Sunscreen is an important and necessary product that we use on a regular basis here in Arizona. Many sunscreens now contain potentially hazardous chemicals which have been added to bump up the SPF count. There are many ingredients and brands to avoid, but there are also many companies that make a safe and effective sunscreen.
Ingredients to avoid:
Synthetic Vitamin A or Retinyl Palmitate: shown to accelerate sun damage by forming free radicals that damage DNA.
Oxybenzone, octisalate, avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene, and octinoxate: can trigger allergic reactions, and are potential hormone disruptors that penetrate the skin readily.
Fragrance or Parfum: can represent an undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants such as diethyl phthalate. Fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system.
Ingredients to look for:
Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide: these are minerals that act as a barrier from UVA and UVB rays
I have searched almost every drug store, pharmacy, and grocery store and did not find one sunscreen that did not contain the ingredients listed above. I turned to the Environmental Working Group Website, www.EWG.org to search for sunscreen that was “clean”. The good news is that there are many companies that make “clean” sunscreen. The bad news is that some of the sunscreens either smell bad or don’t absorb well, i.e. leaving a white residue on your skin. I will list the brands that smell good or have no scent and absorb well.
Alba Botanica Very Emollient Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 fragrance free. This absorbs well and has no odor. It is rated a 2 out 10 on the Environmental Working Group’s website, www.cosmeticdatabase.org.
All Terrain
Aquasport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30
TerraSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30
KidSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30
Badger
Sunscreen for Face and Body Unscented SPF 30
Sunscreen for Face/Body SPF 30 Lightly Scented
Sunscreen for Face/Body SPF 15 Lightly Scented
Beyond Coastal
Lip and Face Screen, SPF 30
California Baby
Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion Everyday, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30+, Citronella
Sunblock Stick Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+
Caribbean Solutions
Natural/Biodegradable SolGuard, SPF 25
Sol Kid Kare Natural Sunscreen, SPF 25
Desert Essence
Age Reversal SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen
Episencial
Sunny Sunscreen, SPF 35
Jason Natural Cosmetics
Sunbrellas Mineral Based Sunblock SPF 30+
Sunbrellas: Chemical Free Sunblock, SPF 30+
Earth’s Best: Sunblock Mineral Based, SPF 30+
Kabana Skin Care
Green Screen Organic Sunscreen F/F, SPF 20
Green Screen Organic Sunscreen SPF 22 Skin Tone Tinted
L’uvalla Certified Organic
SPF 20 Sunscreen Face/Body
La Roche-Posay
Anthelios 40 Sunscreen Cream
Little Forest
Sunscreen Lotion For Babies and Kids, SPF 30+
Loving Naturals
Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Miessence
Reflect Outdoor Balm, SPF 15
MyChelle Sun Shield SPF 28. This absorbs nicely and has no odor and is rated a 2 out of 10.
Purple Prairie Botanicals
SunStuff, SPF 30
Sun Stick, SPF 30
SunStuff, SPF 15
Soleo Organics
All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Soleo Organics/Wyland Organics All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Soleo Organics/Atlantis Resort All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Trukid
Sunny Days Face and Body Stick, SPF30+
UV Natural
Baby Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Sport, SPF 30+
Sunscreen, SPF 30+
