Top Five Sun Care Picks From EWG

We’ve established the importance of sun care, for your baby, and the entire family. At this time there aren’t any safety standards set by the FDA for sunscreens. So it is important for parents to know what they are truly rubbing into their baby’s bodies. A good example of the standards set for our sunscreens is the use of PABA (”a skin damaging chemical”, EWG) that was more widely used in the past. It still is, however, since there was an outcry from consumers with allergic reactions, companies use it less.

The bottom line is that we parents need to be aware that some sunscreens may be potentially more harmful than good. “Studies show that some traditional sunscreens like oxybenzone and octinoxate definitely absorb into healthy skin – in large amounts according to some studies – and act like estrogens in the body, raising risks for breast cancer, and showing effects like hormone-driven uterine damage in other studies”. 1

Take a look at your current sunscreen and you will probably find one of these ingredients, if not both. There is also some controversial concern with the micro sized (nanosize) titanium and zinc. Are these particles so small that they can absorb through the skin and into our blood stream? For now it is considered safe (as long as the particles aren’t too small) on healthy skin. A good way to test is this, if the sunscreen rubs clear onto your baby’s skin, it is nanosized. If it rubs on with some white, the particles are not too small.

Below we’ve listed the top five choices according to the Environmental Working Group. We always suggest, however, to do your own homework and then you can make an educated decision as to what is right for your family.

Environmental Working Groups Safest Sunscreen Picks

1. Keys Soap Solar Rx Therapeutic Sunblock
2. Trukid Sunny Days Facestick Mineral Sunscreen UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum
3. California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance
4. Badger Sunscreen
5. Marie Veronique Skin Therapy Sun Serum