There are lots of good options out there when it comes to safe(r) sunscreen, but they vary in some specific ways.
Here's what I look for when shopping for a safer sunscreen:
1) Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide as the active ingredient.
- These are minerals and block the sun using a physical barrier on the skin. They offer excellent UVA protection and do not disrupt or mimic our own hormones.
- Some brands that still claim to be natural use chemical sunscreens, which are suspicious when it comes to safety. Examples of chemical sunscreens are: Oxybenzone, Octinoxate and Homosalate. All of these have evidence of being hormone disruptors and have been found in mothers' milk.*
2) Safe inactive ingredients.
- What's supporting the active ingredients matter to me as much as the safety of the active ingredient, which is why I choose a sunscreen that does not have contain any
- parabens (preservatives that are suspicious of being hormone disruptors)
- fragrance (a lot of things can fall into this category are not regulated for safety)
- nano ingredients (these are teeny tiny ingredients that may bond to us on a molecular level.)
3) A Reasonable Price
- You and I both know that products that have the words "organic" and/or "natural" can garner some excruciatingly high price tag. You do get what you (often) pay for, but I admit that I want the safe ingredients without breaking my budget.
So which do I choose when it comes to our sun protection?
This:
Here's what I love about it:
- It has an EWG rating of "1" (the lower the number, the better!)
- It uses Zinc Oxide as the active ingredient.
- It applies easily and rubs in well.
- It's pleasant smelling (read: friendly on kids' noses!)
- It's free of yucky ingredients like parabens, phthalates, PABA and 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde.
Want to hear more? Check out my video review:
Grab your safe sunscreen here.
