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.

Read more »

Defeat The Skeete

Having a 'Skeeter Syndrome', also known as a mosquito allergy, has resulted in me avoiding the wilderness and loving it from afar. Unlike your typical itchy red bumps, my mosquito bites would swell, blister then bruise. The swelling would cover most of my arms and legs, making it difficult to move my joints and muscles.

So it was a brave decision I made six months ago, when my friends decided to book a camping ground at Sandbanks National Park for a summer weekend. I said YES to go camping for the first time in the last 13 years. In order to survive the weekend, I knew I needed a good insect repellent.

PART 1: THE SEARCH

What is DEET?
The majority of bug repellents contain DEET(also known as diethyl-meta toluamide), a dangerous toluene chemical, which is also used in rubber and plastic cements and paint removers. When a repellent is sprayed, DEET is absorbed through our skin and passes into the blood, which can not only lead to headaches and skin irritations but also to brain swelling in children, anaphylactic shock and low blood pressure.

Read more »