Updated June 2020 to incorporate new research and new regulations.
Sunscreen is no longer a summertime thing. Since I first wrote this, I’ve had my first brush with skin cancer. That round was quickly remedied, but it sharpened my focus on the role sunscreen will play in my life – both on a daily basis and on more intense sun-filled summer fun days – and ushered in the life-long relationship I’ll be having with my dermatologist.
Picking out a sunscreen is harder than it sounds. Standing in the sunscreen aisle – yes, it’s a whole aisle – hopes for a simple grab & go quickly fade. We ask so much of sunscreen. We want it to be an impenetrable barrier for all UV rays – while also being invisible, good-smelling, easy to apply, reef-safe, and easy to wash off. Amidst myriad unpronounceable ingredients, the labels are full of promising multi-tasking: bug-repelling, anti-aging, nourishing. It’s not a simple choice.
One thing that has helped is that after decades of sunscreen silence, the FDA has been taking a slightly more active role in monitoring sunscreen. They issued statements in 2012 and 2017 regarding the need for broad spectrum coverage and the removal of false assurance of “suntan” and “sunblock.” (The former is not a good thing, and the latter is impossible.) However, even by 2019, they declined to decide one way or the other on the safety of 12 of the 16 most common sunscreen active ingredients, include the very common oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homoslate, and avobenzone. (Those may sound like a mouthful but look for them – they’re everywhere.) The only common ingredients given the G.R.A.S.E. – generally regarded as safe and effective – status are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Much is still left up to consumers to learn and decide for themselves.
What I Choose
Personally, I look for mineral based sunscreens (zinc oxide & titanium dioxide), SPF between 35-50, with few total ingredients, no retinyl palmitate, no parabens, no fragrance. Did I mention it takes me about three hours to buy sunscreen each year? I have to set aside an evening on my calendar.
To help you navigate the options, I have tried to summarize reliable information about sunscreen for a quick(er) read. For a whole lot more info, click on the links throughout. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of ingredients, let’s make a few things clear.
The Sun Shines Every Day
Even if it’s raining, the sun is shining, even if only above the clouds. This miracle that makes life possible is powerful. You’re in the sun when you walk to your car, watch your kid play soccer, get the mail, go out for lunch, or run errands. Thus stems the need to wear sunscreen every day.
You Can’t Depend on Sunscreen Alone
The best sun protection involves a multi-faceted approach, including timing, clothing, shade, and sunscreen. Sunscreen should be the last resort, not the first.
- Timing: Avoid the midday sun – between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.
- Clothing: Wear a hat, long sleeves and pants, or cover-up when possible in the sun. For the most sun protection, opt for fabrics with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 30 or higher. In lieu of that, choose loose-fitting, dark or brightly colored clothing in a densely woven fabric. Fortunately, as the need for UV protective clothing has emerged, so has the supply of styles and colors.
- Shade: Use an umbrella at the beach or poolside, or a shade tree at the park.
- Sunscreen: Choose a sunscreen with broad spectrum coverage and minimal side effects. More info below.
Wearing Any Sunscreen is Better than Not Wearing Sunscreen
Whatever gets you to wear sunscreen is a huge plus to outweigh possible risks. The negative effects of sun exposure without sunscreen are undisputed.
There is No Perfect Sunscreen
I cannot give you a specific sunscreen to buy because it is all a risk/benefit analysis between SPF, active and inactive ingredients, application ease, and cost. There’s a lot left to personal preference.
The good news is that with the increased scrutiny of sunscreen, and with increased consumer awareness of ingredient hazards, there are more good sunscreens on the market than ever before. These can even be found in mass market stores.
Read Ingredients Every Time You Buy
This frustrates me every year! Thus, my annual three-hour bout in the sunscreen selection ring. Many sunscreen manufacturers change formulations from year to year. Even within the same line, ingredients can be completely different from one product to another. Kids SPF 50 Sport and Kids SPF 50 Waterproof may not have any active ingredients in common. Read all ingredients for every bottle, each time you stock up. I wish I could make it easier.
