Late summer is often the time of year when the sun can sneak up on us and cause end-of-the season sunburns and skin damage. Sunscreen is still a must in September – but which one? Not all sunscreens are created equal. Or safe. To help determine what’s most important in a sunscreen (and what should be avoided) here are some tips.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently analyzed the safety and effectiveness of over 700 name-brand sunscreens. What they found was that 84 percent of the sunscreen products with an SPF rating of 15 or higher offer inadequate protection from the sun’s harmful rays, or contain ingredients with safety concerns. Ironically, according to their in-depth research, “some popular sunscreen chemicals break down when exposed to sunlight and must be formulated with stabilizing chemicals. Others penetrate the skin and present significant health concerns.”
While the best defenses against getting too much harmful UV radiation are protective clothes, shade and timing, sunscreen is essential too. With the results of their scientific analysis, the EWG created a guide to sunscreen and a new database that ranks products and highlights the safest and most effective sunscreens. (On the site, you can also search for the ratings of your own sunscreen and learn great sun safety tips too.)
Here are the EWG’s quick tips:
Red flag ingredients to avoid include vitamin A and oxybenzone. According the the EWG, oxybenzone is a chemical synthetic estrogen that penetrates the skin and contaminates the body, whereas vitamin A (or retinyl palmitate) – found in 41 percent of sunscreens – can lead to the earlier development of skin tumors and lesions. Instead, look for active ingredients that protect the skin from UVA radiation and stay put without penetrating into the body (such as zinc, titanium, or avobenzone).
Also, stay away from sprays and powders that may cloud the air with sunscreen particles unsafe to breathe, and, stick to an SPF between 15-50+. Finally, remember that no matter what kind of sunscreen you use, you should reapply often. Any product will wash off with swimming and sweating and rub off on clothes and towels!
Visit www.ewg.org/sunscreen to learn more, and come into the store to purchase some of the EWG’s highest rated sunscreen brands including Badger, Alba Botanicals, and Desert Essence.
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment.