What Should You Know About the FDA’s New Sunscreen Rules?
Jun 20, 2011 Eco Friendly Beauty Tips
The FDA recently announced some new rules about how sunscreen can be marketed. While it’s important to make sure you’re using a safe sunscreen, I like seeing that the FDA is taking steps to handle the many excessive claims made by marketers about sunscreen. These changes will officially go into effect the summer of 2012, but companies can change over sooner.
The FDA says that one of the big reasons they’re making changes is because the old rules only covered UVB protection, but modern testing can also determine how much protection the sunscreen provides against UVA.
Sunscreens must be tested in order to make a broad spectrum protection claim, which would mean that they have UVA and UVB protection. Sunscreens without that label will protect against sunburn only.
Sunscreens may not be labeled waterproof or sweatproof, only water resistant. This is because such claims make the sunscreens sound as though they protect better than they do. The claims must indicate whether the sunscreen is water resistant for 40 or 80 minutes, so it’s clearer when it must be reapplied for protection.
One more rule to limit the claimed SPF to a maximum of 50+ is under consideration. This is because it is not clear that any sunscreen products provide protection better that the protection provided by 50 SPF sunscreens.
Of course, new rules or old, you’re best off making sure that you buy a safe sunscreen. It’s better to be comfortable with the things you’re putting on your skin, even when you’re trying to protect it from other kinds of damage.
Tags: fda, safe sunscree, safest sunscreen, sunscreen
What Sunscreens Are Safe?
Jun 5, 2009 Eco Friendly Home
Here we are, at the beginning of summer. Time for some serious outdoor fun for most families, including mine.
That means time for sunscreen!
Trouble is, a lot of sunscreens have some really nasty ingredients, and skin is great for absorbing chemicals. In the long run it can really pay off to be picky about what you use.
So off to the Skin Deep database I go to find some of the safest national brand sunscreens by their standards. It’s kind of tricky sometimes to find the exact ones they have tested, as companies change these things all the time, so here are some that I could find on Amazon.
- California Baby SPF 30+ Everyday/Year-Round Sunscreen Lotion – 2.9 oz
- California Baby SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick Everyday 0.5 oz.
- Kiss My Face Sunscreen Spf#30 + With Oat Protein 100% Paraben Free 4 oz.
- Physical UV DEfense SPF 30, 3 oz
- Solar Sense Clear Zinc for Face – 0.5 oz
Tags: summer, sun safety, sunscreen
What’s the Right Sunscreen?
May 23, 2008 Eco Friendly Home, Environmentally Friendly, Going Green
Despite the weather in my area today, it’s time to think about sunscreen. Summer is very close and many places already have hot weather.
On the other hand, we’ve gone from over 100 degrees F in my area on Monday to thunderstorms and flood watches starting yesterday.
I’ve been working on remembering to sunscreen my daughter each day before school. She tans beautifully, but I don’t want her getting too comfortable with that. In the long run it’s better that she wear sunscreen.
Many sunscreens, however, really aren’t that good for you. There are the usual concerns about endocrine disruptors. Whether or not you think they’re a problem, if you can avoid the whole issue by making the right purchase, why not? All that really matters in that case is that the product works well.
At least an SPF 15 should be worn if you’re going to be spending significant time outside. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are good ingredient choices. You can check a lot of sunscreens out at Skin Deep.
Here are some good brands:
Total Block
Some varieties of Alba
California Baby
Aubrey Organics
Burts Bees
Not all of these can be found in the Skin Deep database, but most are made from all natural products. All natural does not guarantee safe, of course.
Another alternative is to wear clothing that helps to protect your skin from the sun. Regular clothing will do this, but if you need some extra protection you can shop for clothing that offers more than the usual UV protection.
Sunscreen is a habit you should build into your morning routine if you know you’re going to be in the sun more than a little. You don’t have to spend the day at the beach to damage your skin.
