Who would have guessed that a video by an influencer about Indian sunscreens would not just go viral, but also expose a much deeper and separate issue regarding transparency and marketing campaigns?
A viral video by Indian influencer Nitin Joshi has ignited a firestorm across the skincare community. Talking about a ‘sunscreen scam expose’, he claimed that six out of ten popular Indian sunscreens failed to deliver their advertised Sun Protection Factor (SPF).
This obviously sparked widespread concern, but slowly, even bigger questions about marketing ethics and influencer transparency started to emerge.
This was due to a second influencer publicly challenging the narrative, alleging that this was a paid campaign masquerading as independent testing. Dermatologists and other influencers also started to weigh in, questioning both the scientific rigor of the tests and the ethics of the collateral influencer activity.
What Was This Sunscreen Scam Exposed By The Influencer?
Nitin Joshi, a Noida-based influencer with reportedly 1.6 million Instagram followers, on October 18, 2025, posted a video about how he had personally funded the laboratory testing of ten leading Indian sunscreen brands and what their results were.
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In his caption, he wrote, “10 me se 6 brands lab test me fail ho gaye aur kuch ka SPF toh 20 se bhi kam hai. Full report link bio me daal diya hai, check kar lena. Disclaimer: The test used here is In-Vitro testing based on ISO 24443 standards accepted globally under Colipa standard for non-human SPF testing and has been conducted at two Government of India–accredited independent labs.
While in-vivo testing on humans is the global gold standard for determining SPF and sun protection, in-vitro tests are also widely recognized as credible and effective for understanding sunscreen performance.”
He added that he had personally paid for these tests, which cost at least Rs. 2.15 lakh in total. Joshi wrote, “I have personally paid for these tests and invested over ₹2.15 lakh to conduct this study with the sole purpose of educating fellow citizens about what they are applying on their skin.
The intent of this video is strictly educational – to encourage awareness, informed choices, and conversations around sunscreen and skincare products. It also aims to highlight the need for clearer specifications, standards, and gradings in categories such as skincare and sun protection in India.”
The 10 sunscreen brands tested were from Lakme, Renee, Lotus, Dot & Key, Wishcare, Deconstruct, Foxtail, Aqualogica, Dermaco, and Minimalist.
Joshi, as per his video, had sunscreen samples from these brands tested at two Government of India–accredited laboratories: MS Clinical Research Pvt Ltd in Bengaluru and the Centre for Cruelty-Free Testing in Meerut.
Only four of the ten brands passed the test, where their SPF claims either matched or even exceeded what was being written on the packaging. These included:
- Lakme (brand claim:50+, test result:52.96)
- Minimalist (brand claim:50+, test result:78.54)
- Derma Co. (brand claim:50+, test result:79.72)
- Aqualogica (brand claim: 50+, test result: 146.08)
The rest of the six sunscreen products tested delivered far less than their claimed SPF protection levels. Renee (brand claim: SPF 70+, test result: SPF 12.81), WishCare (50+, 12.94), Dot & Key (50+, 14.98), Lotus (50+, 16.89), Deconstruct (55+, 17.82), Foxtale (55+, 36.9) all under-delivered.
Read More: Retinol At 15 Years Of Age, Botox At 20: Where Does This Perfect Skincare Fascination Of Kids Lead?
The Aftermath
If one thought that this would result in heavy backlash against the brands that were putting misleading claims on their sunscreens, then that is not entirely correct. While some people were shocked by the results, others felt that something was amiss with the video itself.
Mumbai-based clinical dermatologist Dr Jinal Mehta, questioning this, commented under Joshi’s post, “What do you have to say about the proof that this is part of a marketing campaign that some influencers have received with a brief to promote your video?”
Things started to pick up speed when influencer @riaspeaks on Instagram raised allegations that this whole study was part of a marketing campaign by the parent company of two of the brands that passed the test under the guise of consumer awareness.
Right after the video by Nitin Joshi went viral, Ria posted an Instagram story writing, “Fun fact, the campaign to promote the study by a creator came to me 2 days before the creator posted the reel about their ‘study’. If you want a non-disclaimer campaign, don’t reach out to me. My audience is all I have; I can be misinformed, but I will never misinform.”
Entrepreneur Karan Galhotra also posted about it in a LinkedIn post, writing, “The Indian version of Australia’s SPF scandal is here, and honestly, I’m not surprised anymore. Nitin Joshi recently sent the same sunscreen product to two accredited labs in India. Same product, same test, same conditions. The results?
Lab 1 said SPF 66. Lab 2 said SPF 146 The actual product label said SPF 50.
Same formula. Three completely different SPF ratings. Reason? Assumptions and Mathematical errors :)
If that doesn’t make you question how we test sunscreen, it should. And before anyone says “This only happens in India,” let’s talk about Australia. Their health regulator, the TGA, had to recall multiple sunscreens after testing showed they didn’t meet their own SPF claims. One brand claimed “SPF 50+” on its label. It actually tested at SPF 4.
If this can happen in one of the world’s most tightly regulated markets, imagine what’s happening in India, where there’s barely any oversight at all. To be honest, SPF testing isn’t truly standardised. Every lab follows its own playbook. So most of the times it’s just mathematical extrapolation. And it’s a win-win for both brands and the labs but sadly not for the consumers.
As founders, we love to talk about “trust” and “transparency,” but this is where those words actually get tested. Because the real question isn’t how high your SPF number goes. It’s whether you actually believe in the number you print.
So if you found out your product tested differently at two labs, what would you do? Would you chase the higher number or the honest one? PS: can’t wait to see the new ads showing SPF 146.”
Netizens, analysts, and critics further alleged that the brands that performed well were owned by just two parent companies, suggesting it was a coordinated marketing effort disguised as an independent review.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Moneycontrol, Business Standard, The Hindu
Find the blogger: @chirali_08
This post is tagged under: Sunscreen, Sunscreen scam, Sunscreen scam expose, Sunscreen scam influencer, indian influencer, Lakme, Renee, Lotus, Dot & Key, Wishcare, Deconstruct, Foxtail, Aqualogica, Dermaco, Minimalist, Nitin Joshi, Nitin Joshi sunscreen scam, Nitin Joshi sunscreen viral video, Nitin Joshi influencer, sunscreen scam controversy, sunscreen fiasco, sunscreen spf, indian sunscreen
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