WASHINGTON -- A new study from the Environmental Working Group reports too many sunscreens on the market contain harmful ingredients, don't offer UVA and UVB protection and actually lose effectiveness too quickly when they are in the sun.

Of the 950 sunscreens tested, 85 percent with an SPF of 15 or higher didn't meet the Environmental Working Group's criteria.

One big issue was whether products offered broad spectrum protection, meaning they protect skin from not only the sun's UVB rays, which burn the skin, but also UVA, which have been linked to cancer, as well as skin damage and aging.

"You want to look for zinc and titanium in your sunblock," said Jane Houlihan of the Environmental Working Group. "They offer good broad spectrum protection. You want to stay away from products that contain oxybenzone. That's a sunscreen product that soaks into your skin and can pose health risks."

Houlihan said popular sunscreen ingredients oxybenzone, fragrance and parabens, act like hormones in the body if they are absorbed in skin.

Related: Watch The Report

She said children are especially at risk because their skin can be thinner and can absorb more of the chemical. Houlihan said they can also be more sensitive to the harmful effects of the chemical.

News4 contacted the three biggest sunscreen manufacturers: Coppertone, Neutrogena and Banana Boat. All three told News4 their products have been thoroughly tested and are effective.

Read Statement from Coppertone
Read Statement from Neutrogena
Read Statement from Banana Boat
Read Statement from American Academy of Dermatology

But Jeff Hamond and his wife, Mauri Ziff, said they're going to be more careful.

"I would want to know which ones are effective and which ones are safe. It just seems too random," said Ziff. "I don't want to just pick any one off the shelf anymore."

The Environmental Working Group did stress the importance of wearing sunscreen.

Even if people only have one of the lower rated blocks, they're better off using one of those, rather than none at all.

More Information: Environmental Working Group Cosmetic Safety Database