Sunscreen Scaries

Sunscreen should be a year-round habit, but I know we all tend to reach for it more in the summer months. Before you restock on sunscreen for your next beach trip, I'd like to suggest just a few things to consider.

Let's talk ingredients first because the more I learn the more I question what I have been basically bathing in. The EWG ranks how safe and clean different products and chemicals are. It has revealed that a lot of common sunscreen ingredients are endocrine disruptors and some are harmful to our thyroid. Oxybenzone is the most common ingredient and in 96% of sunscreens. It specifically can lead to low sperm counts and is suspected to cause endometriosis. The EWG warns against this ingredient especially for those who are young, pregnant, or breastfeeding. Based on EWG testing, only about 5% of sunscreens are safe; the rest are toxic or harmful.

If you want to learn more I really recommend checking out EWG for yourself and watching STINK on Netflix. Between my Environmental Health PhD program, a company dedicated to safe ingredients, and my own interest/investigation, I've really had my eyes opened to the importance of ingredients and what we put on/in our bodies daily.

One question you might be asking is "Why are these products on the market if they're unsafe?" I assumed that since we have government regulations and these products are for sale they must be fine. I have 2 brief answers to this question. First, science is always learning and growing what we know. Products with great intentions and ample testing hit the market; however, overtime sometimes we learn that there are less than ideal implications from these products. (My best example here is the pesticide DDT. It did it's job and killed mosquitos but after years of spraying we learned that it also accumulates and kills things up the food chain.) Second, in the United States our system runs on "innocent until proven guilty" which also holds true for many of our products on the market not just criminal justice. Once a product is on the market it is much harder to get it off the shelves. Science has to prove that it is unsafe and is the direct cause not just provide linkage and correlation. For this reason, there are substantially more ingredients banned in the UK for example than in the US.

Ok so let's actually get into sunscreen considerations:

• SPF - There is a huge range out there from 5 to 100+. Statistically, SPF 30 is protecting you from 95% of UV rays. Anything above SPF 50 is not really giving you much added protection statistically speaking. If you have at least 30 the protection is more related to applying it well than the SPF number.

• Physical vs Chemical Sunscreens - This has been a topic of debate in recent years. Chemical sunscreens use active ingredients that absorb UV rays while physical sunscreens (aka mineral sunscreens) deflect the sun's rays from your skin. There is research leading to concern about the safety of chemical sunscreens. The concern is not only for oceans and coral reefs but also for human health.

• Particle Size of Mineral Sunscreen - Zinc Oxide is a common active ingredient in mineral sunscreen. Nano and non-nano simply refer to the size of the zinc oxide particles. You want to go for a non-nano zinc oxide because it will sit on top of your skin and reflect the rays instead of being so small that penetrates through your skin into your bloodstream.

• Spray Sunscreens - Spray sunscreens are so convenient and easy to grab but they might not always be the best option. A lot of time the spray ends up in the air instead of on you. (Everyone knows the awkward striped sunburn look.) Also, the spray should not be inhaled so if you're using it on your face you should always spray it into your hands and rub it on your face. If you're using a mineral sunscreen spray, it won't be clear like a chemical one so you have to rub it in. In that case, maybe go for the bottle and get more bang for your buck.

• Face Sunscreen - Since we know we should be wearing sunscreen daily, finding one that you really like for your face and can work on its own or under makeup is important. Many foundations boast SPF on the label, but the dilemma is you don't usually get the protection advertised because you don't actually put enough on. This is better than nothing for sure but is not the same as an actual sunscreen. I personally love LimeLife's face sunscreen for this reason. It's SPF 30, moisturizing, and a makeup primer so it can be worn alone or under makeup.

• Face Stick - I was told by my dermatologist a long time ago that face sticks are more likely to cause breakouts than lotion. To keep the stick form, they need wax to hold it together which often clogs pores. I occasionally still use stick but apply it to my fingers then face so the excess wax remains on my hands not my face.

Some of my personal favorites (after trying a lot of different physical sunscreens) are LimeLife, Coola, Bare Republic, and Pacifica. I've only used lotions from LimeLife and Coola. I've tried out sprays from Bare Republic and Pacifica (old habits die hard). I've also tried the face stick from Pacifica.