Summer is here and what do you have for non-toxic sunscreen?

When you are trying to figure out how to get adequate and safe sun protection, it’s nice to know who’s got you covered.

We are big advocates of trying to do the right thing without stressing about it too much.  So in light of that, it’s just as easy to grab a sunscreen that is more likely to be safer than one that is not.  We think it’s better to be safe than sorry.

You want safe.  but you also want good sun protection with a high enough SPF.  Not too chalky or greasy.  Maybe waterproof.

Sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide reflect the harmful UV A as well as UV B rays.  And you might hear about dangers with nano-scale and micronized zinc.  These are unlikely to penetrate healthy skin and cause damage, but it is not so clear about what might happen if they are in spray or powder formulations that can reach the lung.

But, getting real, a lot of us wants something that’s easy to use.  After looking into what people say, some of the safest products can be a little hard to use because of greasiness or chalkiness.  Give them a try. Products that are a little less “pristine” can still be a good choice if that’s what it takes to use them.

California Baby, Soleo Organics, Blue Lizard and TruKid are just a couple brands out there.

There are more and more brands that fit the bill.  What you want to do is stay away from worrisome ingredients like these as much as possible: avobenzone (butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane), octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate), oxybenzone (benzophenon-3), “fragrance” (which is likely to have petroleum derived chemicals and phthalates) and parabens.

Why are these chemicals worrisome?  Because they appear to contribute to things like allergy, hormone disruption and release of free radicals in the skin.

Read those labels!  Even within the same brand, some products will be better than others.

So get out there and enjoy the summer and the sun.

What do you think?  Do you think Mr. sun dude is using non-toxic sunscreen?