Sunscreen Additives to Avoid & the most Natural Sunscreens

It is always difficult to find a good sunscreen that is not full of chemicals. I cringe every time I am at the park and I see parents lathering these thick sunscreens all over their children that have so many toxic chemicals in them – I would rather my son get a little extra sun than wear dozens of chemicals absorbing into his skin/body. Don’t forget your skin is your largest organ and absorbs everything you put on it topically into the body/blood/tissue, etc. This list of chemical ingredients commonly added to sunscreens are some of the most toxic ingredients which help to create free radicals!

First of all don’t be afraid of the sun – it is our best source of Vitamin D and is necessary for good health, immune system and bone development. Read more about Vitamin D: http://www.justgoodenergy.com/2010/04/25/more-reasons-to-enjoy-the-sun/.

You don’t need extra protection on your skin from the UVB rays in the sun (the “good” rays) which your body needs to help make vitamin D. The UVA rays are the ones to watch out for (the “bad” rays) and too much exposure can be harmful for your skin. According to Dr. Mercola, the UVA rays are strongest during the morning and late afternoon hours and especially on cloudy days. That is why you can get a harmful sunburn if you don’t wear sunscreen on a cloudy day. So I guess the goal would be to try and get sun exposure during t 11-3pm during the day for 20 minutes with no sunscreen OR spend a little longer in the sun with proper sunscreen minus the chemicals that still allows you to absorb some of the good UVB rays.

Dr. Mercola claims that, “Sunscreens reduce vitamin D production by as much as 97.5 to 99.9%. And interfering with your body’s production of vitamin D by 97.5 to 99.9% may have dire health consequences.” I am not saying to bask in the sun because skin cancer is of course a valid concern, but I think we need a better plan such as short spurts of sun exposure without sunscreen or using sunscreen that allows your body to produce vitamin D.

Here is Mercola’s list of common sunscreen ingredients to avoid, which I agree with:

Para amino benzoic acid…
Octyl salicyclate…
Avobenzone…
Oxybenzone…
Cinoxate…
Padimate O…
Dioxybenzone…
Phenylbenzimidazole…
Homosalate…
Sulisobenzone…
Menthyl anthranilate…
Trolamine salicyclate…
Octocrylene…

Safe ingredients would include:

Titanium Dioxide
Zin Oxide
Coconut oil
Vitamin E (Tocopheryl acetate) – preservative
Natural oils and shea butter are safe as thickeners and natural emulsifiers

Safe Sunscreens I have found, along with recommendations from “The Daily Green”, include:

UV Naturals – $15-20 (this is safe on even newborns)
Badger – under $10
Tru Kid – under $9
Purple Prarie Sun Stick – under $8
Lavera sunscreen – German based around $20
Soleo Organics – under $15
MexiTan (eco-friendly) – under $20
California Baby – under $20
Mychelle – not as natural but does not have any of the toxic chemicals listed above – under $20
Little Forest – under $17
Elemental Herbs – under $9
Solar RX – most expensive around $26