The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has recently shed light on the dangers of sunscreen. Most commercially available sunscreens contain two major toxic chemicals; Oxybenzone, a hormone-disrupting chemical, and retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A that has been shown to accelerate the growth of skin tumors. The EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens with vitamin A (look for “retinyl palmitate” or “retinol” on the label). Unfortunately, many of the safer sunscreens recommended by EWG contain forms of zinc and titanium, which can have their own health risks in high doses. Most of the non-toxic sunscreens are all-natural or organic.
Ultimately, the EWG states that the best protection from the harmful UVA rays of the sun is a physical barrier such as clothing or shade.
Below is a list of EWG-recommended sunscreen brands. For the complete list of specific products and ratings visit the EWG website at: www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen.
| Safe Sunscreens: | Avoid These: |
| Badger | Coppertone |
| California Baby | Hawaiian Tropic |
| Jason | Kiss My Face |
| Loving Naturals | Neutrogena |
| Soleo Organics | No-Ad |
Thanks to Anna Weaverdyk and Rachel Hasse for their contribution to this article.
Hormone disrupting chemicals. This is always a scary thought. Something I wish we all payed more attention to….our health and our community would thank us.