Seasonal weekly benchmark — May 9
Sunscreen
Research by Robert Hu · Published by RecoScope ·
- Usable answers
- 12/12
- Models
- 4
- Prompt types
- 3
Included: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
Report history · May 9 selected · 8 snapshots
Key takeaway
The sunscreen category settled into clear hierarchy this run: La Roche-Posay (universal #1, Anthelios is the consensus single SKU), Blue Lizard (universal active/mineral pick), Sun Bum (universal beach/lifestyle pick), Supergoop (universal premium), EltaMD (surging — first appearance at #1 in any model's ranking), Neutrogena (universal budget). Notable W19 trend: Active-lifestyle persona produces wider brand spread than typical (~25 unique brands surfaced across 12 prompts). Gemini's ranking introduced EltaMD UV Sport as #1 — the first time EltaMD has crossed La Roche-Posay in any model in our sunscreen dataset.
Mention Frequency Trend
Brands ordered by mention count in each run. Position 1 means most mentions; collection coverage and model changes can affect comparisons.
Scroll sideways to see all dates and labels.
Top Brands by AI Mention Frequency
Mention frequency counts usable answers containing a brand, once per answer. Unranked and critical mentions count as visibility. Recommendation ranks are shown separately below.
Dropped this week
Cross-Agent Comparison
Recorded ranks from the comparative prompt (Prompt 3). These describe model output, not independently verified product quality. Historical parsing conventions may differ.
4/4 models with recorded ranks
| Agent | #1 | #2 | #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Supergoop | La Roche-Posay | Blue Lizard |
| Claude | SolRX | Coppertone | Neutrogena |
| Gemini | EltaMD | Thinksport | La Roche-Posay |
| Perplexity | La Roche-Posay | Neutrogena | Sun Bum |
What This Means
- ChatGPT (commerce-formatted): Surfaces Hawaiian Tropic, Banana Boat, Black Girl Sunscreen, COOLA specifically — provides explicit prices and review counts.
- Coppertone consistent across discovery and rankings.
- Claude (most opinionated): Recommends SolRX Waterblock SPF 50 as best-in-class with specific 8-hour AMA Lab citation.
- Uniquely surfaces Sawyer Stay-Put as cult-favorite hiker brand.
- Pushes back on "Sport label" marketing more than other models.
- Notable Claude P3 ending: flags skin cancer risk profile and recommends dermatologist baseline check — not just product recommendation.
- Gemini (lifestyle-formatted): Introduces Bioré UV Aqua Rich, Bondi Sands, Trader Joe's Daily Facial as unique value picks.
- Vacation Classic Whip for "fun" beach reapplication.
- Perplexity (most consolidated): Most balanced cross-tier recommendations, surfaces Avene as unique stick option.
Findings and Limitations
- Avene only appears in Perplexity.
- Bioré only appears in Gemini.
- Bondi Sands only appears in Gemini.
- Trader Joe's only appears in Gemini.
- Vacation only appears in Gemini.
- SolRX only appears in Claude and Gemini.
- Sawyer only appears in Claude.
- Shiseido appears in Claude and Gemini (stick format positioning).
- COOLA only appears in ChatGPT.
- Hawaiian Tropic appears in ChatGPT and Perplexity.
- Major brands like Australian Gold, Cetaphil Sun, Aveeno Sun, Olay Sun, and Coola are absent from this run despite real retail presence.
Recurring themes in the answers
Inspect the captured answers
Saved response text is model output. Product and health claims are unverified. Tables and cards may be transcribed as text; source labels can remain. Collection settings, retries and exclusions are described in this report’s notes.
ChatGPT · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old active woman who spends a lot of time outdoors hiking, running, and at the beach on weekends. I'm looking for the best sunscreen. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Pro-Sport SPF 50 best overall non-greasy sport. 2. Blue Lizard Sport Mineral SPF 50 best mineral sensitive skin. 3. Neutrogena Beach Defense SPF 50 best budget beach 80-min water resistant. 4. Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50 best face cosmetically elegant. 5. COOLA SPF 50 spray for reapplication only.
Claude · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old active woman who spends a lot of time outdoors hiking, running, and at the beach on weekends. I'm looking for the best sunscreen. What would you recommend?
Face: EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 dermatologist favorite, La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk SPF 60, Supergoop Unseen SPF 40. Body high-sweat: Blue Lizard Active Mineral SPF 50+, ThinkSport SPF 50 EWG top-rated, CeraVe Hydrating Mineral SPF 50. Convenience reapplication: Supergoop Glowscreen, Shiseido Clear Stick UV Protector. Things people get wrong: "Sport" labels are marketing, sprays underapplied, reef-friendly matters Hawaii/Florida Keys mineral safer, SPF 100 not better than SPF 50. One bottle versatile pick: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk SPF 60. Sensitive skin/mineral: Blue Lizard Active SPF 50+.
Gemini · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old active woman who spends a lot of time outdoors hiking, running, and at the beach on weekends. I'm looking for the best sunscreen. What would you recommend?
High-Intensity (Running/Hiking): Top Pick SolRX Waterblock SPF 50 gold standard athletes dry formula won't run into eyes. No-Mess: Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 60+ reapplication SynchroShield more effective with water/sweat. Beach (Swimming/Sand): Mineral Pick Blue Lizard Sport Mineral SPF 50+ hybrid mineral powerhouse bottle changes color with UV. Reef-Safe: Badger Adventure Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 cleanest most water-resistant. Face/Aesthetics: Derm Favorite EltaMD UV Sport SPF 50 oil-free won't clog pores wet/dry skin. Tinted: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Tinted Fluid SPF 50 nice glow weekend beach. Pro-Tip: lip balm with SPF 30+.
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