Sunscreen Review (Part 2): Putting 4 EWG Recommended Sunscreens To The Test!

Congratulations!  You did your homework, looked at the Environmental Working Group’s 2009 Sunscreen Guide, and found a great list of sunscreens that protect you from the sun’s harmful rays (UVA & UVB), and is non-toxic for your body. (See what you should avoid in our PART 1 discussion).

Now here comes the tricky part.  Out of the long list, which one should you get?  To help you out with your decision, I’ve decided to do my own “review” of 4 recommended sunscreens.


The Experiment:

By no means a scientific endeavor, I decided to do a simple side-by-side application comparison of the four sunscreens on my arm.  Please note that this comparison did not include any analysis on the UVA and UVB blocking abilities of the sunscreens, since the only tool set in my arsenal would be to see if I got burned or not (which would certainly vary from person to person anyways).

I’m no expert in what constitutes the perfect sunscreen, but here are some characteristics that I would look for (besides being non-toxic and giving good sun protection):

1. Easy to apply
2. Does not leave me looking too white or ghost like
3. Does not make everything I touch greasy
4. Minimal odor
   

Up for review (EWG score in brackets)

• (0) Heiko Kids 40 SPF
• (0) Badger Sunscreen, SPF 30
• (1) Devita International Daily Solar Protective Moisturizer 30
• (1) Mexitan Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50
  

The Findings:

The Verdict:

All in all, I found that the Devita scored the highest in all categories.  It did not leave any white residue, was easy to apply, and would probably be the best to use on the face if you wanted to avoid any whitening whatsoever. 

The Badger would come second in my mind, as it was easier to apply than the Heiko and Mexitan, and didn’t leave my skin looking as dry.  Mexitan would take a close 3rd place, and Heiko would be the last pick.

For all the sunscreens except for the Devita, I would say that the amount of lotion you use is key to how well you’re able to blend it into the skin.  Its best to start with a little bit of lotion, and add more when you need it.  These sunscreens are thicker than the conventional lotions, and do not absorb into the skin (they’re not supposed to) so you have to adjust your spreading strategy accordingly.

In the end, I would use the Devita International Solar Moisturizer for the face, and Badger Sunscreen for the body.

If you’re in Toronto, all of the sunscreens tested above can be purchased at The Big Carrot.  They by far have the biggest selection.

Note: 
Why did the Heiko, Badger, and Mexitan sunscreens leave a whiteness to my skin, but not the Devita?

The active ingredients in the Heiko, Badger, and Mexitan are either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which are natural metals that block UVA and UVB rays very effectively.  Since they do not absorb into the skin, they stay on the surface, leaving that distinct whitening effect.  Sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as active ingredients but do not leave a white residue (like the Devita we tested above) nanoparticles (ie. nano-zinc oxide or nano-titanium dioxide), which have been open to some controversy over their safety.  In the end, the EWG ruled that from all the available studies, the nano-particles of these active metal ingredients were not absorbed in healthy skin, and are much safer to use than sunscreens that don’t use nano-particles but instead use cancer causing ingredients.  The choice is up to you on how much precaution you would like to use.