Your skin is your largest organ.
It covers and protects everything on your body. How you treat it is incredibly important to your health. However, the skin is one of the most unappreciated organs, and one that I used to totally take for granted, slathering products full of toxic chemicals on it day after day. When I look back at all the different potions I’ve tried, I shake my head in disbelief and wish I would have known better. Not only would I not have developed eczema all over my body and face, but I would have looked a million times better growing up.
One of those products that has always caused me issues – is sunscreen. Every time after a beach vacation or going to the pool, I’d end up with a rash on my face or body. I wondered if I’d eaten something that I was allergic to. Little did I know at the time – the culprit was sunscreen.
The unknown long-term consequences of the chemicals in sunscreen are just starting to be revealed and the results are shockingly horrific, going beyond the common skin rash. Here in the United States, the FDA does not regulate cosmetics as rigorously as pharmaceuticals or food – allowing cosmetic companies to get away with using all types of chemical ingredients that are not used and in some cases banned in other countries. Sounds familiar – eh?
Sunscreen is supposed to protect us from harmful UV radiation from the sun, but as more people use sunscreen, the incidence of skin cancer continues to rise. This fact alone has to make you think – do sunscreens really provide skin cancer protection? Or could the chemicals in them actually be contributing to causing skin cancer?
It gets complicated trying to answer those questions. Some studies have shown that sunscreens do in fact protect us from some types of less threatening forms of skin cancers, but others have found that sunscreens have actually contributed to the risk of some of the worst forms of skin cancers.
So what do you do?
I certainly don’t want to look like a wrinkly old hag when I’m older from laying out in the sun too long without protection – but I also don’t want to increase my cancer risk by using products that could be harmful. Anti-aging is important to me and that’s why I live the way I do – not only do I want to look my best when I’m older, I want to feel my best too.
Below are my favorite sunscreen brands that are rated between 0-2 for their entire line of sun care products and are the safest available. I’ve included the links on where to find these brands online if you can’t find them in stores near you – but most natural food stores and vitamin shops will have one of these options available.
- Raw Elements – The first organic, non-GMO certified sunscreen. (Try the tinted stick for your face – it’s awesome!) I’ve partnered with them to give you discount – Get 20% off with code FOODBABE – don’t forget to put the code in at checkout
- Thinkbaby/Thinksport – This is one of the safest brands out there that is great for athletes or anyone who spends a lot of time in the sun. It absorbs easily and stays put. They also have formulas especially for children and babies – including a really easy to use stick that I used for myself recently! I’ve partnered with them to give you a discount – Get 20% off with code FOODBABE – don’t forget to put the code in at checkout
- John Masters Organics – SPF 30, only one option available
- Seventh Generation – SPF 30, only one option available
- Aubrey Organics – SPF 26-45 available, unscented available
- Sunology – Kids, Face and Body Protection – one of my favorites, because it glides in easily
- Badger – Certified organic, several different SPFs and option for kids, babies and active people, unscented available
- California Baby (Target carries this brand) – Formulated for sensitive skin, SPF 18-30
*Note – Alba and Kiss My Face are two other brands that are safer than most conventional brands. However, you must only choose their mineral based products – for example Alba’s Mineral SPF 30 Unscented and Kiss My Face’s Mineral Lotion SPF 40 are great choices – but other versions in the same brand category may not be as safe.
There are over 1800 products on the market to choose from, making it incredibly confusing and difficult to pick the best and safest brand. Here’s what you need to watch out for:
- Oxybenzone – this is a hormone disrupting chemical which penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream. It is the most popular ingredient in chemical based sunscreens and only blocks UVB ray (sun’s good rays that provide vitamin D production), not UVA which are the most free radical damaging rays. Avoid any sunscreen that has this chemical at all costs, especially for children.
- Vitamin A (Retinyl Palmitate) – A 2009 study by U.S. government scientists released by the National Toxicology Program found when this is applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, it may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions.
- Fragrance – Sure it may make the product smell nice, but this is a petroleum based product that is linked to organ toxicity and allergies.
- High SPF – The FDA does not regulate SPF higher than 50 and there’s no scientific proof they work better than lower SPF. Many of the higher SPFs do not provide any additional protection and studies have suggested that users are exposed to as many or more ultraviolet rays as those who use lower-SPF products.