Common Sunscreen Active Ingredients Ranked Best to Worst, According to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database and The Skin Cancer Foundation:
| Ingredients | EWG Ratings | FDA Safety & Efficacy Statement | UV Rays Blocked | Notes |
| Avobenzone | 2 | Undetermined | UVA – very effective | Breaks down easily in sunshine leading to allergic reactions, no hormone disruption, some penetrations |
| Mexoryl SX | 2 | Undetermined | UVA | Low skin penetration, no hormone disruption, low allergy risk |
| Titanium dioxide | 1-6 (higher risk from inhalation of powders /sprays) | G.R.A.S.E. (generally regarded as safe & effective) | UVA; some UVB | Low skin penetration, but harmful if inhaled |
| Zinc oxide | 1-4 (higher risk from inhalation of powders /sprays) | G.R.A.S.E. | UVA & UVB | Low skin penetration, but may contain nanoparticles, can be whitish & hard to rub in |
| Ensulizole | 2-3 | Undetermined | UVB | Uncommon ingredient, low risk of hormone disruption or allergies |
| Octisalate | 3 | Undetermined | UVB | Generally safe, but is a penetration enhancer |
| Octocrylene | 3 | Undetermined | UVB | Produces oxygen radicals in UV light |
| Sulisobenzone | 3 | Undetermined | UVB; some UVA | Penetration enhancer |
| Homosalate | 4 | Undetermined | UVB | Weak hormone disruptor, forms toxic metabolites, can enhance penetration of a toxic herbicide |
| Octinoxate | 5 | Undetermined | UVB | Some skin allergy, hormone-like activity, skin penetration, harmful to reefs |
| Padimate O | 6 | Undetermined | UVB | PABA derivative, releases free radicals, damages DNA, estrogenic activity, & potential allergen |
| Aminobenzoic acid (PABA) | 7 | Not safe | UVB | Strong link to allergic dermatitis & photosensitivity, carcinogenic potential |
| Oxybenzone | 8 | Undetermined | UVB; some UVA | Hormone disruptor, linked with photoallergic reactions, high skin penetration, harmful to aquatic life & reefs |
Other Sunscreen Factors to Question:
SPF over 60 – Studies have not shown increased efficacy in SPFs marked over 60, which can give a false sense of security and be a marketing gimmick.
Retinyl Palmitate (vitamin A) – An inactive ingredient often touted as giving anti-aging benefits to a product, but in the presence of sunlight encourages tumor growth. Look for it toward the bottom of ingredient lists, and avoid it.
Spray & Powder Sunscreens – These pose an inhalation risk. They give convenience but trade the risk of ingredients being absorbed through the lungs that aren’t easily absorbed through the skin.
“Organic” Sunscreen – None of the active sunscreen ingredients can be organic – they’re either mineral or synthetic chemical. Perhaps some of the inactive ingredients are organic, but make sure it’s not a gimmick. There’s little oversight of organic claims in personal care.
“Waterproof,” “Sweatproof,” “Towelproof” – These terms are proving to be false. All sunscreens are diminished by swimming, sweating, or toweling off. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied after swimming, sweating, and/or every 2 hours.
“Chemical-free” – I haven’t a clue what this term means. Perhaps it means “toxic chemical-free” or that the active ingredients are minerals (zinc and titanium). Still read the ingredient list to find out.
“Natural” – “Natural” on a label always means “nothing.” Ignore it.
“Reef Safe” – Meant to indicate ingredients don’t harm delicate coral reefs, but there is no agreed-upon definition. Because this term isn’t strictly regulated, sunscreen manufacturers aren’t required to test and demonstrate that such products won’t harm aquatic life. Mineral sunscreens pose less risk than chemical.
