Almost everyone is aware of the dangers of the sun and the risks of skin cancer. We’re given the statistics, and it makes us want to protect ourselves. With the rise of skin cancer and protection from the sun, the use of sunscreen has also risen. It probably hasn’t even occurred to most of us that the very thing we are using to protect ourselves from the sun’s rays may also be harmful itself. In fact, in many cases, it’s very harmful!
Why is it so harmful? Some of the chemical ingredients can cross the skin, causing interruptions with hormone processes in the body. One ingredient found in sunscreen, oxybenzone, can contribute to endometriosis and a lower sperm count. Some of the ingredients found in sunscreen may also actually speed up the growth of cancerous cells and contribute to skin cancer!
The good news is that there are things you can do to avoid the harmful effects of sunscreen, like avoiding certain ingredients, trying your own homemade sunscreens, and knowing what’s in the sunscreen you do choose to use.
Here’s a list of things to look out for when you’re buying sunscreen for this summer’s beach trip:
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
- Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate)
- Homosalate
- Octocrylene
- Paraben Preservatives
- Benzophenone-3
- Amino Benzoic ACid
Homemade options might be the safest route to take, as you can truly know what’s going on (and possibly in) to your body when you do this. Just be careful and pay attention to your skin, and reapply after getting wet, or every couple of hours.
Recipe from Organic Lifestyle Magazine:
- ¼ cup of aloe vera gel
- ¼ cup of coconut oil
- ¼ cup raspberry seed oil
- 5 tablespoons Shea Butter
- ¼ cup Beeswax
- 5 tablespoons Zinc Oxide
Directions:
- Melt all the ingredients except zinc oxide until liquid, but make sure they don’t cook or boil. Take them from the heat as soon as they are melted.
- Take the liquid mixture and add it to a blender with the zinc oxide until well blended.
- Pour into a mason jar for safe storage and then place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes to let it solidify, then store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Make sure to keep the sunscreen cold or the mixture will separate. When you’re ready to use it, pack it in a cooler or take a smaller amount out of the container and leave the rest at home.
If you don’t feel like trying out your own, here are a few good brands I recommend, but you can find the full list of safe sunscreens at EWG.com:
- Alba Botanica Very Emollient Kids Mineral Sunblock
- All Terrain AquaSport Face Stick
- Badger Sport Sunscreen Cream
- Sunology Lotion for Body Natural Sunscreen
- True Natural neutral Sunscreen