- Sprays or Powders – Generally speaking, sprays and powders have additional chemicals added to them for performance purposes. These additional chemicals are usually not something you want to be spraying on your body and can be toxic to the lungs. Besides, remember sunscreen is formulated for your skin, not your lungs. Many of the side effects of sprays and powders on the lungs are not tested before being approved.
- Popular Conventional Brands – Aveeno, Banana Boat, Coppertone Sport, Coppertone Water Babies, Bull Frog, Neutragena, Storebrands (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens), Hawaiian Tropic and many other popular brands are rated the worst in terms of safety in the Environmental Working Group’s Sunscreen Guide. You can use this guide to find out how good or bad the brand you have or want to buy is rated.
How To Choose A Safe Sunscreen:
- Look for titanium dioxide and zinc oxide based mineral sunscreens, which do not penetrate the skin and provide UVA protection against the sun’s most damaging rays.
- Choose non-nano products that do not have small particles that can absorb into skin
- Choose sunscreens that are unscented or use essential oils as fragrance
- Pick lotion based sunscreens with water resistance
- Pick broad spectrum sunscreens that protect against UVA and UVB rays
- Choose sunscreen products that are rated 0-2 in the Environmental Working Group’s Sunscreen Guide.
When it comes to being in the sun, I’m lucky. I tan, don’t burn and don’t completely freak out if I forgot my sunblock – however, because of my olive complexion I have to stay in the sun longer in order to get sufficient Vitamin D. (The lighter your skin color, the faster your absorption of Vitamin D). I wear sunblock at the pool, at the beach and when I’m outdoors for extended periods, but I’ve decided not to wear it everyday.
Using as little as 15 SPF blocks your body’s ability to convert the sun’s rays to Vitamin D by 99%. If you want to increase your chances of avoiding diseases linked to deficiencies in Vitamin D (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and depression) – you must get sunshine! The sun’s rays are pure wonderful energy your body needs.
Before I go – I want to mention this important fact. The biggest immediate benefit of getting sun a few times a week is the reduction of cravings. When Vitamin D levels are low, the hormone that controls appetite stops working. You eat and eat and eat, and never feel full when this happens. The sun contributes significantly to the daily production of Vitamin D, and as little as 10 minutes of exposure a few times a week is enough to help prevent deficiencies. Vitamin D also helps boost serotonin levels, your happy hormone, warding off depression which naturally reduces cravings. For me, this is reason enough to let the sun shine in!
If you know someone that might still be buying sunscreen with shady ingredients, please share this post with them, you could have a serious impact on their livelihood!
Thank you for spreading the word to the ones you love.
Food Babe
P.S. These sunscreen deals below are available for Food Babe readers for a limited time only!
Raw Elements Website – The first organic, non-GMO certified sunscreen –Get 20% off with code FOODBABE – don’t forget to put the code in at checkout.
Thinkbaby/Thinksport Website – Great for athletes, children and babies – Get 20% off with code FOODBABE – don’t forget to put the code in at checkout
I was doing a lot of reading on natural sunscreens, and in addition to coconut oil which some mentioned above, there are many other oils that have a naturally high SPF (i.e., red raspberry seed, carrot seed and wheatgerm). Coconut oil has a SPF of about 2-8. See http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/carrier_oils_and_spf I was not able to find how long the SPF lasts or how often reapplication is required or the effects of diluting some of these oils with other oils and would love some more info on this. I stick to a mixture of jojoba oil (which I love for my skin) and red raspberry seed oil in winter months, and go with Kiss My Face sunscreen in the summer (but am still looking for better options).
Dr. Mercola has a great natural sunscreen.
Thanks for the timely information. I had this on my list of things to look into before purchasing. I also read an article this weekend about “popcorn ceilings”…yuck. It’s filled with allergens (dust mites) and maybe even asbestos.
Hello Food Babe (Vani),
I have read your article a number of time and wanted to touch base and tell you about KINeSYS performance sunscreen. We make safe & effective products that are oil, alcohol, paba, preservative and paraben free.
I love my family (wife & 3 kids) and live a healthy (organic) sustainable lifestyle.
I know in this chemical laden world, we need to find options but I’m also a realist, understanding that medical science has helped us live longer lives.
KINeSYS has been tested, used and evaluated by Dermatologists, Pediatricians, Elite Athletes and Families since 1994. KINeSYS is also the MOST sustainably produced sunscreen on the planet and is carbon neutral.