Additional Tips:
Don’t ask too much of your sunscreen beyond blocking the sun, whether it’s anti-aging, self-tanning, wrinkle smoothing, bug repelling, make-up foundation… It’s better to have one product that does each thing well (blocking the sun), rather than doing two or more things less-than-well.
Apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before sun exposure. Use 1 oz. of sunscreen at each application for the whole body. One ounce is two tablespoons, half a shot-glass, enough to fill an adult’s hand. It might be the whole tube of travel-sized sunscreen. Yes, that’s a lot. This is how it is intended to be applied, and any promise of protection is for this amount of application. It’s a bother, but think long term here.
Keep an eye on expiration dates if you tend to hang on to sunscreen for a long time. They do lose efficacy over time.
Additional Resources & More Reading
Sunscreen Glossary:
- Active Ingredients – The ingredients that are screening the sun’s rays. These are listed separately from inactive ingredients.
- Broad Spectrum – Indicates the sunscreen blocks both UVA and UVB rays.
- Chemical Sunscreen – Refers to sunscreens where the active ingredients are not minerals but synthetic chemicals.
- Hormone Disrupter – A chemical that mimics or interferes with the body’s regulation of hormones.
- Mineral Sunscreen – Refers to sunscreens where the active ingredients are minerals (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) that provide a physical barrier against the UV rays.
- Nanoparticles – Particles smaller than 100 nanometers (nm); concern on the harmfulness of nanoparticles absorbing through the skin is mixed.
- Penetration enhancer – Something that helps other chemicals penetrate the skin.
- Radicals or Free-radicals – Atoms, molecules, or ions that have unpaired (i.e. free) electrons. They are highly chemically reactive and can cause DNA damage.
- SPF (Sun Protection Factor) – A measure based on the time it takes for UV-exposed skin to redden. For example, if you sunburn after 20 minutes, an SPF 15 sunscreen may protect your skin 15 times longer (if used properly). SPF only measures UVB, not UVA.
- Sunblock – A term recently banned by the FDA because it gives a false sense of security. No product will completely block the sun’s rays.
- UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) – A term for clothing to indicate how much UV radiation (both UVB and UVA) a fabric allows to reach your skin.
- UVA – The sun’s rays which cause photo-aging, wrinkling, immune suppression and skin cancer.
- UVB – The sun’s rays which cause sunburn and skin cancer.
Helpful Resource for Sunscreen Information and Selection:
- Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) Guide to Sunscreens 2020
- Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ Ingredients of Concern
- Skin Cancer Foundation website
- My article, 10 Labeling Traps to Recognize in Body Care
If you’re looking for a safe way to sunbathe and get a good tan, there isn’t one. Find another dream. Healthy skin color comes from eating right, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and laughing.
Such a great resource, thank you Lisa! I love having all this info in one place. I am a very picky shopper and it often takes me a while to buy skin care because I am researching while I’m at the store. I will save this link in my phone notes for quick reference.
Do you have any recommendations to protect the skin from chlorine? I’ve read that applying coconut oil before getting in the pool acts as a skin barrier. Any tips to wash it off? Would the castile soap do the job? I’ve had people say I smell like chlorine even after I showered.
Hi Cristina – I’m sorry that I missed your comment and question earlier. I have a couple thoughts about preventing/eliminating the chlorine smell from our skin after swimming:
– In general keep you skin well moisturized so that it is not so absorptive when it hits the pool water.
– Shower before swimming so that the skin can absorb non-chlorinated (or not as chlorinated) of water first.
– The idea behind the coconut oil is to put a barrier on the skin so that the chlorinated water doesn’t soak in. I think Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Organic Magic Balm would do an even better job.
– Rinse off thoroughly in a poolside shower immediately after swimming. Keep in mind that hair is also extremely good at holding on to scents, so be sure to rinse that, too.
– As soon as you can, shower with Dr. Bronner’s Castile.
