Aldi Lacura Sunscreen

Last Updated on July 9, 2023

This post contains affiliate links.

When warmer weather arrives and people start spending more time outdoors, people also start looking to purchase sunscreen to protect their skin against the sun’s rays. Aldi offers sunscreen under its private label Lacura, which offers other health and beauty products such as facial cleanser, day and night cream, and lip balm.

For a low-inventory store, Aldi sells a surprising number of sunscreens: three types of lotion sunscreens and three types of aerosol spray sunscreens. The lotion sunscreens all cost $3.89 for an 8-oz. bottle (about 49 cents an ounce) at the time of publication, while the spray sunscreens cost $4.49 for a 5.5-oz. can (about 82 cents an ounce) at the time of publication.

Whether Aldi’s sunscreens are a good deal cost-wise depends on your brand preferences and how much sunscreen you buy at once. Aldi’s sunscreen is generally cheaper, but not always. For example, it’s cheaper to buy a twin pack of Target’s 5.5-ounce Up & Up Sport SPF 30 spray sunscreen for $6.99 (about 64 cents per ounce), but a Coppertone Kids sunscreen spray 5.5-ounce twin pack will cost you more at $12.99 (about $1.18 per ounce). With sunscreen lotions, a 10-oz. bottle of Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Lotion cost $5.19 (about 52 cents an ounce) at the time of publication, and an 8-ounce bottle of Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen cost $7.99 (about $1 per ounce), both higher than Aldi’s price.

All of Aldi’s sunscreens are Seasonal Favorites, meaning they’re in stores for several months. They’re available for longer than an ALDI Find (Special Buy) but are not in stores year round.

The back of each container of Aldi sunscreen has a phone number consumers can call with their questions or comments: 1-800-527-7731. I called it over a recent weekend just to see who would answer, and I got a recorded answering thanking me for calling Fruit of the Earth. Fruit of the Earth’s website says it’s an American-based family owned and operated business based in Texas that produces skin care, health care, sun care, and household products. Their products can be found at retailers including Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Lotion Vs. Spray Sunscreens

Lotion sunscreens are classic, but they do take some time to apply. If you’re a parent who has to apply your own sunscreen in addition to helping children apply sunscreen, it can be a tedious process.

For that reason, spray sunscreens have become popular because of their ease of use, but they are trickier to use for several reasons. First, it’s hard to see how much you’re spraying, and people generally spray less than the recommended amount. Another caveat to using spray sunscreen is the risk of inhaling the spray, which can be a lung irritant or even a carcinogen in large amounts. Yet another issue with spray-on sunscreen is that some of it may blow away in the breeze and not land on your skin if you’re applying it at a windy beach, and experts recommend not using it on windy days. Finally, spray-on sunscreen is flammable, so it is advisable to not use it if you are going to be around an open flame such as a grill.

However, some doctors say they’re okay with families using spray sunscreens even though they don’t offer as much protection if it means they’re using sunscreen when they otherwise might not. To make the most of spray sunscreen, rub it in to better ensure it covers all exposed skin, and when applying it to your face, spray it into your hand and then rub it onto your face to reduce the amount that gets accidentally inhaled.

Instructions for Use

Aldi’s continuous spray sunscreens have the following instructions for use: Spray liberally and spread evenly by hand 15 minutes before sun exposure. Hold can 4-6 inches away from the skin to apply. Do not spray directly into face. Spray into hands then apply to face. Do not apply in windy conditions. Use in a well-ventilated area. Reapply after 80 minutes of swimming or sweating, immediately after towel drying, or at least every two hours. Consult a doctor before using on children less than six months of age. The cans also state not to use near heat, flame, or while smoking, and to avoid long-term storage above 140 degrees Farenheit.

Aldi’s lotion sunscreens have the following instructions: Apply liberally 15 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply after 80 minutes of swimming or sweating, immediately after towel drying, or at least every two hours. Ask a doctor before using on children younger than six months of age. The bottles state to keep out of excessive heat and direct sun.

Active Ingredients

Beyond the lotion versus spray debate, dermatologists recommend using a sunscreen that has broad spectrum protection against both UVB and UVA rays. All of Aldi’s sunscreens are labelled broad spectrum.

According to the Environmental Working Group, common sunscreen ingredients that offer skin protection include oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate. Oxybenzone has prompted concerns about disrupting the human hormone system as well as killing ocean coral, and octinoxate also is worrisome because it can affect the hormone system. Both ingredients are listed as having higher toxicity concerns by the Environmental Working Group.

None of Aldi’s sunscreens contains oxybenzone or octinoxate, and some of the labels on the fronts of the containers even say so.

The Environmental Working Group has a chart listing the common active ingredients in sunscreen, providing a hazard score and displaying the level of skin penetration, hormone disruption, skin allergy, or other concerns for each ingredient. It says the following about the active ingredients found in Aldi’s sunscreens:

• Avobenzene: has a lower toxicity concern with very limited skin penetration and no evidence of hormone disruption, with higher rates of skin allergies.
• Homosalate: has moderate toxicity concerns, is found in mothers’ milk, and disrupts some hormones.
• Octisalate: has moderate toxicity concerns and rarely reported skin allergies.
• Octocrylene: has moderate toxicity concerns, found in mothers’ milk, with relatively high rates of skin allergies.