It is unfortunate that the FDA dragged their feet on changing the Sunscreen monograph, as we jumped on the FDA 1999 “proposed” monograph (difference being that SPF 30 was the max, now it was increased to SPF 50 in 2012). It has annoyed me to no end, that other sunscreen companies were able to mislead the consumer, SPF 60, 70, 80, 100, as we’ve maintained an SPF 30, so what happened is that the EWG has become the authority on sunscreen? I am a supporter and fan of their mission/mandate but sunscreen is a very different than pesticides in our food system. The information on each product and it’s ingredients is on the EWG site, but it doesn’t factor any risk/reward, The sun? chemicals? minerals (chemicals)?. The EWG also DOES not test, they rely on the manufacturers labels.
Titanium Dioxide & Zinc Oxide can be considered natural (for those who want to believe), in the sense they are mined from the earth, but crude Ti & Zn ores have to be purified via chemical & physical processes (micronized or nano-sized) into pure mineral that are used in sunscreens. There is no amount of hammering you can do to make the minerals small enough to put into a cream.
Please note information on Zinc Oxide http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_oxide. More info from a Zinc manufacturer: http://www.zincchemicals.umicore.com/SustainableDevelopment/SDclassification/SDclassification_home.html
Titanium Dioxide is another potential fear that was brought up to us about 10 years ago from one of our scientific advisory board memebers.
At KINeSYS, we make a 25% pure Zinc oxide ointment, with Soybean, Coconut Oil, Sunflower, even cruelty free Beeswax, using Rosemary and Peppermint as preservatives & no parabens but we market it as was it is: a 100% mineral block, (not organic or natural) as for “chemical free”, there is simply no such thing once you understand that Zinc & Titanium need to be processed using chemicals.
If you go to our site, kinesys.com, you will see a video of the VP Jane Houlihan of the EWG stating the best products on CBS morning show and the only one she mentioned by name was KINeSYS (our kids spray, same as our fragrance free). http://www.kinesys.com/index.php?v=cbs-kinesys
KINeSYS Kids was a 1 on their site, they gave our Mango fragrance a-2, as you mentioned, they don’t like any fragrance, in 2007 & 2008, then in 2009, it was changed it to a 2-4, then 2010 a 3-5, our formula hasn’t really change (we added topical anti-oxidant Vitamin E to scavenge free radicals in 2008 as it’s a great topical antioxidant).
I think one of the biggest problems we are now facing is that “natural”? sunscreen manufacturers are now not disclosing inactive ingredients on their labels, so they can get better results on the EWG site.
As a manufacturer of sunscreen for over 18 years, using Titanium, Zinc, and all the chemicals, I can say without fear of contradiction, no one really knows? which is the best? and which one of the three options, could potentially harm you the most? Sun, Chemical, Mineral. From all the research I’ve done, articles, abstracts, studies, competitors literature (over 18 years), I believe the best sunscreen is one that you will use, feels great on your skin, is easy to apply and works!
If you are interested in the “Abstract” on Oxybenzone, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11333184. This protocol that is referred to by M. Schlump in 2001 is based on five mice feed whopping doses of oxybenzone showed the estrogenic mimics in mice (we are a not mice). It was calculated that would take a human 200+ years to be exposed to this much Oxybenzone.
I can also send the Critical Review from two PHd’s from Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute if you are interested.
KINeSYS has been environmentally aware since inception in 1994, using recyclable bottles, sprayers and producing product using sustainable energy, making KINeSYS carbon neutral. It was right in 1994 and it’s right today, especially now that people are becoming more earth conscious.
Bottom line, I believe all our products are safe & effective and I know that it comes down to choice and risk/reward; The sun, which we know can damage the skin and cause unpleasant sunburns, the chemicals in sunscreen, which are not proven to be as harmful as the sun or minerals, which are micronized or nano-sized via chemical process and there isn’t enough information available on their long term effects (as they’ve only been around for under 20 years).
I hope you find some of this information useful and would be happy to share our product with you.
Regards,
Jeff
I’ve used Kinesis!! the blue spray that I’ve found at Costco – it’s the only one that doesn’t make my kids skin breakout and it’s soooo easy to apply!!
I also found that product years ago at Costco because I had seen it on the EWG list but then Costco stopped carrying it (like they do with several other of my favorite items!). I’m not sure which stores carry it but I haven’t seen it since. I see it’s in a lot of sports stores but many aren’t near me. Wish it was in the big box stores.
