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The Skincarma Pod | Ep. 53: SunscreenGate and the Ethics of SPF Testing with Brian Ecclefield
Description
In this episode of The Skincarma Pod, Carmine is joined by Brian Ecclefield, Founder and Managing Director of Validated Claim Support, the clinical testing lab setting new standards for ethics, accuracy, and transparency in cosmetic claims.
Few topics have shaken the beauty world this year quite like SunscreenGate – the scandalous revelation that the SPF validation tests behind many popular sunscreens may have been manipulated, falsified or simply fallen short, leading to careless, even dangerous mislabeling – and haphazard sunscreen product recalls.
There’s nobody more uniquely qualified to explain how we got here and where we’re headed than Brian Ecclefield. For more than 16 years, Brian has designed and overseen clinical studies for skincare, haircare, personal care, and OTC products like sunscreens. He specializes in the rigorous evaluation of claims, including the complex world of SPF validation.
Before launching VCS, Brian spent time inside two of the industry’s most relied upon (and infamous!) labs – AMA and Princeton Consumer Research – giving him rare, insider insights into how testing can go wrong, how numbers can be massaged, and what red flags brands should never ignore.
Find out how the scandal happened – and how Brian believes it doesn’t ever have to happen again.
Follow Brian on Instagram at @eccleburgers and on LinkedIn here. Learn more about the independent and unbiased work of Validated Claim Support on the company’s website here.
Follow Skincarma on Instagram and on TikTok. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. You can also connect with Carmine on LinkedIn here and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here.
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Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog:
Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here.
Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here.
Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here.
Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here.
Explore the Best Acne Treatments here.
Explore the Best Anti-Agi