Safer Sunscreen Reminders
Today's the first day of summer which is the perfect time to talk about sunscreen! But not all sunscreens are created equal - in fact, a recent report from EWG found that less than 25% of available sunscreens out there really protect as they say they will. That might make you want to "sunscream!" So this week, we will highlight the differences between physical (aka mineral) and chemical sunscreens, how these products work differently with our bodies and have different impacts on the environment.
LEARN
Mineral vs. Chemical Sunscreens
In case you just have 30 seconds this week - the safest sunscreens for you AND the planet are MINERAL sunscreens that use non-nano zinc oxide! Keep reading to learn why.
What types of sunscreens are there?
MINERAL sunscreens, which work like a physical barrier to reflect the sun’s rays off your skin. Because of this, as soon as you apply mineral sunscreen it starts protecting your skin. However, it can wash or wear off more easily and sometimes needs more frequent application as a result.
CHEMICAL sunscreens, which absorb UV radiation and convert it to heat energy, which is released off your skin. They take 15-30 minutes to absorb before being effective as a result.
What do they protect against?
UVB rays which are responsible for sunburn (think B for burn)
UVA rays which are responsible for longer term sun damage and wrinkles (think A for aging)
We don’t want sunburn OR wrinkles (right?!) so this is why you need a “broad spectrum” sunscreen which protects against BOTH and you need to wear it even when it's cloudy! (I'll acknowledge this is an area I'm quite forgetful!). Mineral sunscreens achieve UVA & UVB protection as they are physical blockers; Chemical sunscreens achieve it through the use of avobenzone + a stabilizer.
Is there a difference?
While both types are widely available, there are a couple points to note with chemical sunscreens that do not exist with mineral sunscreens.
First of all, the FDA itself only acknowledges that the two active ingredients in mineral sunscreen - zinc oxide and titanium dioxide - are generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE in FDA lingo). The FDA is painstakingly slow in its conducting further testing on 12 ingredients available in chemical sunscreens, which they have been working on since 2019. In fact, federal sunscreen rules have remained largely unchanged since 1999!
As a part of that study, the FDA acknowledges ingredients in chemical sunscreens have been found to absorb into our bloodstream and remain in the body for extended periods of time (aka “bioaccumulative”). This includes avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, octinoxate and others. There have been health concerns linked to some of these chemicals. Oxybenzone has recently been removed from a number of sunscreens and is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use on children.
And finally, ingredients in chemical sunscreens have been found to be more harmful to aquatic life. So much so that Hawaii banned the sale of suncreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in 2021. See the graphic below for some effects and ingredients to avoid.
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Try this at Home
Our preference is for non-nano zinc oxide sunscreens for a few reasons.
They work immediately (good for kids and adults who are excited to hop in the water).
They are better tolerated by sensitive skin.
They are less harmful to marine life, and there is not the concern that the chemicals are being absorbed into the body.
That being said, please wear sunscreen, even if you choose to not use mineral ones all the time! If you do want to switch to mineral sunscreens, here are some tips to help:
Read Labels!! Be aware of sunscreens that call themselves mineral but only have a small percentage of minerals and still use chemical ingredients. You are looking for zinc oxide / titanium dioxide as the active ingredients.
Also beware of terms that “sound” safe like “natural," ”botanical”, "kids,” “baby safe,” and “tear free”. These terms are not regulated and marketers can (and do) put whatever they want on the label.
Same goes for a “reef-friendly” mineral sunscreen - this term is NOT REGULATED!! So if you are shopping for this, you really need to READ your ingredients.Transition gradually. Mineral sunscreens can be more expensive and can also have a white cast, which makes them unpopular. So here are a few ways to start switching to a mineral sunscreen!
Use mineral sunscreen on part of your body (like your face).
Use mineral sunscreen when you know you will be swimming in a lake or ocean, where it will wash off into a place where there is aquatic life.
Swim shirts aren't just for kids! Use a swim shirt with UPF to cover up part of your body to reduce the amount of sunscreen you have to use. There are lots of cute rashguards for men and women!
Use lotions over sprays so your application is more targeted, or spray into you palm first and then spread. When you spray, be sure to rub the sunscreen in!