You either love it or you hate it. Personally, I hate it. Maybe hate is too strong of a word, but I really, really don't like sunscreen. I like the concept behind it (the whole “prevention of skin cancer” thing), but I can't stand the greasy, sticky feeling of it on my skin. For me, it is especially irritating when the sunscreen is on my face. My regular blog readers will know that I have oily, blemish-prone skin. Most sunscreens are loaded with moisturizers, and moisture is the last thing I need to be adding to my face. When I use sunscreen, my face looks extremely shiny and oily, and usually breaks out in pimples. It's not fair that I have to choose between zits and skin cancer.
Last summer, I finally found an oil-free sunscreen for my face. It felt wonderfully dry on my skin, and didn't give me a glossy sheen. Best of all, no blemishes! I was super duper excited. Until I found out that this sunscreen was loaded with chemicals. Sigh.
Unfortunately, a lot of the sunscreen brands available in our local stores are formulated with a chemical ingredient called oxybenzone. Its main job is to absorb ultraviolet rays. For 30+ years, it has been used in sunscreen formulations with the approval of the FDA (USA) and Health Canada. However, the Environmental Working Group (a USA-based non-profit) and other toxicology experts believe oxybenzone is harmful. It can soak into the skin and lead to possible hormone disruption and skin cell damage. The EWG also suggests we watch out for retinyl palminate, a type of vitamin A, also found in a lot of sunscreens brands. Using products containing retinyl palminate could increase your risk of skin cancer.
Each year, the EWG analyzes and rates sunscreens based on safety and effectiveness. Out of a total of 800 products tested, only 48% were free of oxybenzone, and 25% had no retinyl palminate. Not stellar numbers by any means, but it does mean we have options. I highly recommend that you check out the EWG's Sunscreen 2012 website. They have loads of information there to help you find the right sunscreen for you. They even have an app you can download to your iPhone! You should also check out the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website and Gillian Deacon's book There's Lead In Your Lipstick if you want to learn more.
Searching for a sunscreen for myself is still a problem, even with all of this great info. It is something I have to do though, because my skin is already showing signs of sun damage from the many sunburns I've had over the years. For my face, I may have to resign myself to the notion that I will always have to choose between sun protection and zit avoidance. Usually, I like to have choices... red wine or white... chocolate or vanilla... but not in this case. I want both! I want a sunscreen that is (i) all-natural, (ii) oil-free, (iii) oxybenzone-free, (iv) retinyl palminate-free, (v) fragrance-free, (vi) vegan, (vii) not tested on animals and (viii) inexpensive. That's not asking too much, is it?
P.S. If you know of a sunscreen brand that fits my short list of completely reasonable requirements, please FB me on our Savon Du Bois page or leave a comment here.
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