Sunscreen Review (Part 1): What You Should Avoid And Why

You often hear this warning on the news: “Protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun, be sure to apply sunscreen 30 minutes before exposure”.  On the surface, that may sound like good advice, but have you ever thought about the health impacts the INGREDIENTS may have on your body?

Unfortunately for us consumers, there is a lack of proper regulation on what can be added to the complex concoction we call a ‘sunscreen’.  Depending on the product that you buy, ingredients used in the lotion can be linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and allergic reactions.  Another misleading component to sunscreens is that, contrary to their claim, many do not sufficiently block ALL the rays of the sun.  Low SPF ratings (25 and under) simply don’t protect your skin enough, and not all products protect against the longer and more harmful UVA rays (which do not burn you but harm none-the-less). 

So what are 3 major ingredients you should avoid when buying your sunscreen?

Oxybenzone (BENZOPHENONE-3)	Used to absorb UVB and short-wave UVA rays, this organic compound has been linked to increased chances of skin cancer (malignant melanoma) and endocrine disruption (interference with the hormonal system)
Fragrances	Fragrances often contain compounds such as Phthalates, Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs), or Nitro- and polycylic- musks. These compounds have been linked to endocrine disruption, structural abnormalities in the reproductive systems, and cancer.
Methylparaben	A “food-grade” preservative used in many cosmetics, Methylparaben is known to bioaccumulate in the body, and is linked to increased chances of cancer and hormone disruption

So how do you choose a sunscreen that is both effective against the sun’s rays as well as safe and non-toxic for your body?  In comes the 2009 EWG Sunscreen Guide on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database.  This guide lists 1691 different sunscreens, and scores each one of them according to their effectiveness vs. possible toxicity.  Each product is scored from 1 to 10, where 0-2 is recommended, 3-6 is caution, and 7-10 is avoid.

To see how your sunscreen rates, visit the cosmetic database and enter the product name in the “find safe sunscreen” widget.  Some well known sunscreens in the “avoid” catagory include:

(7) Coppertone Sport Sunblock Lotion, SPF 30
(7) Banana Boat Sport Performance UltraMist Continuous Clear Spray Sunscreen, SPF 15
(7) Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas: Complete Block Spray, SPF 26
(7) Huggies Little Swimmers Sunscreen, Moisturizing Blue Melon Splash

That concludes our review of what NOT to get.  Be sure to come back to see Part 2 of our Sunscreen Review:  4 EWG Recommended Sunscreens In Action