Yes!!! Loved your article, and love your sunscreen!! I also purchase it from Costco.
Yes thank you for this info, I have to be VERY careful as I am fair skinned and it only takes minutes for me to get burned and I have been badly burned in my lifetime so I am high risk for skin cancer. I don’t wear sunscreen all over most days, except on the face, unless I know I will be in direct sun for prolonged periods of time and even then I try to find a shady spot!
I am looking for the best sunscreen in a spray…any suggestions? Thank you!
Aubrey has a spray bottle that is one of the safest – good luck!
Wonderful article! Since you mention the fact that more SPF does not equate to better protection, what SPF do you use on your children? I’ve always used a lower SPF myself (15 for me, but I don’t burn and have olive skin) and a higher one for my kids (at least 30 but often 45) – is this thinking incorrect?
To add to your list of favorite sunscreens, check out 100% natural Lemongrass Spa Sunscreen in a Sport Stick – unscented, Tinted Vanilla or Natural Vanilla! You will love them! Lemongrass Spa Products specializes in bringing fun and natural products to families across the country!
I think maybe someone should read the full report on Vitamin A from 2009. See this page: http://www.paulaschoice.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary/definition/retinyl-palmitate
Read to the bottom to see quotes from the report. If you want to study further, click the links at the bottom for more research and information on Vitamin A. You may still come to the same conclusions, but it seems to me that the studies are inconclusive and do not cover all the variables that we actually find in sunscreen or how it is used in our facial regimens.
Hi Vani,
I currently am using Paula’s Choice. It is a weightless finish sunscreen spray for face and body with SPF 30. What do you think of this product?
Thank you!
I also love Paula’s weightless spray sunscreen and recently finished my bottle. When I tried to order it again from the website, I found out it’s been discontinued. A really nice customer service rep got back to me and said that they recommend the unscented KINeSYS spray sunscreen, which she said is a very similar formula. I’m still waiting for it to arrive from amazon, but it sounds really good from the reviews. And I think it’s only a 3 on the ewg website?
I’ve read that Pure Shea Butter offers some natural protection (of about 5). I love it for moisturizing and fading scars too.
I’m still trying to find safe sunscreen that does NOT make me look super pasty and goes on easily! So far, no luck… Any ideas? I don’t want to look like a corpse at the beach, but do want to be safe.
Try Lemongrass Spa Sport sticks…comes in tinted, unscented or natural vanilla, plus they have a lotion as well. All natural and nonsticky!! No dangerous, toxic ingredients…
http://www.ourlemongrassspa.com/shop/productdetail.aspx?prod=L3343
Best part..only $9.00 for the sticks.
Here I am hoping that people will protect the kids with sun screen. I Know that the labeling had been forced to change. How dumb can I be?
Well, thanks for the email. I wanted you to know I shared your link with a brief review. You wrote it best.
When you put the big X over the Water Babies, you gave me pause. That is what my family uses, so I looked it up. You can’t dismiss the whole brand though. The “Pure & Simple” version of it, which is the only one my Target has sold for a couple years, gets a TWO, which is great! It isn’t perfect, but it is inexpensive and widely available, which means more people will use it (and use it liberally!) and products like it if they are promoted along with the expensive, hard-to-find brands. I’m all for encouraging mainstream brands to improve, and as a melanoma survivor I’m happy to have access to affordable, widely available, good sunscreens.
hello; I use No-ad sunblock that are ususally for sale in either walgreen,s or rite -aid drug stores ; they seem pretty good as they have very few chemicals; if you find out different; please let me know; thank you Darrryl Warner.
It never ceases to amaze me how readily people will entirely disregard years of actual scientific research for the ramblings of a self-proclaimed expert on the internet.
This article is not just laughably nonfactual and illogical, it is harmfully misleading. Yes, UVB radiation stimulates vitamin D production, but too much of it is what causes sunburn and skin cancer. Calling it the “good” sun rays will make people think they can get all they want with no ill effect.
UVA does not cause sunburn, but it can cause skin cancer. Because it doesn’t cause burning, sunscreens are not rated for or intended to protect from it. People who wear sunscreen spend more time in the sun than they would otherwise and thus get more UVA radiation, potentially putting them at more risk for skin cancer.