I’ve read a whole lot of other ideas – scrubbing with baking soda, rinsing with apple cider vinegar, spraying with vitamin C – but I don’t know the chemistry behind those recommendations, and since some of those are opposite of each other pH-wise, they can’t all be valid. HOpefully some of my ideas will work for you!
Thank you for this article. I too have had so many spots of concern removed that I’ve lost count. So many bloggers are saying how bad sunscreen is for you but with having little ones I can’t avoid the sun completely. And the fear of skin cancer is crippling at times. I love my derm but I hate when things have to be cut out and then that week of waiting for the results is awful. I’ve settled with getting everyone rash guards and hats. I picked a lesser of the evils for sunscreen without spending an entire paycheck and just hope for the best.
Hi Melissa- I’ve been in your shoes, waiting for those results to come back. It’s an anxious time. I’m glad you found the article helpful.
I have never really liked the sun, NEVER tried to get a tan, and this year with coronavirus on the loose, I am staying inside more than ever. My maximum sun exposure is usually my morning walk, right after I get up, and that’s usually around 7 am. My walks are usually about thirty minutes long; any later in the day and it gets too hot.
I DO always wear a floppy-brim hat as well as sunglasses, to shield my eyes from any possible glare. (I really don’t like going out in the sun; I’m more of a night person!)
Since I’m usually out the door on my walk within fifteen minutes of arising, there’s no way to do the thirty-minutes-before-exposure part of your advice. But should I use it anyway? As I said, I try to get those walks in EARLY, during the safest part of the day from a sun-exposure viewpoint.
Hi Kate – Applying sunscreen even 15 minutes before going out is beneficial. Early morning walks are a great idea. Sun exposure occurs more than when we are doing specifically an outdoor activity. (As my dermatologist says, “The sun isn’t only at the beach.”) Running errands, chatting with a neighbor, getting to and from work often means we’re in the sun. I wear sunscreen on my face daily to counter this casual exposure.
Thank you for posting this information. I had no idea that manufacturers sometimes change their formulas each year! Within the past 6-8 years, both of my parents had several skin cancers removed from various parts of their body (nose, ears, arms, shoulders, etc). They were very painful surgeries, and could have been prevented if they used sunblock more. I have very sensitive, fair skin, so I take sun protection very seriously.
Many years ago I started having allergic reactions to sunscreens: hives on my skin and swollen painful lips. My doctor at the time couldn’t figure it out. Through some painful trial and error I decided that Oxybenzone was the culprit and have avoided anything containing it, opting instead for zinc-based sunscreens. Never a problem since!
I share this to say that yours is the first article that references oxybenzone has linked to photoallergic reactions. All this time I thought it was just a personal allergy. Thank you for confirming and sharing.
Thank you for reading, Robyn! It’s great to hear you identified the source of your allergic reaction.
Hi Lisa,
Can our liquid, bar, sugar soaps remove sunscreen on face and body?
Any tips you can share on how to effectively remove them?
Thanks so much! Studying your blog every day 🙂
Hi Grace! Great to hear from you. I’m glad my blog has been such a help!
Yes! The castile soaps in particular are fantastic at removing sunscreen, even mineral sunscreen which tends to be stickier. The castile soaps work much, much better than any more conventional soap I’ve tried at removing sunscreen.
As soon as an individual is out of the sun for the day, wash in a warm shower with the castile soap, using a washcloth, loofah, or poof. This will remove sunscreen from the skin. Because sunscreen, and the sun itself, is very harsh on our skin and strips down the skin’s natural moisturizers, I recommend following up with a moisturizer. I often use pure coconut oil after I’ve washed off sunscreen. My skin drinks it in and is very soft afterwards.
Hi Grace- All of our soaps are great at removing sunscreen. That’s where you can really see a difference between our soaps and conventional cleansers!
According to the table, Avobenzone “breaks down,” so does Mexoryl SX. What does that mean? It sounds like a bad thing, like theingredients can easily become ineffective, but you don’t say how or what causes the breakdown, or what the implications of that are. These two ingredients are ranked highest, so please tell me what that means.
