Sunscreen is unsafe?! And most aren't effective?!

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), 4 out of 5 sunscreens provide insufficient coverage or contain too many hazardous materials. If their results are true, this could be an enormous blow to the sunscreen industry, and a shock to me, the girl who is addicted to slathering and spraying on a UV shield.

I'm not sure how accurate the EWG findings are, and I need to do a little more research on the EWG to see what sort of organization they are and what sort of testing methods they've used. But their results have surely shaken up the cosmetics world and lots of people are talking about the findings. It should be noted that there are some doctors who have challenged the validity of EWG's results.

According to the EWG's results, my trusty EltaMD UV Shield and UV Physical got good scores for protection and low toxicity. One surprise loser was my Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock in SPF 70. Not only did it have a high rating for potential health hazards, but its effectiveness has been called into question. Click HERE to find out the results of your sunscreen. (Disclaimer: I'm not sure how accurate these findings are!)

Even if my Neutrogena is okay to use, I've begun to introduce more and more natural products into my daily beauty regimen. Because it's very cold in New York and I've taken shelter under thick layers of clothing, I haven't had to use any sunscreen on my body (except on my face!). I bought #5 on the EWG's list, Badger All-Natural Sunscreen in SPF 30 ($16 for 2.9 oz), and tried it on my hands. I'm pretty happy with my purchase. It is mostly natural, water resistant, and has a rather strong lavender scent, which I like (though others may not). It is quite thick, a little oily and leaves a thin, white film on the skin until it gets absorbed because of its 20% zinc oxide content. The white film is a bit annoying and it takes a good deal of rubbing to get it to mostly disappear, but I'm willing to put up with this if it means that I'm using an effective, safe form of sun protection. I could see myself using this on my arms and chest in the summer, but it's too expensive to use it all over my body everyday.

I'll eventually try Mexitan SPF 50, #21 on the EWG's list. The results say it's as effective as the Badger, but for $20 you get 5.4 oz. I will get back to you with my review of this sunscreen when I buy it.