Choosing a Safer Sunscreen
Summer is upon us which means more time soaking up some sun, but hopefully, you have been protecting your skin with SPF all year around.
When it comes to sunscreen it can be overwhelming with the rows upon rows of bottles sitting on store shelves. How is one to choose? Especially when many products contain unsafe ingredients or ineffective protection altogether. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a proposal in February 2019 in the Federal Register for updated sunscreen regulations. And this year, the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy group, released its 15th Annual Guide to Sunscreens.
The EWG has found that roughly two-thirds of the sunscreens available in the United States don’t provide adequate protection or contain ingredients that the FDA has not yet established as safe and effective. Europe, however, regulates sunscreens like beauty products, and where 27 active sunscreen ingredients are approved by the government, in the United States, the FDA currently only allows the use of 16 active ingredients. But 12 of them, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, were recently determined by the FDA to need further testing before being considered safe. That leaves you, the consumer to read through labels and determine the safest choice for you, and your family.
We have done the leg work for you and put together an amazing lineup of SPF products to protect your skin without the worry of harmful chemicals.
All of our SPF products offer active zinc oxide. Zinc oxide is a naturally occurring UV absorber, it offers broad-spectrum protection, as it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. With non-nano particles, zinc is safe for humans and the environment.
Good news for those with sensitive or reactive skin, mineral sunscreens are generally well-tolerated by sensitive skin because their ingredients aren’t absorbed into the skin itself. Instead, the physical filters in mineral sunscreens sit on the surface of the skin and act as a screen that deflects UV radiation. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, can cause photo-allergic contact dermatitis because their ingredients penetrate the epidermis.
Mineral SPF also starts protecting your skin immediately after application. Mineral sunscreens protect the skin by physically screening the sun’s rays, which means they’re effective as soon as they’re applied. Reapplication is made easy, as we also offer a mineral powder formula for application on the go!
And don't forget to protect your lips!
Moisturizer with SPF: Blissoma Photonic, Kari Gran Essential SPF, or Suntegrity
Tinted Moisturizer with SPF: 5 in 1 Suntegrity
Tinted SPF with medium coverage: Impeccable Skin, or Sun Shield
Translucent powder SPF: Mineral Compact Power
Sport SPF: Mineral Water Resistant SPF
Body Sunscreen: Suntegrity Unscented Body Sunscreen
Safe for kids: MyChelle Sun Shield, or Suntegrity Sport Sunscreen
