How To Get A Refund From The Johnson & Johnson Sunscreen Recall

On Wednesday, July 14, Johnson & Johnson issued a voluntary recall of some of its Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreen products after trace amounts of benzene (a carcinogen) were found during internal testing. Johnson & Johnson is asking consumers to stop using all five of the recalled product lines and discard them while the company investigates the issue. If you purchased one of the affected products, Johnson & Johnson’s sunscreen recall refund process makes it easy to get your money back.

Johnson & Johnson said in its July 14 recall notice that it is “out of an abundance of caution” the company is recalling five aerosol sunscreen products that were found to have low levels of benzene, which is not an ingredient in the sunscreens and can be absorbed through the skin, inhalation, or orally, per the notice. The company also said in the recall that its testing revealed daily exposure to the benzene amounts in the recalled products “would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences.”

Elite Daily reached out to Johnson & Johnson for further comment on the recall, and in an emailed statement to Elite Daily, the company said, “The health and safety of the people who use our products is our top priority. Our voluntary decision to remove all lots of these specific aerosol sunscreen product lines from the market is being made out of an abundance of caution.”

The affected aerosol sunscreens in the recall are no longer being sold in the United States, according to the company’s recall notice, but if you purchased any of the following five Neutrogena or Aveeno spray sunscreen products in your possession, Johnson & Johnson asks that you dispose of them:

• Neutrogena Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen
• Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport aerosol sunscreen
• Neutrogena Invisible Daily defense aerosol sunscreen
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer aerosol sunscreen
• Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen

To get a refund, you have two options. You can either call 1-800-458-1673 and follow the steps there or fill out a form to get your money back. If you decide to fill out the form, you’ll need to state your country of residence then enter the name of the product, the Universal Product Code (the numbers under the barcode on the back on the product), the size of the product, as well as how many of them you purchased. In addition, if you’re looking for a refund for four or more units, you’ll need a picture of your receipt or a photo of all the affected items as a proof of purchase.

To fill out the form, you’ll need to select “Concern or Complaint” under the drop-down menu that reads “What Can We Help You With?” Next, fill out the form with your personal information and the required information about the recalled products you purchased, then tap “Send.” You’ll get a thank you message letting you know your submission was received, and a Johnson & Johnson representative will be in contact with you shortly to help you get a refund.

Johnson & Johnson’s recall instructs consumers to contact their physician with any problems related to the use of the recalled aerosol sunscreen products, and adverse reactions can be reported to FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online or at 1-800-332-1088. Elite Daily reached out in an email for comment on whether Johnson & Johnson has information about how the benzene got into the recalled products and if there is reason to believe benzene is in any other Johnson & Johnson products, but the company did not provide an answer at the time of publication.

In the meantime, keep an eye on what’s in your beach bag toss your sunscreen if it’s in the recall.