How to Choose the Best Non-toxic Sunscreen
Summertime is in full swing, and it’s by far my favorite season. I love spending time out in the sunshine and soaking up all of the summer fun - swimming, hiking, going to the beach, and even just going out for a nice warm run in the sunshine. But before heading out to enjoy the sunshine, it’s important to take the extra step of protecting our skin from the sun’s powerful rays.
And yes, the sun is wonderful and has its own unique health benefits, like providing us with Vitamin D (important for menstrual and immune health) and helping to regulate our circadian rhythm. But too much exposure to the sun’s UV rays can negatively effect the skin, causing painful sunburns, premature aging, and puts us at risk for skin cancer. And since most of us are spending extra time outside during the long summer months, it’s important to spend a few minutes slathering on some sunscreen before heading out.
While there are about a million and one options for sunscreen out there on the market, the number that are actually safe to put on our skin is much, much less.
Why Non-toxic Sunscreen Matters
Our skin is the largest organ in our body and anything that we put on it will be absorbed and make its way into our blood stream. Many of the products on store shelves that we put on our skin (from lotions to body sprays to makeup and even sunscreen) are full of toxins and endocrine disruptors that can throw our hormones all out of whack. And unfortunately, common chemical sunscreen ingredients are no exception.
Many of them contain chemicals that block or mimic hormones. These “xenoestrogens” trick the body into thinking it has more of certain hormones than it actually does, so it stops producing them, leading to a deficiency in those hormones.
According to the EWG (Environmental Working Group), these are the top ingredients to avoid when choosing a sunscreen:
Oxybenzone
Octinoxate
Octylsalate
Homosalate
Avobenzone
Phthalates
Parabens
Another safe option is to pick a mineral sunscreen. Mineral sunscreens work by sitting on top of the skin and forming a barrier to “block” it from the sun’s UV rays. These sunscreens are the type that typically go on pretty thick and leave that white and sometimes pasty layer on top of your skin (although some newer brands on the market have become a little less thick and pasty, thankfully!), and they also typically contain the least amount of hormone disruptors compared to chemical sunscreens. They use mineral ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to physically block UV rays rather than absorb them. Just make sure your mineral sunscreen is still free of the above list of toxic chemicals.
It’s also recommended to avoid sunscreen sprays altogether (whether chemical or mineral) as there is evidence of inhalation concerns.
A Special Note on Oxybenzone
Oxybenzone is one of the most notorious endocrine disrupting hormones out there - and it’s found in almost every brand of popular sunscreen you see on store shelves! In one study, researchers showed that oxybenzone changed the mammary glands of mice. Oxybenzone is estrogenic, meaning that it mimics estrogen and sends the signal to the body that there is more estrogen flowing around than there actually is, and the body begins to produce less of it. This can cause our actual levels of estrogen to dip too low, which can effect our breasts, reproductive organs and can have a negative impact on growth and development.
The good news is, thanks to the spread of important information like this and empowered consumers (like you!) becoming more aware of what’s in the products they’re using, the use of oxybenzone in commercial sunscreen has dropped by 50% since 2022!
Hormone-Friendly Sunscreen Options
Mineral Sunscreens
Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+
Babo Botanicals Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30, 50, Baby & Sport
Badger Mineral Sunscreen
Earth Mama Organics Mineral Sunscreen
Maui Vera Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
Non-Mineral Sunscreens
Banana Boat Sport & Sport Kids Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+
Sun Bum Glow Moisturizing Face Lotion SPF 30
Black Girl Sunscreen Boosting Moisturizing & Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30
Coola Sunscreen Stick Tropical Coconut SPF 30
Alba Botanica SPF 30
Reef Safe Matters
While this little label may have nothing to do with our human health, it sure has a lot to do with the health of our ocean’s reefs and the fish who call it home. Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and crucial ecosystems on the planet, and if you’re putting on sunscreen to swim in the ocean this summer, choosing a reef safe brand is crucial.
Reef safe sunscreens do not contain any ingredients that are harmful to the ocean’s reef systems, including oxybenzone and oxitonate - 2 ingredients that were banned in Hawaii in 2021 after a study showed that these two chemicals were to blame for slowing coral growth and increasing the rate of coral bleaching.
Check for “reef safe” or “reef friendly” on your sunscreen label if you’re heading into the ocean this summer. And if you’re picking one from my list of options above, you’re good to go! All of them are reef safe.
Other Ways to Protect Yourself
Aside from using sunscreen, there are a couple of other simple ways to protect ourself from too many UV rays. These include wearing a sunhat, sunglasses, sunshirts (lightweight longsleeve shirts typically made with SPF material), limiting sun exposure, especially between 10am - 2 pm when the sun’s rays are generally the strongest, and bring an umbrella to the beach or the lake so you can have some shade to escape to.
Have a safe and healthy Summer!