This article has some good tips, like don’t breath sunscreen, but if you need a health expert to tell you this you probably have bigger problems.
The funniest premise of this article for me is the concept that your skin just sucks up chemicals and dumps them in your blood. If that’s true, your skin is a worthless organ and you should just wear a zentai suit whenever you go outside. Do you think you breathe through your skin, too?
SPF is a logarithmic measure, not linear, which is the reason SPF 50 is not much better than SPF 15. SPF 15 blocks well over 90% of UVB so there’s not much room for improvement.
Despite the ridiculous claims and fallacious logic in this article, I would agree that zinc oxide is the best sunscreen to use because it is the most protective against both UVB and UVA radiation.
Our skin IS porous. So, yes, what you put on it, does get absorbed.
Sun IS good for us. And she specifically says that we shouldn’t get too much…a few times a week. Some experts say more…it depends on how pale your natural color is, and how close to the equator you live. We do need some natural, unobstructed sun. It’s the best way to get vit d. If it was so dangerous, why did God (or whatever) create it?
I think you’re being way harsh.
Actually skin is water and air tight. Its main function is to keep things out of our body. If it just absorbed everything it touched and dumped it in our blood stream it would be entirely useless. Skin has pores in it, which is not the same as being porous.
UVB radiation is necessary to synthesize vitamin D in most animals and therefore some exposure is necessary. The thing I took issue with was her description of UVB as “good” radiation and UVA as “bad” radiation. Both are equally capable of giving you skin cancer (albeit through different actions).
Your creationist argument is illogical from its foundation, but to suggest that because something is naturally occurring it must be OK for you is even more silly. Lead, arsenic, cyanide, and many other chemicals that are lethal in small quantities are found throughout our planet. Grizzly bears are naturally occurring as well but I won’t be lining up to get any exposure to one. If you were radiated with “natural unobstructed sun” light, you would die very quickly. Without the ozone layer to absorb most of the radiation from the sun, there would be no life outside of the depths of the ocean.
Natural vs. artificial makes no difference to your body. Molecules are molecules. Biochemistry is not based on magic, it’s based on physical laws. Sure there are references to scientific facts in this article, but they are twisted, misinterpreted, and misrepresented to conform to a preconcepted viewpoint. I was undoubtedly blunt in my comment, but our society needs to move away from hocus-pocus intuition-and-superstition-based approaches to healthcare and the only way that’s going to happen is if people start calling out nonsense when they see it (well, that and better science education).
NONSENSE! {there, I called it out}
Cute.
If we don’t absorb things through our skin, how does the birth control patch prevent pregnancy and nicotine patches help smokers quit? Serious question.
That is a good point. Some chemicals are able to penetrate skin if they possess certain qualities such as the right levels of both aqueous and lipid solubility and low molecular weight (to get through skin they have to squeeze between the lipid and protein cells). The reason transdermal patches (like nicotine and birth control) are used is because even when chemicals are able to penetrate the skin, their rate is extremely limited and thus can be provided at a constant level over a long period of time.
So yes, skin is not everything-proof. But it is also not a sponge looking to soak up everything it touches into our blood. Oxybenzone, the particular molecule the author described, has been studied at length in relation to sunscreen safety and has been shown to not penetrate human skin at anywhere close to toxic levels.
Yes, you have many facts (obviously a scientist). Thank you for pointing out that my “creationist view” is illogical and silly – much appreciated! Someone suggested to “Adele” above that the way she responded was not helpful, because she was “snotty” or “patronizing”, (I didn’t think so), and that it would be more helpful if she presented her comment in a different way – people would be more responsive. If you really want to educate and “call out nonsense”…perhaps a softer tone would better serve you.
I get my information about sun exposure from extremely reliable sources, such as mercola.com. Check it out some time…lots of great info, extremely well researched.
Well said! I do think it’s an uphill battle though. It would be great if everyone who read this blog went to reputable site for their information instead, i.e. http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/sunscreens-safe-and-effective
Thank you!!!!! Your timing is perfect. I never wore sunblock at all as a child – I’m lucky that I tan easily! However, I have so much sun damage on my arms, legs, chest and face that I am a freak about my daughter always having sunblock on. (Plus we live in AZ now!) I was just thinking that I’d better check your blog to figure out what is safe for her to use. I see a trip to Target in my future today. Thanks again!