Hi Jessie – This means that both avobenzone and mexoryl SX need to be reapplied often, in less than 2 hours.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a more affordable sunscreen? I want to buy something as natural and organic as possible, but I can’t afford to keep spending so much money on these tiny tubes of natural sunscreen. Any brands you all like that you find to be for affordable? Thanks!
I love Dr. Bronner soaps! My holy trail bar soap is their Lavender bar. Simply the best!!
Hi again Lisa,
Via Twitter, I recently found out about a new all-natural sunblock called “3rd Rock” (or if you are Googling it, “3rd Rock Sunblock”). It looks quite interesting. It’s pretty new and so the website(s) etc. are not as fleshed out as Badger’s, etc. Their website(s) make it sound very good though. Thought I’d mention it.
Here are some of the links I’ve found:
http://www.honeycolony.com/simply-transformative/3rd-rock/
http://info.3rdrocksunblock.com/science.html
Thought I’d let you know, since your post was so informative and you seem so committed to all-natural but effective sun protection.
Avoidance of the sun’s rays is absolutely and by far the best protection. I’ve been gathering a lot of information to make my own safe and effective body care products and had really hoped to make a reliable sunscreen. After my research, I will be wearing a hat, proper clothing and using daylight hours much more economically.
What I found is alarming. In a nutshell both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are photosensitive, breaking down into free radicals and damaging skin cells. When using products that contain them, the sun’s rays may not be harming your skin directly but as these SPF additives break down so do the skin cells.
In addition these metals are polluting our water and have been shown is several studies to cause cancer.
An excellent website to learn more about toxins in cosmetics and other products is:
http://www.terressentials.com/exposure.html#TiO2
This is an organization dedicated to exposing toxins in our everyday usage. Here’s a brief excerpt from their that page:
Governments around the world have found sunscreen chemicals in bodies of fresh and salt water AND these chemicals have been found in the bodies of fish that humans and other animals consume. Sunscreen chemicals have even been found in human breast milk. Our own Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and progressive scientists from around the globe have established the estrogenic potential of many of these chemicals. Endocrine disruptors can lead to cancer. Cancers overwhelm and threaten to bankrupt our over-burdened “health” care system. Don’t we have enough crises already?
We recommend the book “Sunscreen Photobiology, Molecular, Cellular and Physiological Aspects” for folks who would like more technical information on the technical aspects of sunscreens. This volume, however, is not the only source supporting the technical info related to the instability of titanium dioxide AND zinc oxide. Here is a statement from a reputable cosmetic industry trade journal:
“Titanium dioxide AND zinc oxide are commonly used in drug and cosmetic products. Contrary to belief, Sayre and co-workers (Cosmetics & Toiletries Oct. 2000, 75) have shown that these physical sunscreens are not photochemically inactive. Although adequate coating can reduce the risk, an increase in the destruction of photoliable skin lipids is not desirable. The photo-peroxidation of unsaturated skin lipids may result in perturbation of the lipid environment of viable cell layers and degrade skin surface lipids. “
Great post, thanks for sharing the ingredients, there are some which are in mine , but never knew exact way of use , i absolutely agree on few of the above comments talking about badger sunblock and balm.
Hi Jaime – You are absolutely right. Covering up is the best defense. I checked out UV Skinz, and they definitely have some cute designs.
All the best,
Lisa
As a mother of 4, sunscreen is always a struggle more mentally and timing and such. Last year I found a company called UV Skinz which was started after the women’s husband died from melanoma. Its outdoor wear and swimwear with UV protection, hats and such. Cute designs especially for little ones. I try to keep my brood from the sun during the mid day hours and then they got out with their UV Skinz swimwear and a large brim hats with UV protection. I am going to look into Badgers and thank you for your entire blog.
