in global campaigns despite regulation. China’s factory output, retail sales growth slump in blow to economy. 

Listen in: 

Plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Sterry joins the Glossy Beauty Podcast to discuss plastic surgery’s image shift. 

Need a Glossy recap? 

Where did Target and Ulta Beauty’s shop-in-shop partnership go wrong? With a restock, Westman Atelier’s bronzing drops hope to get their moment in the sun. The ‘hair longevity’ trend is set to drive sales and innovation this year. Digital communities have revolutionized the fragrance industry. But will they accept the advent of AI?