Is there a safe sunscreen out there? Many sunscreens use chemical sun blockers like oxybenzone.
What’s so bad about Oxybenzone? Oxybenzone soaks through skin, triggers allergic skin reactions, and can be a hormone disruptor.
You can check any brand of sunscreen you are using in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database to see where it ranks. (Note: you want it to be a ONE.) This is most important for kids:
“Children are not little adults. Pound for pound, kids are exposed to more contaminants in air, water, food, and personal care products than adults. Immature organ systems are often less capable of fending off chemical assaults. Subtle damage to developing bodies may lead to disease later in life.” –EWG
I’ve never been a big fan of the sun but living here makes me want to be outdoors all the time…and Boo too:
Last summer I looked up the sunscreens I was using on Boo every day. I learned they were ranked in the 4s. Not good. And they are ones that are marketed for kids! I also felt sick when I used most of them, a few times even breaking out in a rash.
So what sunscreen do I use now? Beauty Counter’s Protect All Over. It ranks a 1 on EWG’s scale. It uses non-nano zinc oxide, which is an effective, natural, and safe mineral sun blocker.
Disclaimer: I am a Senior Consultant for Beauty Counter. I love their products and my entire family uses them. Please email me if you have any questions!
Growing up, I never used sunscreen. I know a few friends who ended up with skin cancer and have had to had it removed. They were faithful sunscreen users and occasional dabbers-put it on when they remembered.
Anymore, there is so much hype that I have chosen not to wear any. I try to do as I did as a kid who lived in the sunshine state-go out when the sun isn’t as intense and be outside when it was comfortable to do so.
I know people will freak when they read this, but it feels smothering when I wear it. I have tried several brands and like you, have read the backs of all products. I think I will take my chance with the sun over all the chemicals they put in them!
There are a lot of clothing lines out there that boast SPF protection and I have a sun hat from Columbia that rates at 30 SPF. Frankly, I’m more worried about baking chemicals on my skin than getting the UV’s from the sun.
When I was a kid about 40 years ago, we would go to Italy every summer holiday. My mum covered all of us in olive oil and we never had sun burns until we started using sunscreen when I was in my teens.
I know this probably sounds horrible, but all of the Italian families did this and they recommended it to us and it actually worked.
Ashley, I’m always on the search for low- or no-man made chemicals. However with a family of five X reapplying every two hours X days in the sun X oz per person, how does a regular person pay for this? It’s $32 a tube for a little over 4 oz on their site. I wish companies would sell the good stuff for cheaper!
I feel that way about everything these days. But what I’m finding is that anything that is cheap has usually skimped on safe ingredients and filled with synthetic chemicals. It’s sad and scary that the safe alternatives of food and product are more expensive. We buy fewer products but safer ones these days and it feels like it evens out. One tube of sunscreen lasted us the whole summer last year, for a family of three so I felt like it went pretty far.
Thanks for the post. Always looking for good chemical free products. Are they going to make Deodorant? Or do you know of a good one? You hear such bad things about them but never been able to find one that was better for you that worked and did not cause a rash. Thanks.
I have yet to find one that I really like. Mostly I just use an essential oil spritzer of lemongrass and filtered water that a friend sells at the farmer’s market. I use Tom’s when I am desperate and I don’t like the Young Living deodorants. I haven’t tried either Schmidt’s or Primal Pit Paste yet…but might soon. 🙂
Thanks for the suggestions. I will give the Lemongrass a shot. Thanks again. Ps. Really enjoying your Chicken Show. So funny.
Is that Beauty Counter sunscreen very effective? I have seen a family use a “natural” alternative sunscreen before and it didn’t work as a protective barrier at all. The youngest (and fairest complexioned) child got burned severely. Here in South Florida, being closer to the sun, it really doesn’t take long for sun exposure to result in a bad burn. But, I cannot risk it with my fair-skinned children. We use sunscreen liberally. I would like to find a natural product that is JUST AS effective in preventing sunburn. Your family seems to tan, rather than burn.
Hi Kathy! Yes. That is why is it pricey. It’s the safest products but it also performs unlike many others on the market. It uses a non-nano zinc oxide, a safe mineral sun blocker that also provides water resistance up to 40 minutes. Beauty Counter has actually kept the price lower than it should be priced because they won’t skimp on safety and they realize they can’t sell sunscreen for $50. I actually have very fair skin unlike my husband and daughter. It scores very well with the EWG’s criteria for effective sun protection.