Safer Sunscreen Favorites

We’ve all learned that protecting your skin from UV rays can prevent premature aging ~ fine lines, hyper pigmentation, ~ and most importantly, skin cancer.  So we’ve been accustomed to slathering ourselves and our children in sunscreen.  However, not all sunscreens are made the same.  Not all sunscreens are made with ingredients that are both human health conscious and environment friendly.   Are you shocked?  I was too when I first learned that not all sunscreen, a product made to “keep you safe”, is made with safe to use ingredients.  Unfortunately, the personal care industry in this country is very under regulated.

But tides are changing (pun intended)…….In July of 2018 I applauded as Hawaii became the first U.S. state to ban the sale of sunscreens containing two common sunscreen chemicals, oxybenzone and octinoxate, which many researchers worldwide have deemed potentially harmful to aquatic life.

And on February 21 of this year, the Food and Drug Administration announced a new proposal on sunscreen safety intended to overhaul the entire sunscreen industry, which is SO needed!   But what is  kind of alarming are the details of the proposal: Of the 16 different active ingredients in sunscreens currently on the market, the FDA deemed only two as being safe to use: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Two ingredients commonly referred to as ‘physical or mineral sunscreens’.

While all of these strides forward are great news, until the sunscreen industry is completely overhauled, figuring out which sunscreens to use can be tricky.  That’s where becoming ingredient label savvy can come in handy.  If you’d like to get your hands on my Free Safer Sunscreen Guide and find out which specific ingredients you should look to avoid in your sunscreen and which ingredients to choose instead, enter your email address in the box below to subscribe to my Safer Beauty Tribe monthly newsletters!

My Absolute Favorite Safer Sunscreen

Yes, I’m a Beautycounter consultant, but you all know I don’t promote anything I don’t truly love.  That’s why in my Safer Mascara Review I didn’t rate Beautycounter’s mascara too high.  I’m always going to be 100% honest with you all, and the truth is, Beautycounter’s mascara is made with clean ingredients but it’s not the highest performing clean mascara on the market.

However, when it comes to safer sunscreen, hands down, Beautycounter is the best I’ve ever used!

Why is it Safer? 

Beautycounter prohibits potentially irritating chemical SPF filters (like Oxybenzone, Octinoxate and Homosalate to name a few), opting instead for physical sunscreens, commonly referred to as mineral sunscreen.  Beautycounter uses non-nano zinc oxide that sits on the surface of the skin and physically bounces the sun’s rays away from the skin.  Each formula guards against the sun’s damaging rays, providing an effective, broad-spectrum SPF 30 shield from UVA and UVB.

Why I Love it? 

Beautycounter certainly isn’t the only safer sunscreen in the game, but the reason they’re my favorite brand is because their mineral sunscreen formula doesn’t leave “the white cast” that is common with most other mineral sunscreens on the market.  The Countersun Sunscreen Lotion is the only product in their line of sunscreens that leaves a barely visible white residue.  The Countersun Mist as well as the Countersun Stick leave zero white residue!  Insert praise hands!

*Heads up – The Lotion and Mist come in a handy travel size perfect for all your summer travel plans!

This Countersun Stick is a daily use product in my house.  My husband and kids each have their own sticks and use them to protect their beautiful faces daily.  After much nagging my husband has become really good at reapplying throughout the day.  😉   This little stick lasts for about 3 months with daily use, and is the perfect size for a pocket, backpack or beach bag.

What’s New? 

Drumroll please…….Beautycounter just launched a new TINTED Sunscreen Mist that is in a word ~ amazing!  

It comes in two universally flattering shades (it’s very sheer), light-medium and medium-dark, that provide a physical SPF 30 for an effective shield from UVA and UVB rays, and the tint helps camouflage imperfections and evens out skin tone.  This new Tinted Sunscreen Mist is especially amazing for people of color like myself, who struggle with the white residue left behind by most mineral sunscreens.  These innovative formulations match a wider range of skin tones—we don’t all come in one color, why should our sunscreen?

To say I’m obsessed would be an understatement.  But here’s little application tip – Mind where you mist—these mists can transfer onto clothing. So spray with care!  I spray mine outside on my porch or in the garage, so I don’t have to worry about any overspray.

Other Favorites

Goddess Garden is easy to find in most grocery stores now and is available on Amazon.  It’s a lower-priced safer sunscreen option to Beautycounter.  It does require a bit more effort to rub in and leaves a faint white residue, but all-in-all it’s a good budget friendly substitute for Beautycounter.

People often forget about the importance of protecting their lips!  These are two of my favorite lip balms with sun protection, All Good & Badger.

Have you made the switch to safer, mineral sunscreen?  What is your favorite brand?

Other sun safety rules we try to follow in our house:

• We’re big on hats, sunglasses and sun protective clothing.
• I enjoy hounding my family about reapplying sunscreen!  😉  It’s never a one and done when it comes to sunscreen.
• We try to plan outdoor activities in the morning or late afternoon, rather than during the peak hours of the day when the sun’s rays are at their most intense.
• And last but not least, we apply sunscreen BEFORE we head out not when we get to the beach or pool.

Do you have any special sun safety rules you try to follow?  My husband had skin cancer removed from his nose last summer, so when it comes to the sun we’re very careful.

Here’s to a summer of safe fun in the sun! 

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