Just wanted to let everyone know that Badger products are on sale at Whole Foods until the 28th of May!
I live in San Diego and my favorite sunscreens are Eco Logical Skin Care and the All Terrain pump spray products (Aqua Sport, Kids, etc), both which have only Zinc Oxide 22% and 18% respectively as the active ingredients and are broad spectrum, very water resistant and SPF 30. I use the Eco for the Face and the All Terrain for the body because it’s easy to apply. They are both Oxybenzone and Paraben-Free and Cruelty Free.
I LOVE the Ava Anderson sunscreen products! The SPF Moisturizer is wonderful, and even the regular 30 SPF is great for face when I’m out in the yard or on the beach, and makes my skin feel SO good! Ava’s SPF Lip Balm rocks, too. Not only is Ava is dedicated to making the safest products possible, she also walks the talk, meeting with legislators in support of the Safe Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Act. I wish all non-toxic companies took the time to do this!
Beth –
We are like-minded for sure 🙂 Non-nanoparticle zinc oxide UVA/UVB protection, stain-free and it actually rubs in. The safest, and the best, hands down!
Great ideas! I have actually started making Sunblock myself and selling it on my website/Etsy shop! I have been using for the last 5 years without sunburn! I also use it on my child, who is now 3 years old, without any sunburn and she has extremely fair skin like me! A lot of my customers have reported great results with it on vacation in Florida and California on themselves and their children!
These are great options if you were to buy them at the regular store, but don’t you think that promoting Small businesses such as those found on Etsy would serve the people better than helping to propagate LARGE business’? This would be a better move in the supporting of local/small business! I would love for you to try my Sunblock made from my Organic Calendula Lotion infused with Titanium Dioxide & Zinc! http://www.honeybeeholistics.etsy.com
Keep up the good work! Love the useful information!
Wow! Thank you for ding all the research on the sunscreens, Vani. My dermatologist has me using Solbar on my face and neck. I assumed that the sunscreen from Trader Joe’s are sufficient for the rest of me, especially my arms that get a lot of sun when I am driving. I will be returning the sunscreens to Trader’s and going to Target Or Earth fare to get the Seventh Generation sunscreen. Like a lot of fair skinned people who used to apply baby oil to tan (OMG, I can’t believe we did that!) have had some precancerous areas removed on my arms and face. You are helping so many of us who get lost trying how to figure it ALL out.
Do you know anything about bug repellent? I think the Burt’s Bee’s is safe but now I don’t know. I do now I will not use anything with DEET.
Thank you so much,
Kim Hyde
You need to really check the ingredients – notsomuch the label and the marketing. Even products that you can purchase as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s etc. can contain toxic chemicals.
Re: Bug Repellant – you want something that is deet-free. I don’t use anything except for Ava Anderson’s natural bug spray, it’s deet-free and 10x more effective than deet for repelling mosquitoes, ticks, flies and other pests. It’s based on a catnip recipe – so it won’t repel cats 😉
Also, did you know that Burt’s Bees has been owned by Clorox since 2007? Shocking, right? It’s ALL marketing unfortunately. Along with the sale for Clorox went safety and quality ingredients, unfortunately.
Your “Post to Facebook” link/feature at the top of every article I’ve read from you is semi-broken. When you click on the “Like” button, you can only see a quarter (or less) of the post box. Making it very difficult to post. You can’t see the “post to facebook” button until you scroll using the text you type. Anyway, great article – thanks for that – and hope you can see for yourself and fix that issue.
Thanks Tony – we are working on fixing it.
I would like to facebook this to inform my family/friends, but it seems the option isn’t there?
How safe are is the Juice Beauty brand overall? They have a body moisturizer with spf 30 I was considering. Do you know?
I am responding to Jackson’s comment above about our skin sucking up chemicals and dumping them in our blood. I am a nurse and I have helped patients apply transdermal patches many times as a route of medication administration. These patches contain all sorts of “chemicals” intended to be absorbed by the skin at a certain rate and dosage. Indeed, our skin does “suck up” applied products! Thanks for your research and article. As for product ingredients, be it topical or ingested, less is more!
That’s exactly what I was thinking when I read his comment. 😉
My niece sells a line of skincare products from ‘lemongrass spa’. Have you ever heard of it? They do away with all the harmful chemicals and use safe ingredients. You can look them up on the internet- they are wonderful and best of all,safe!
How about La Roche Posay sunscreens?