The Aldi active ingredients are fairly common sunscreen ingredients across different brands. For instance, Coppertone Sport SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion’s active ingredients are avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene. Target’s Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50’s active ingredients are avobenzene, homosalate, and octocrylene. Banana Boat Simply Protect Kids Sunscreen Spray SPF 50’s active ingredients are avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene.

All of Aldi’s sunscreens are labelled as offering antioxidant defense against free radical damage triggered by UV rays. Most but not all of Aldi’s sunscreens also are labelled as paraben free. Parabens are a preservative added to some sunscreens that is associated with breast cancer tumors. Aldi’s continuous spray sunscreens also say they are free of ozone-depleting CFCs.

Here’s a closer look at each of Aldi’s sunscreens.

Lacura Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30

Lacura Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 lotion ingredients and directions. (Click to enlarge.)

This is an 8-oz. broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen lotion that claims to be sweat and water resistant up to 80 minutes, with no oxybenzone or octinoxate, and it says it won’t run into eyes. It also says it’s paraben free, hypoallergenic, and offers antioxidant defense. It also was not tested on animals.

Active ingredients are:

• Avobenzone: 1.8%
• Homosalate: 7%
• Octocrylene: 5%

This is the only Aldi sunscreen that does not contain octisalate, a common sunscreen ingredient.

Lacura Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50

Lacura Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 ingredients and directions. (Click to enlarge.)

This is an 8-oz. broad spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen lotion that claims to be water resistant up to 80 minutes. It says it won’t run into eyes and offers antioxidant defense. This is one of the two Aldi sunscreens that does not state it is paraben free. Not all of Aldi’s sunscreens say where they are made, but this one says it was “made in the USA with US and foreign parts.” As mentioned earlier, the sunscreens appear to be produced by the Texas-based company Fruit of the Earth.

Active ingredients are:

• Avobenzone: 3%
• Homosalate: 10%
• Octisalate: 4.5%
• Octocrylene: 8%

Lacura Ultra Protection Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30

Lacura Ultra Protection Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 ingredients and directions. (Click to enlarge.)

This is an 8-oz. broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen lotion that claims to be water resistant for up to 80 minutes and offers antioxidant defense. This is one of the two Aldi sunscreens that does not state it is paraben free. The bottle states this sunscreen was “made in the USA with US and foreign parts.” As mentioned above, Aldi’s sunscreens all appear to be manufactured by the Texas-based company Fruit of the Earth.

Active ingredients are:

• Avobenzone: 3%
• Homosalate: 10%
• Octisalate: 5%
• Octocrylene: 10%

Lacura Sport Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 30

Lacura Sport Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 30 ingredients and directions. (Click to enlarge.)

This is a 5.5-oz. broad spectrum SPF 30 spray bottle that claims to be sweat and water resistant up to 80 minutes, with no oxybenzone or octinoxate, and it says it won’t run into eyes. It claims to offer antioxidant defense, is paraben free, and is hypoallergenic. It also was not tested on animals.

Active ingredients are:

• Avobenzone: 3%
• Homosalate: 10%
• Octisalate: 5%
• Octocrylene: 2%

Lacura Sport Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 50

Lacura Sport Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 50 ingredients and directions. (Click to enlarge.)

This is a 5.5-oz. broad spectrum SPF 50 spray bottle that claims to be sweat and water resistant up to 80 minutes, with no oxybenzone or octinoxate, and it says it won’t run into eyes. It says it is paraben free, hypoallergenic, and offers antioxidant defense. It also was not tested on animals.

Active ingredients are:

• Avobenzone: 3%
• Homosalate: 10%
• Octisalate: 5%
• Octocrylene:4%

Lacura Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 50

Lacura Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 50 ingredients and directions. (Click to enlarge.)

This is a 5.5-oz. broad spectrum SPF 50 spray bottle that claims to be water resistant up to 80 minutes, with no oxybenzone or octinoxate. It is paraben free, hypoallergenic, and offers antioxidant defense. It also was not tested on animals.

Active ingredients are:

• Avobenzone: 3%
• Homosalate: 10%
• Octisalate: 5%
• Octocrylene: 4%

The Verdict:

Aldi sells six different kinds of sunscreen during the warmer months — three lotion varieties and three continuous spray varieties — all with SPFs ranging from 30 to 50. They are competitively priced, and most of the time, but not always, they are cheaper than other store brand and name brand sunscreens. When I called the customer service phone number listed on the back of each container, my call went to Fruit of the Earth, a Texas-based company that sells health, skin care, sun care, and household cleaning products and sells its brand in stores such as Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond. As far as how well they work, my family has used them during a variety of outdoor activities, and they protect as well as other popular sunscreen brands on the market.