Safer Sunscreen
☀️ Summer is here and we’re outside more and using sunscreen more and on more of our bodies. But how do you know your sunscreen is safe? Does the label say dermatologist recommended? Did you find it at Whole Foods? Unfortunately those alone aren’t enough.
The Environmental Working Group recommends a mineral sunscreen that provides a physical barrier between you and the sun. But sometimes those even have junk in them.
Mineral vs. Chemical Sunscreens
Mineral: a physical barrier between your skin and the sun - it sits atop your skin.
Chemical: a sun filter that absorbs the UV energy and releases it back as energy.
According to the Environmental Working Group, "High SPF sunscreen not only overpromise protection but, according to the Food and Drug Administration they may also over expose consumers to UVA rays and raise the risk of cancer." High SPF sunscreens also block UVB rays (aka burn rays) but do block UVA rays as effectively. UVA rays are the rays that can cause sun damage when exposed for too long for your skin type and regular level of exposure. "The FDA has long contended that SPF higher than 50 is 'inherently misleading' (FDA, 2007). Australian authorities cap SPF values at 30, European and Japanese regulators at 50, and Canada allows a maximum of 50+." according to the Environmental Working Group.
Have you tried this sunscreen from Neutrogena? Or this one from Aveeno?
Nueutrogena
NO THANK YOU:
AVOBENZONE – chemical sunscreen; not reef safe; concerns of damage to the DNA with exposure to UVA light
OCTOCRYLENE – chemical sunscreen; not reef safe
PEG-100 STEARATE – known to be contaminated with carcinogens
DISODIUM EDTA – linked to organ toxicity
FRAGRANCE – a blanket term for many ingredients that do not have to be disclosed because it is proprietary
Aveeno
NO THANK YOU:
AVOBENZONE, OCTOCRYLENE, FRAGRANCE, PEG-100 STEARATE, and DISODIUM EDTA for the same reasons listed above.
OXYBENZONE – linked to reproductive hormone disruption like degraded sperm quality and endometriosis
Have you tried the baby line from Neutrogena? What about this one from Alba Bontanica? It has to be safe, right?
Nueutrogena
This labeling from Neutrogena is a good example of Green Washing. It uses words like “pure”, “eczema association accepted”, and “#1 dermatologist recommended”. It sounds good and it is certainly better – it is a zinc based sunscreen (mineral sunscreen). This is a recent reformulation. Refer to the center screenshot for what the EWG used to rate this sunscreen as.
Aveeno
NO THANK YOU:
AVOBENZONE – chemical sunscreen; not reef safe; concerns of damage to the DNA with exposure to UVA light
OCTOCRYLENE – chemical sunscreen; not reef safe
HOMOSALATE – possible endocrine disruptor; linked to organ toxicity; sunlight breaks down this chemical into toxic byproducts.
CITRUS PEEL OIL – sensitizes the skin to UV rays (which is why I do not recommend citrus essential oils applied topically to skin that will be getting sun exposure).
**All information about ingredients obtained from the EWG’s app Healthy Living.
I hope that learning this doesn’t make you feel fearful. My intention is to empower you with knowledge, because once you know better, you can make the empowered decision do better. Luckily, you too can use the Healthy Living app to find a sunscreen that is safe for you and safe for the planet.
What’s your go-to sunscreen? I’ll go first, here’s mine.