Great article. It’s good to know someone besides me is so concerned about sunscreen. Another great one is SunnyScreen made by Episencials http://episencial.com/expert-advice/sunscreen/your-sunscreen-routine/ .
Have you heard of EWG – Environmental Working Group? They have a website called Skin Deep where you can check on all cosmetics and they have a special section on sunscreen. You can look up any sunscreen and they rate it. http://www.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/.
Keep up the great work.
I just wanted to point out that Aubrey organics and seventh generation are also listed on Leaping bunnies anti cruelty list, which I think is also important. Safe for us and for the animals!
Love your site!! I just bought sunscreen rated #1 on EWG “RAW ELEMENTS” very water resistant beyond 80 minutes, THESE ARE THE INGREDIENTS: Zinc Oxide 23%
Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Green Tea, Organic Black Tea, Organic Hemp Seed Oil, Organic Cocoa Butter, All Natural Mango Butter, Organic Beeswax, All Natural Rosemary Oil Extract, All Natural Vitamin E.
All Ingredients Marked Organic Are USDA Certified Organic.
what do you think???
http://www.rawelementsusa.com/
What about Absolutely Natural products? I looked for them on the EWG and they were not listed. This brand was reccommended by a friend of mine.
http://www.absolutely-natural.com/
Question…. yesterday I saw something about Not eating the whole egg. Was that You??? Can find it again, because , not sure where I found it. Please help .
Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen
We have used this for 2 years now. We love it here in sunny Las Vegas.
BabyGanics seems to have a good product line to include pure mineral sunscreen. I am falling in love with their products.
This kind of thing makes me question everything Babyganics puts out there…
http://www.ewg.org/release/cleaning-products-marketed-safe-babies-contain-known-human-carcinogen
Is Mary Kay Cosmetics sunscreen safe?
I enjoyed the article however I can attest that low levels of vitamin D does not always cause cravings or for people to eat and eat. I have a “non-existant” vit D level currently and I have no hunger pangs at all. I don’t really eat because of lack of hunger pangs. I usually eat one meal a day that I am reminded to eat :o( I am now taking a vit D supplement in large doses. I recently did a bit of reading and reseach on vit D and you are the first to mention a non-stop hunger and lack of feeling filled up….where are you getting that info from? As I said I know first hand that it can not ALWAYS be the case.
What if you DON’T wanna tan? Which of the recommended brands is the most effective in blocking out as broad a spectrum as possible?
Hi Vani. Thanks for this article and for all you do! I appreciate your comment on the Alba products. I just bought some thinking it was a safe alternative- I will pick up some Badger next time- thanks!!
This was very timely as I came to the beach yesterday. Went to Whole Foods before leaving. They carry Badger, which I bought, plus Alba and Kiss My Face.
I wish you’d mentioned Thinkbaby sunscreen. The EWG rates it a 1 and it’s really awesome stuff, though hard to find (I buy on line). Well priced and works amazing on my very pale, platinum haired son.
Melaleuca has a safe sunscreen Sun Shades Mineral 30+.
Thanks for the info. I am really trying to avoid using sunscreens at all but I do need them from time to time (I’m a red head). What about Green Beaver? I have bought this product and my kids reacted to it. Are the ingredients similar to the ones you recommended?
My daughter is a competitive swimmer in So. Cal with sensitive skin. My allergist recommended a sunscreen with Mexoryl. I found Ombrell 60 Face Stick by L`Oreal. I have to purchase it on the internet because it isn’t sold in the U.S. It does work and it’s safe to use. It does costs a lot more than the average sunblock, but when your skin is exposed to the California sun in a swimming pool for hours on end 6 days a week, it’s well worth it.
For those writing in about not liking the feel of sunscreen, may I suggest a hat. Watching swim meets all year long means parents too have to use sunscreen. I myself don’t like to feel on my skin so I wear a UPF hat with a good brim. http://www.wallaroohats.com/t-Upf%2050.aspx
Seriously? Are you all going stop vaccinating your kids too because a celebrity told you it causes autism? There is no evidence to support any of these claims. A good rule of thumb: If you learn about it on the internet then it’s probably not true.
