Sunscreen

**updated post-shore**

This year we are using Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple SPF 50. It is oil, fragrance, and dye free and scores a 2 on the EWG database. Unfortunately it's not paraben free, but for the price and effectiveness it's worth it (we may switch next year), especially since we don't use it all that often this year. The kids have gone swimming a handful of times and we'll be going to the beach for a week soon.

For their faces I have Aveeno Baby Natural Protection Mineral Block Face Stick, SPF 50+. It scores a 1 in the EWG database.

If you're interested in the Hall of Shame sunscreens check them out here. You'll see Coppertone Water Babies SPF 70+ on the list (not Pure and Simple SPF 50). The bottle looks so similar though. One of the most frustrating things I'm experiencing in trying to change to safer/greener products is how much thought and research has to go into it. Sometimes I stand in the grocery store just staring at the options and reading labels and if I don't take a deep breath I feel like I'll get a headache from being overwhelmed. That's why I'm making this reference list! =)

Here's what I'm gathering to be the things you'd ideally want:
-A mineral sunscreen: the only 2 active ingredients would be titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (some say it's best to just have zinc oxide).

Here is what Wikipedia says about these ingredients:
"Zinc oxide ... is the broadest spectrum UVA and UVB reflector that is approved for use as sunscreen by the FDA and is completely photostable. When used as an ingredient in sunscreen, zinc oxide sits on the skin’s surface i.e. is not absorbed into the skin, and blocks both UVA (320–400 nm) and UVB (280–320 nm) rays of ultraviolet light. Because zinc oxide (and the other most common physical sunscreen, titanium dioxide) are not absorbed into the skin, they are nonirritating and nonallergenic."

The reason just zinc oxide is preferable is because titanium oxide must be coated in silica or alumina otherwise it creates free radicals during its reaction with the sun and these can be absorbed into the skin. Free radicals are linked to cancer. That being said, supposedly the coating prevents this from happening. It just depends on how paranoid you want to be!

-No nanoparticles: companies don't have to tell you but some do say >100nM on the bottle which is what you're looking for. You want micronized particles, not nanoparticles because your skin can absorb nanoparticles. Ideally, your sunscreen would have a label stating that the titanium oxide and zinc oxide are >100nM in particle size.

-Paraben free, artificial fragrance and dye free

-No retinyl palmitate (vitamin A)

From EWG: "A 2009 study by U.S. government scientists suggests that a form of vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions (NTP 2009, 2011) ... Scientists have known for some time that vitamin A can spur excess skin growth (hyperplasia), and that in sunlight it can form free radicals that damage DNA (NTP 2000)."

-PABA-free: at this time nearly all sunscreens are PABA-free, so don't even worry about this one.

Despite the dangers in sunscreen, it should be obvious that the risk of cancer from sunburn is very present and you should wear sunscreen if you're going to be out in the sun for a long time (ex: the pool, the beach, sporting events, etc.). That being said, some sun exposure is important for getting enough vitamin D. If you're off to the store or taking a quick walk, consider not wearing sunscreen. You do need some sun exposure to be healthy.

We were using Banana Boat Kids this year (well, we only used it about four times). It gets a 7 in the EWG database, so I'm glad to switch over. Here is a price/convenience comparison using that brand.

Cost comparison on Amazon:
Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple, SPF 50: $7.80 for 8 ounces
Aveeno Baby Mineral Block Face Stick: $7.99 for 0.5 ounces (face sticks are always pricey)
Banana Boat Kids: $6.99 for 8 ounces

Convenient access:
I found Banana Boat and Coppertone Pure & Simple easily at Target. Aveeno's mineral block is at most drug stores and probably at Target, too.

Price-wise it's easy to switch to Coppertone from Banana Boat. I've heard it can leave a white tint on your skin, so that could be annoying. I'm able to get the Aveeno face stick for a much cheaper price than listed on Amazon.

Next year we might try the recommendations from my favorite blog, Kitchen Stewardship:
Kabana, Loving Naturals, Mexitan, and TruKid. More expensive and more difficult to get your hands on, but worth it if we're going to be out in the sun more often as the kids get older.

**Update now that we've tested this sunscreen thoroughly:**
This stuff works better than any sunscreen I have used before. Not a single sunburn (except tiny spots I missed). Kids didn't get any color at all. I actually got a nice tan (for me, no one else would have noticed!). Usually I burn if I don't reapply religiously, but I didn't even need to reapply at all. The major con: it is very very hard to wash off. I had to take 2 showers to really feel like it was completely gone, especially on the kids. Next year we will probably try something else to compare, but this stuff is really worth the price!