Hi Aanel – Thanks for writing! Sunscreen usually gets in our eyes either from sweat lifting the sunscreen off of our forehead and carrying it into our eyes, or from our rubbing our eyes in an effort to clear them of water, and thereby either rubbing the sunscreen from one part of our face to our eyes, or the sunscreen on our hands gets in our eyes.. One trick I think is to be sure to give your sunscreen a good chance to sink in and dry before sweating. This is also recommended so that the SPF has a chance to take effect, as well. Apply the sunscreen with a border around your eyes, and wear large sunglasses. Also, make sure it’s not clumped in your eyebrows – this is often what happens with me. Get the sunscreen off your hands, and when you do wipe your face, take care to avoid smearing into your eyes.
Regarding the sprays, the inhalation risk is what automatically disqualifies them from the Environmental Working Group’s recommendation. Ingredient-wise, there is still as much variance as in the lotions. You’ll just have to read them. I would imagine, to lower the inhalation risk, spray them outside, and not directly on the face. Spray your hands and wipe it on to your face. Hold your breath while spraying, and walk out of the “cloud” before breathing again.
Regarding the darkness of your friend’s skin, this can happen even with the highest SPF coverage, and regular application, and following all the rules. For one thing, sunscreen isn’t perfect, as I mention above. Note that they never use the term “sunblock” anymore, because they don’t block the sun. I have three kids who all tan exceedingly, even if they don’t go in the sun in the middle of the day, wear thorough sunscreen, and do everything else right. That’s just the way their skin works, and if they spend any time in the sun at all, they will tan. I also have friends who couldn’t tan if their life depended on it. Their skin just doesn’t do that.
Regarding astaxanthin, I encourage you to do thorough research about that. I’ve seen a lot of mixed reports.
All the best,
Lisa
Oh, Lisa, I see you already answered my question in the data — that over 50 SPF is not proven effective; thanks, I won’t use higher than that.
I do still have questions about:
(1) How to keep sunscreen from getting into one’s eyes?
(2) Using sprays: whether there are any reasons beyond inhalation risk (avoidable via not breathing I would think) not to use it? It seems like the spray wasn’t totally effective for my friend who got quite dark — perhaps it’s not a sufficient or uniform coating/shield. Also, they seem a bit more “chemically”(?). Also, they probably don’t use the non-toxics like zinc & titanium.
(3) A question for Roxy: Are you saying you only make sunscreen for your baby? Or do you make it for yourself, too? If the latter, could you give your exact recipe? I’m having trouble finding sunscreen without green tea (I do not want to put tea or coffee of any kind in or on my body) so I might look into making my own.
(4) Bill: Thank you for mentioning that. Does the astaxanthin also protect from wrinkling, aging, and skin cancer? In other words, does it protect from UVA *and* UVB rays?
Great post, Lisa! I have a question (or two):
After a certain degree of SPF, is there any point in going higher? For instance, I had a friend here in Hawaii who said he applied SPF 70 or 80 every 2 hours during an entire day at the pool. I thought that was an excessive SPF even for Hawaii, even for a “haole,” plus his skin wasn’t the maximum fairness — he is a brunette, medium-to-fair skin. It was a spray he was using (Banana Boat he said); he used a spray as it didn’t get into his eyes, plus some other reasons. In any case, he got pretty dark (but not burned) even with all that SPF (maybe because he was using a spray?). My inclination would be to lessen my chemical exposure by using a lower SPF — maybe 45 or less. What do you think? (By the way, the inhalation risk of a spray can obviously be avoided by not breathing while you apply; I’m not sure if there are other reasons to avoid sprays though.)
#2 How DO you avoid getting the suncreen in your eye? It seems to migrate there even if you don’t apply it near the eye area.
As a soccer referee for 18+ years! I have the secret to keeping sunscreen out of your eyes–an older female ref shared it with me early on. Put on your chosen sunscreen, wait the recommended absorption time (usually 20 minutes), then gently pat apply a powder makeup (mineral pressed powder, etc). It soaks up the excess oil which is the part that drips and stings. I usually do my forehead, temples, eyebrows and under eye areas. Works like a charm. Many male referees use this trick as well.