Honestly this is jumping the gun a bit. There are too many “may or mights” used when speaking on points against chemicals currently used in sunscreens and not enough empirical data. Even the point that the number of cancer diagnoses continue to rise is sketchy. Is it adjusted for population increase, depleted ozone and other environmental conditions? Does it account for better documentation practices used by the medical community and centralization of information? Personally I want to see concrete data that these products do more harm than good, otherwise you are playing on people’s fears to read a monetized blog. Cheers.
Loved the post on sunscreens! Also curious – any thoughts on remedies to keep bugs – mostly mosquitoes – off kids? My son is a mosquito magnet in the summer, but I’m not crazy about spraying him with DEET.
Thanks!
Try All Terrain Herbal Armor bug spray!
Go to diynatural.com They have a recipe for natural homemade sunscreen. They have lots of
recipes for natural cleaners etc… I use the homemade laundry soap and dishsoap among other things So cheap! and they work! They have me hooked
I’ve done tons of research on this with price in mind. Here are my findings below. My new favorite after trying all of these is Babyganics!!!
Okay so i did a bit of sunscreen research using skin deep database comparing ratings and prices/availability at vitacost.com (because I buy most of our stuff there.) It took me an hour or so, figured I should share and make the time worthwhile! We have used Jason Mineral SPF 30 for years and while it works amazingly well it is a huge pain to put on the kids because it is thick. It gets the same rating as Alba (below) and is about 2.25/oz on Vitacost so I’m glad there are a couple cheaper options here to try. Hoping they work just as well and are easy to apply. Waterproof is a big deal to us so I kept that in mind when researching options.
Here are the finalists, I might try all three since I know we’ll use it up. Tell me if you have tried any of these!
They all scored a two so I compared the ratings listed under that (five things –see explanation at the bottom)
Babyganics SPF50 6oz size
best price at 1.80/oz
says waterproof
rating: excellent, good, moderate, excellent, moderate
Alba very emollient natural kids SPF 30, 4oz size
next best price at 1.87/oz
says water resistant (a bit vague there)
rating: good, good, good, excellent, moderate
All Terrain aqua sport 30, 6oz size
2.38/oz
water resistant 80 minutes
rating: good, good, good, exellent, low (*the only one with a low rating under “health concerns”)
**SPRAY** the best rating a spray can get on Skin Deep is a 3 and the only one of those available right now on Vitacost is All Terrain spray spf30. Skin deep hates sprays bc you can inhale things you shouldn’t inhale but this is a pump and you can be careful and spray it into your hand.
All Terrain AquaSport SPF30, 3oz size
bad deal at 3.23 but high on convenience although it’s not as easy as aerosol spray anyway
good water resistance
rating: good, excellent, good, excellent, low (has a note about dangers of spray)
STICK:
for quick face/nose application: lots of these on Skin Deep get a 1 rating so no reason really to go for the bad ones.
Available on vitacost with a 1 rating is all terrain kid sport stick spf 28
Skin Deep RATINGS IN ORDER:
UVB protection (spf) prevents burn
UVA protection prevents cancer
UVA/UVB balance (should do both prevent burn and cancer)
Sunscreen stability (how often you will need to reapply)
Health Concerns
SKIN DEEP DATABASE LINK (look up tons of stuff here)
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Dr mercola also has a good one 🙂
I just want to reiterate what several posters have mentioned, that the only true way to stay chemical free is to wear long sleeved swimwear (Lands end, coolibar sell them).
My dermatologist told me “sunscreen gives people a false sense of security, wearing sun protection swimwear is best.”
And taking a vitamin D supplement is better than the sun because you would have to spend a lot of time in the sun to get what you get from a supplement, without the sun damage.
Vitamin D supplements don’t work well. I took 2000IU at the advice of my doctor last year and my blood Vitamin D levels actually dropped even lower this year when I was tested. The problem is that the body doesn’t absorb Vitamin D supplements well. You are better off if you can get enough sun. Also, you have to be in the sun mid-day (the rule of thumb is the length of your shadow must be shorter than your height) for your skin to manufacture Vitamin D properly. So just go out for 10 minutes mid-day and get some sun!
I would definitely agree on the Vitamin D. I have to take 10,000 IU in the winter just to keep my levels up. In the summer I have no problems with my body absorbing it and I don’t spend tons of time in the sun. Of course I also know of people whose bodies have the opposite problem – they don’t absorb it from the sun so they need the supplement. I’m fair skinned and I only use sunscreen if I’m on the beach or in Florida where I know I will burn easily. Everything in moderation. 🙂