July Q&A - Safe Sunscreens?
I’m excited to kick of my monthly Q&A with a great question about the safety of sunscreens. In my comings and goings I’m often asked a lot of questions about what to eat, what to buy, or what not to buy. Instead of being able to only answer the one person who asked it, I’m turning those questions, and new ones that you submit, into monthly Q&A. If there’s something on your mind that you’re not sure of, ask me! Since I’m posting first names only, you have no reason to hold back, even from those potentially embarrassing questions, so ask away.
My favorite question that I received from my June newsletter came from Stacey who asked:
“Which sunscreen is the safest for me and my kids? I just don’t trust what the packages say anymore!”
Stacy is right to be suspicious, as most sunscreens don’t actually do what they say on their packages. The Environmental Working Group has been studying sunscreen ingredients and label claims for a few years now and has found that most sunscreens on the market don’t actually do what they say, have misleading packages, and contain potentially toxic ingredients that have not been properly assessed. After careful analysis of over 500 beach and sport sunscreens the EWG was only able to safely recommend a small percentage of them.
While many of the top rated sunscreens are pricier than the standard drugstore options like Hawaiian Tropics, Coppertone, and Neutrogena, you can rest assured that they are free from harmful nano-particles, hormone disruptors, or petroleum based ingredients.
So which sunscreen is the safest for Stacey and her kids? Holding the top three spots on EWG’s list of the best sunscreens are Badger Sunscreens.
This is the sunscreen that I use at home, and while it does leave a very faint white cast on the skin, it smells nice, rubs in easily, and doesn’t feel waxy or sticky at all. I’m fair haired and fair skinned and I burn very very easily, so sunscreen is something that I take seriously. I’ve been outdoors more this summer than in summers past, and haven’t burned once yet (aside from the time I didn’t apply any sunscreen!).
I would tell Stacey, and anyone else using sunscreen out there, to splurge on a product that not only does what it says, but does it safetly. Other top rated sunscreens come from companies like California Baby, Soleo Organics, and Blue Lizard. Check the Environmental Working Group’s sunscreen database to check out how high or low your sunscreens rate!
Tags: chemicals, Q&A, summer, sunscreen
