Conventional sunscreens contain harmful chemicals and may increase your risk of sunburn and skin cancer. Here, we share our top pics for safe natural sunscreen.
In our guide to choosing a safe sunscreen, we shared all the helpful research we’ve been using over the past decade when it comes to safe natural sunscreen options. But if you don’t have time to get a degree in chemistry or geek out about the health and environmental impacts of sunscreen chemicals, this pared down post and our list of safe natural sunscreen products is perfect for you.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH CONVENTIONAL SUNSCREEN?
Both sunscreen use and skin cancer rates have increased in the past two decades. It’s not a coincidence. Conventional sunscreens are loaded with harmful chemicals… some even known to cause cancer – the very thing you’re trying to prevent.
Is it because we’re slathering ourselves in chemicals? Or because we’ve demonized the sun – the very thing that gives life on our planet – to the point that we’re deficient in the vitamins we need to fight off cancers?
It’s likely a combination of both… plus the fact that retinyl palmitate was shown to speed up cancer cell growth by 21% (source). But the good news is that by spending brief – but smart – time in the sun and choosing safer sunscreen, you and your family will be mostly protected from the dangers of sunscreen chemicals. Plus you’ll be healthy enough to advocate for our coral reefs, which are also being harmed by sunscreens.
Most conventional sunscreens contain endocrine disruptors and substances that cause reproductive issues, tissue damage, asthma, and allergies (source). Active ingredients like oxybenzone (the chemical found in most sunscreens), avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, and / or octinoxate (more about these chemicals) can penetrate the skin and enter directly into the bloodstream (or breast milk in the case of nursing mothers).
WE NEED VITAMIN D FROM THE SUN
The best sun protection is to avoid peak hours (10 am to 2 pm in most areas) or stay under shade trees, a tent, or wear UV protective clothing.
Our bodies are designed to thrive within the natural world, and exposure to sunlight via the skin is the most effective way to produce natural vitamin D.
Most experts recommend getting about 10 to 15 minutes of direct sunlight daily, without wearing sunscreen, if you are fair to medium toned. If you have dark skin, you will likely need more time in the sun to make enough vitamin D because your skin has more protection against the sun’s effects (source).
The benefits of vitamin D are many. Adequate vitamin D boosts the immune system, builds strong bones, reduces the risks of colon, breast, ovarian, and kidney cancers, and helps improve blood levels.
Consistent daily intake of high antioxidant levels fuels the body’s removal of up to 90% of sun-produced free radicals.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Sunscreen Ingredients & Choosing a Safe Sunscreen
SAFE NATURAL SUNSCREEN BRANDS FOR KIDS & FAMILIES
With so many sunscreen brands available, how can you know which formulas are effective and safe for your child’s skin?
Here’s our list of sunscreens the EWG database considers safe. And you can rest assured they have passed the Green Child team test.
HONORABLE MENTION SAFE SUNSCREEN BRANDS
Raw Elements Certified Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30
ThinkSport Kid Safe Sunscreen, SPF 50
Young Living Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50
SAFE NATURAL FACIAL SUNSCREEN FOR MOMS
While all of the brands listed here are safe and effective for adults, most moms are super careful about what we put on our faces. We want to prevent sunburn and the signs of aging, but we don’t want to use anything that clogs pores or contributes to breakouts.
Here are two products we absolutely LOVE when it comes to safe facial sunscreen.
Sun Love from Annmarie Skincare is an herbal formula that contains naturally occurring oxides of iron and zinc. These help to counteract the outcome of the sun’s UV harmful rays can do to your skin. Sun Love nourishes your skin and doesn’t clog pores. Another benefit is that the bottle is BPA-free.
Earth Mama Organics’ tinted mineral sunscreen face stick comes in SPF 40 and can pretty much take the place of foundation all year long. The tint is great for not giving you that ghostly white look. Free of toxic chemicals, it’s infused with rich, moisturizing organic shea and cocoa butter, so the stick doesn’t feel hard or chalky. Their two shades – Light/Medium or Medium/Dark – blend in with or highlight any skin tone.
TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SAFE SUNSCREEN
Sunscreens listing a higher SPF (50 or above) are no better at reducing the risk of skin damage or skin cancer. And the number can be misleading, allowing you to burn because you don’t feel the need to reapply. As tempting as spray sunscreens are, EWG recommends avoiding them entirely, stating that “these ingredients are not meant to be inhaled into the lungs.”
With so little known about the effects of sunscreen chemicals on the body when rubbed into the skin, we may never know how much worse the effects may be when they are inhaled. But suffice it to say: When your neighbor at the beach is spraying down Junior, it’s in your best interest to turn away and cover your nose and mouth (source).
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