Glad this post has been so helpful!
Hi Dana – Homemade sunscreens can be a good way to go, but you’ll need something more than green tea and coconut oil – both have some UV protection, but not more than SPF 4. Combining them with zinc oxide might make an effective product, but look into it more thoroughly than I have.
All the best,
Lisa
I completely concur that Badger is the best sunscreen out there. It’s the only commericial sunscreen we use. I’ve been thinking of trying a green tea/coconut oil combination as a homemade sunscreen. Have to look up studies on the effectiveness of course. Thanks for the article!
All you have to do is take 4mg or more astaxanthin daily and you will find it gives outstanding protection from burning. It will take a couple of weeks to begin taking effect. I use it myself and I can now mow for 3 or 4 hours in the sun without burning. Before astaxanthin I would have been quite burnt from such exposure. Astaxanthin is an extremely potent natural antioxidant that comes from a type of algae. It has many more benefits but prevention of sunburn is one of the more noticeable ones.
Great, thank you! There is always a way to work with nature! We just have to find it! All of this slathering like omg i can’t have one ray of sun hit my bare skin is keeping folks from getting the vitamin D they need – really critical vitamin for fighting off things like, ahem, respiratory infections!
Wow, this is a really great article! It tells the facts without being at all biased. I’ve heard so many misleading facts about sunscreen lately so this was really spot on for me. Thank you! It’s great to see and make me feel good about supporting the Dr. Bronner’s line of products!
Awesome post Lisa. I’ve been wondering about Bronner Sunscreen (or similar) – Thank you so much for all the wonderful information –
Kirsten
I have so much trouble with so many things in sunscreens….I tend to have very dry skin and I am 68 , so I am begining to see those signs too. So many of the sunscreens feel so heavy and alot of them make my skin itch and tingle. Any suggestions?? I have very fair skin so I know I need really good protection.
Zinc oxide actually blocks the most UVA and UVB rays(and doesn’t cause cancer in the process). I buy what’s called Extra strenth Zincofax(45%)zinc oxide and mix it with coconut oil, for easy blending. It’s baby bum cream, but it’s the best. Oxybenzone and Octocrylene BOTH increase free radicals on the skin(which cause cancer) and they’e activated by UV a.k.a SUNLGIHT. As or the rest, I havent’ researched them as these were the only 2 ingredients in all 5 of my sunscreens(which I immediately threw away).
Hi Cassie – I don’t have any homemade recipes unless you are talking about sewing a cover-up. Generally zinc oxide is regarded as one of the safer sunscreen options. Is your concern about its safety or its appearance?
Thanks, Tom!
All the best,
Lisa
Thanks Lisa- I really appreciate your efforts in this whole blog with everything you do.
Any homemade sunscreens that you suggest?
I’ve found multiple “natural” ones online but they all include Zinc Oxide. Can’t seem to find one that excludes that ingredient.
Great write up, thank you! I agree about the Badger sunblock and their bug balm is super! Those two in addition to my Bronner’s baby mild bar and a tube of Wound Warrior are my go to’s in my adventuring!
Hi Tom – I’ve used the Badger one as well, and it has done well. I have had the opportunity to meet the family that runs Badgers, and they are very “Dr. Bronner’s-y” or perhaps we are “Badger-y”. Anyhow, it’s all good! Their Badger Balm is great.
Dr. Bronner’s is not and will probably never develop a sunscreen because the company has chosen to pursue products that can be certified organic. Sunscreen can’t, as I mentioned above. It is a very necessary skin care product for life in the sun, but it won’t be coming from Bronner’s.
All the best,
Lisa
I use badger’s sunscreen, I like it the best and their company is similar to Dr Bronners. Does Dr Bronners have any sunscreens in the works? They should!