When I was diving into my research of purchasing a “healthier” sunscreen a few years ago, I found it daunting in all honesty. Luckily I found the organization EWG which stands for the Environmental Working Group. This group has been around since 1993 shining a spotlight on outdated legislation, harmful agricultural practices, and industry loopholes that pose a risk to our health and the health of our environment. I found so many of their articles useful and they opened my eyes to the skin care industry, more importantly sunscreen. The EWG verified mark on sunscreen products indicates that a product has met their full criteria to ensure it adheres to their strictest standards for efficacy, ingredient safety, and transparency.
- Meets EWG’s criteria for overall product hazard score
- Is formulated to provide balanced UVA/ UVB protection
- Does not contain any ingredients on EWG’s “Unacceptable” list
- Discloses all ingredients, including those in fragrance.
Below you will find a link to EWG’s sunscreen guide for 2024. There is also a place to input a specific sunscreen and see the “hazard” rating from EWG. The hazard score ranges 1-10 reflecting hazards linked to the ingredients.
https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/
There are many other options for sun protection besides utilizing only sunscreen. Before I share these other options, I would like to briefly chat about UV light, abbreviated for ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light has shorter wavelengths than visible light, but has longer wavelengths than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight, and constitutes about 10% of the total electromagnetic radiation output from the sun. There are three different type of UV rays UVA, UVB, and UVC. While UVA and UVB rays are transmitted through the atmosphere, UVC ray and some UVB rays are absorbed by the earth’s ozone layer. Both UVA and UVB rays can cause damage to your skin. Sunburn is a sign of short-term overexposure, while premature aging and skin cancer are side effects of prolonged UV exposure.
There are shirts, hats, and pants that shield your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. On days when there is a higher UV index, choose to spend time outside in the early morning or evening hours when the sun is lower in the sky. There are numerous apps that you can download on your phone to check the daily UV index for your specific location. I enjoy using the app UVIndex to find out my specific daily index. Sunglasses are great for UV protections for your eyes. Be sure when purchasing sunglasses you see the labels UV400 or 100% UVA & UVB Protection.
I love spending time outside both in the sun and shade. For example, go on a nice hike or walk and afterwards have a picnic lunch in the shade, out of the sun. Enjoy sitting by the ocean or a lake with the shade of trees or umbrellas.
Some folks will argue that wearing sunscreen is not good for you. Unfortunately we do know that too much sun may cause skin cancer. Though I do agree that for 10-30 minutes per day, depending on the time of day with the height of the sun in the sky, you should not wear sunscreen and allow your body to soak up the natural vitamin D3 from the sun.
Enjoy getting outdoors in the sun and shade, it is great for your overall health, body and mind. Do your research on sun protection products and decide what products work best for you!