Gone are the days when we slather ourselves with baby oil to bake ourselves. With more than a million new cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer already estimated for 2008, we’re learning to take our sun exposure much more seriously. Now that we’ve gotten smart about the dangers of sun exposure, sunscreen has become a daily essential.

But for all our efforts to protect ourselves, it seems that many sunscreens are having the opposite effect on us: not only are they not blocking UV rays, but they are also causing us to absorb harmful chemicals into our bloodstream through our skin.

The Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database, an indispensable resource for finding out exactly what ingredients personal care and beauty products contain, has published an exhaustive report on the effectiveness and safety of sunscreens.

The folks behind the Database, the Environmental Working Group, conducted an investigation of 952 name-brand sunscreens, finding that 4 out of 5 of them don’t adequately protect from the sun, or contain unsafe ingredients. Much like the cosmetics and personal care industries, the suncare industry remains alarmingly unregulated by the FDA. In fact, the report states that the FDA has not finalized comprehensive sunscreen safety standards it began drafting 30 years ago. Click here to read more

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Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. Almost 50% of Americans who live to the age of 65 will have skin cancer at least once. We rely on sunscreen to help protect our skin. But chemicals in conventional sunscreens have been linked to a host of health problems. For example, common ingredients in chemical based sunscreen (as opposed to mineral blockers) such as benzophenone, oxybenzone, octinoxate, and homosalate may mimic the hormone estrogen. And, none of the chemical based sunscreens are reef friendly. In fact, a recent study found that the chemicals in chemical based sunscreens may be bleaching our coral reefs. We pollute our coral reels with 4,000 to 6,000 tons of sunscreens that wash off our bodies.

But an eco-friendly solution does exist. Mineral based sunscreens containing titanium or zinc seem to be a healthier option, and do not appear to contribute to coral bleaching.

One we love is the California Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen, $16.16. Click here to read more

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Daily Greenz #167

Just when we’re starting to get the point that yes, we need sunscreen to avoid things like skin cancer and wrinkles, here comes the kicker: The sunscreen being advised is full of ingredients like oxybenzone, a chemical that is linked to cancer itself. Ironic? Yes. Scary? Definitely. Not only are these sunscreens potentially harmful to our bodies, but new studies are showing these chemicals may be killing entire reefs.

Still, the fact is simple: You need sunscreen. Fortunately, you don’t need to settle for one laden with suspicious-sounding chemicals. Burt’s Bees makes chemical free sunscreens with the sun-shielding power of titanium dioxide (which shields against UVB and UVA rays) and good-for-everyone ingredients like hemp seed oil and wheat grass extract. Yippee, sunscreen that’s easy on your body and any body of water you swim in!

Click here to read more

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Daily Greenz #147

Summer is just around the corner, which means we’re all eagerly looking forward to spending more time outside.  We’d like to get a little color back in our pallid skin, so the best way to prepare for sun exposure is to make sure our sunscreen is equipped to protect us from harmful UV rays.  What’s equally important is to ensure that our sunscreen doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients, such as petrochemical additives.  Derived from petroleum, petrochemicals are often found in moisturizers and can cause severe allergic reactions.

Luckily, organic sunscreens do exist, and we’d like to highlight Aubrey Organics in particular.  Their Green Tea Protective Sunscreen doesn’t contain any petrochemicals and protects the skin with titanium dioxide, which is a mineral that deflects burning rays off the skin.  Also, their organic green tea ingredient shields the skin from cancer-causing free radicals, and their organic shea butter ingredient keeps the skin well-hydrated.  Available for $8.50 at www.aubrey-organics.com.

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