Safe
Sunscreens
Good enough for you
and sea life!
Popular sunscreens like Neutrogena, Aveeno, CVS Health, Banana Boat among others, have been on the news lately after an independent lab analysis by the company Valisure found alarming concentrations of benzene in these products.
Valisure analyzed 294 unique batches from 69 brands and detected benzene in 78 of the tested batches. Benzene is not an ingredient used in sunscreens, but the products on Valisure's analysis were found to be contaminated with benzene .
“A contamination that happened during production”. This is very concerning because chemicals in sunscreens are known to be absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream – even after only one application. Benzene is a colorless, highly flammable liquid with a gasoline-like odor. It's also a known carcinogen, meaning it’s been linked to cancer.*
Where does the FDA stand on all this? For general knowledge, FDA doesn’t approve ingredients in cosmetics, only regulates them. Cosmetics companies have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of their products. Neither the law nor FDA regulations require specific tests to demonstrate the safety of individual products or ingredients. Since sunscreens are not considered cosmetics but over the counter medication or drugs, as an FDA-regulated product, sunscreens must pass certain tests before they are sold.*** However, regulations have not been updated since 2011.
In 2019, the FDA had the intention to modify/update the regulations, but due to changes in the way over-the-counter-drugs are regulated, the proposal was withdrawn. Oxybezone, one of the most popular ingredients found in sunscreens was determined to be not “safe and effective” by the FDA*** -yet due to the lack of regulations it hasn’t been removed.
As this point, Johnson & Johnson is facing a class-action lawsuit over the tainted Neutrogena and Aveeno Sunscreens. The legal team wants to know how long J&J knew about these concerns and why it took so long to act. Remember the baby powder lawsuit? J&J knew that their baby powder was contaminated with asbestos and kept that information from regulators and the public. Are you able to trust this company’s ethos and products?
The short moral of the story here is that you must be your own sleuth when it comes to ingredients in personal care products. You should buy personal care products from reputable companies that are transparent about their supply chain and ingredients, and that wholeheartedly care for your own safety as well.
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Want to know the safest and most effective sunscreens for face and body?
These Four Green Experts were kind enough to share with me their favorite ones!
Find my favorite ones at the end. What’s yours?
Rebecca Casciano, Sacred Beauty Coach & Host of The Sacred Beauty Collective
Josh Rosebrook's Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30
“Has been a favorite for quite some time now and it's hard to beat for a facial sunscreen. I love that it feels like a luxurious moisturizer, rather than a chalky or thick sunscreen. It goes on sheer and gives skin the most beautiful glow. The simple, plant-based, organic ingredients are amazing, and it wears well alone and under makeup. What's not to love?”
Lin Chen, Founder of Pink Moon, A Wellcare Space for Women
AKT Therapy Elemental Sun Balm SPF 30
“It's slightly tinted but blends in well with all skin tones. Leaves a dewy, even-toned glow and can replace a foundation since it blurs out redness. It's 3 in 1 too - moisturizer, spf and highlighter.”
VIVAIODAYS Turmeric Broad Spectrum SPF 30
“It’s creamy and is easy to apply (fun for kids bc of the light cherry scent). Doesn’t leave a white cast.”
Katie O’Sullivan, Editor & Content Creator, The Green Product Junkie
Mara Algae + Zinc Sea Kale Sunscreen Serum SPF 30
“This new sunscreen feels just like a serum and is so light and hydrating. There’s nothing sticky about it and it leaves the skin bright and dewy. The ingredients are so good for you, too with a mix of blue sea kale, hemp seed and moringa, rich in vitamin C, and restorative proteins.”
Blissoma Photonic Light Shifting Solution Sunscreen + Daily Moisturizer SPF 25
”This is another light sunscreen that has no sticky feel and feels like a lotion. I also love this one because the creator is a holistic skincare expert and the ingredients do more than just protect the skin - it helps to improve the texture and tone of it, too while hydrating.” 15% off with code: GPJ15
Kimberly Sayer Ultra-Light Facial Moisturizer SPF 30
”This has been a favorite of mine for years. This lotion-like SPF is not only a sunscreen, but also moisturizes the skin. I recommend this all of the time for people who don’t like wearing sunscreen, but need a moisturizer. It’s also a really big size, so it will last you a few season’s too!” 10% off with code: GPJ
Perla Gharbi, Digital Creator, Mrs.Gharbi
Acure Seriously Soothing SPF Day Cream SPF 30
“This is one of my new favorite sunscreens, leaves no white cast or funny smell. It’s great for sensitive skin and it’s affordable.”
Rodial Drops SPF50
“Looks great alone by giving a dewy look to the skin but works great under makeup. Love that it protects from blue light too.”
Babo Botanicals Sheer Zinc Continuous Spray Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
“It's Fragrance Free!”
Nathalia Orquera, Ever Conscious
Beautycounter Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 30
It very light and glides easily on the skin. It provides a dewy look and fades without leaving a white cast. I love the portable travel size packaging.
Badger Chamomile & Calendula Baby Suncreen SPF 40
If its safe enough for a baby, it’s safe enough for me. I spend a lot of time in the water paddleboarding and this sunscreen has never let me down. It’s thick, and honestly it may leave a slight white cast but it doesn’t irritate my skin, plus is biodegrable and that gives me peace of mind while in the water!
*National Library of Medicine. Benzene. Updated June 5, 2021.
**EWG study / executive summary
***As per FDA’s website