Show Your Sunscreen Challenge/ Dirty or Clean Sunscreen

Warning:

https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/

 According to the EWG, these companies make some of the worst sunscreens, known to contain ingredients possibly linked to cancer, birth defects, and hormone disruption: Australian Gold, Aveeno, Baby Blanket, Banana Boat, Bull Frog, Coppertone, CVS, Hawaiian Tropic,  L’Oreal, Neutrogena, No-Ad, Ocean Potion, Panama Jack, Parrot Head, Philosophy, Rocky Mountain Sunscreen, Rite Aid, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Vichy Laboratories.

Avoid These Sunscreen Ingredients:

Fragrance or Parfums are considered trade secrets in both the U.S. and Canada, so dozens of chemicals—including suspected neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors—can be hidden
behind these seemingly innocuous terms.

High SPF factors. High SPF ratings were found by the FDA to be “inherently misleading.” These high-SPF products often contain more of the above offending ingredients and can encourage people to stay in the sun longer without providing any additional protection.

Nanoparticles. Micronized or nanoscale particles of minerals are often found in titanium or zinc based sunscreens. These tiny particles have not fully been studies and there are no regulations governing their use or labelling in the U.S.

Oxybenzone. Found in almost all chemical sunscreens, oxybenzone is an allergen, potential endocrine disruptor. It is easily absorbed through the skin, particularly in children, and can interphere with hormone development.

Parabens. Parabens, such as methyl paraben and butyl paraben, are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that mimic the female hormone estrogen and are linked with reproductive disorders in boys and possibly cancers in women.

Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) has mostly been phased-out of sunscreens because of high incidence of allergic reactions in response to its use.

Retinol or retinyl palmitate. Found in many name-brand sunscreens, this type of Vitamin A is photocarcinogenic and might actually speed the development of skin tumors and lesions.

All spray sunscreens. When sunscreen is sprayed, it can be inhaled, where it can do damage to the lungs. Even mineral sunscreens aren’t safe in spray form as titanium dioxide becomes a “possible carcinogen” when inhaled in high doses (IARC 2006).