Comments on: Choose Sunscreen Wisely

By: Lisa Johnson

Lisa Johnson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:15:12 +0000

Bridget you rock! thanks so much for contributing to this. Can you recommend any specific brands? Readers wanna know!

Thanks,

Lisa

By: Bridget

Bridget — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:43:20 +0000

I am about to confuse your readers even more than they are already by all the hype out there. Organic isn’t always better…

The EWG, for now, does not rank a product based on whether or not it contains nano-particles. Nano-particles are proving to be potentially harmful to the body and the environment. Despite consumer outrage, the FDA has been slow to respond. And they are present in 1000′s of consumer products with NO labeling or other requirements!

“EWG’s rating of zinc and titanium-based products as among the safest and most effective sunscreens available in the U.S. today should not be interpreted as an endorsement of nano-materials in general. We remain deeply concerned about the overall safety and oversight of nanotechnology as well as impacts to workers and the environment.”

Fair enough, for now.

The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics and Friends Of The Environment are against nano-technology, but they do cite the EWG list a reasonable one to work with. Because there are no labeling requirements in the US, so you really can’t know if the nanos are in what you are purchasing.

I really love the work that EWG does. But…

Are there other alternatives for those wishing to avoid nanoparticles? YES!

According to Friends Of The Environment, “Consumers need to know that manufactured nanoscale zinc and titanium oxides are not necessarily the most effective or safest choice for effective sun protection. They are also not the only option. Besides several different carbon-based active ingredients, consumers can also look for larger-scale, more opaque metal-oxide based sunscreens (e.g. titanium dioxide or zinc oxide which are ‘inorganic’ and do not contain carbon atoms), although without mandatory labeling these may be very hard to find (at least in the U.S.)”

Who woulda guessed that an “INORGANIC” product would be the best choice?

By: Lisa Johnson

Lisa Johnson — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:26:16 +0000

Lauren, thanks for the suggestions, I used to use the California baby but then the local store I went to stop carring it and I’ve been using the LaRoche-Pussay (sp?) that they carry at CVS. It’s got one of the European ingredients that’s better but isn’t widely available in the US yet.
The article I read said the US is only allowing 3 of the “safer” ingredients now and Europe has access to 7.

Thanks for the tip on the shampoo!

By: lala

lala — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:30:44 +0000

I bought California baby after hearing about the oxybenzone in Sunscreen. Its a physical sunscreen with zinc oxide.
Its expensive as all California Baby products are, but I like that it rubs in without looking to streaking. You like a little whiter, but consistently so. I think target usually sells it, but I had to get mine through their website.

Also, a good shampoo to try is Trader Joe’s Spa Shampoo. No laurel sulfates, etc. No PABA.