Picking a Safe Sunscreen

The sun may feel amazing—but too much exposure can lead to premature aging, sunburns, and an increased risk of skin cancer. Here's how to protect your skin and enjoy the sunshine safely by picking the right sunscreen!

Using sunscreen can prevent sunburns and skin cancer.

Is Your Sunscreen Safe?

There are 2 types of Sunscreens, chemical and mineral.

-          Chemical sunscreens which soak into the skin as a chemical reaction that absorbs ultraviolet radiation.

-          Mineral Sunscreens which stay on the skin’s surface and create a physical barrier to deflect the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.

Apply sunscreen every 80 minutes to protect from sunburns and skin cancer.

Deeper Dive into Types of Sunscreen:

Chemical sunscreens are designed to soak into the skin as a chemical reaction that absorbs ultraviolet radiation as energy and convert it to heat. There are seven chemical ingredients found in this type of sunscreen:

• avobenzone,

• oxybenzone,

• octocrylene,

• ecamsule,

• homosalate,

• octisalate, and

• octinoxate.

  
  

Testing released in 2019 by the US Food and Drug Administration found these chemical no only absorbed into skin but also absorbed into the blood stream after a single day of use. Further, the concentration of the seven chemicals in the blood increased each day after application and remained above FDA safety levels a week later. Two of the chemicals — homosalate and oxybenzone — were still above safety thresholds 21 days post application.

Only 25% of sunscreen on the market offer safe and effective sun protection per EWG.

Mineral-based sunscreens use zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to create the physical shield protecting skin and are not found in blood streams after consistent use.  Further mineral based sunscreens appear safe for marine ecosystems.

Sunscreen Boosters: solvent butyloctyl salicylate, or BOS are found in some mineral products may contain chemical “boosters” designed to artificially raise the sun protection factor (SPF). Many mineral sunscreens which boost SPF ratings to 70, 80, even 100+ rely on these boosters to achieve that level use these solvents…

Impact of Sunscreens on the Environment:

Marine Ecosystems are greatly impacted by chemical sunscreen ingredients. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ingredients in chemical sunscreens:

-          Green Algae: impair the growth of and its ability to make food

-          Sea Urchins: cause deformed young and damage reproductive systems

-          Coral Reefs: damage DNA and induce bleaching events, kill off young coral

-          Fish: decreases fertility and reproduction, feminizes male fish (endocrine disruption)

-          Dolphins: accumulate in sea mammal tissue and is passed on to young

-          Much more…

Sunscreen the Winstedt Family uses:

When I choose a sunscreen for my family, I pick mineral based sunscreens without chemical “boosters” designed to artificially raise the sun protection factor (SPF). I also opt for SPFs of 30 to 40 in the form of lotions and solid sticks over sprays to minimize inhalation of sunscreen and ensure the sunscreen ends up on skin and not everywhere else.

Brands We Love:

Babo Botanicals: Daily Sheer Sunscreen, and Clear Zinc Sunscreen Unscented, Baby Face™ SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen

Badger Mineral Sunscreens- Almost all their products are great especially those with spfs up to 40.

DermaE Natural Bodycare: Sun Defense Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF30 face

Stream2Sea: EcoTinted Sunscreen for Face & Body Sport, SPF 40 Sport Sunscreen Zinc Balm

If you are ready for a Fun, Safe, Summer make sure your sunscreen is right ready too.

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