Sunscreen….why not just pour gasoline on your skin?

Okay, maybe a little melodramatic, but do you really know what it’s doing to you?

I didn’t think so, so I’m here to shed some light (sunlight) 😉

But first, a shout-out to my mother, who went around unabashedly wearing bright white zinc on her nose all summer long when I was growing up. She looked like a freak and everyone teased her (especially me), but her skin is still looking good at age 80, so she gets the last laugh.

Then Banana Boat came along and seduced us with its lovely coconut-y smell and everyone else jumped into the market selling suncreens that weren’t white or greasy so that we can all look great while dangerous chemicals are seeping into our bloodstream. And then sprays came along so that we get to eat oxybenzone and avobenzone for lunch completely free of charge after our beach neighbors have doused themselves. Then the worst offenders got banned in Europe, which tends to better protect its citizens because they don’t allow companies to manufacture anything they want and sell it, untested, to unsuspecting consumers who think it must be safe or it wouldn’t be on the shelf. It’s called government regulation and has gotten a bad rap in our country.

Anyway, while Europe was banning parabens, we in America have been swimming in toxins. But finally, there’s a huge body of research demystifying all the cons:

• • 100 SPF factor actually doesn’t mean anything (more is not better)
• • heavy duty chemical sunscreen does not protect you better (it compromises your protection)
• • spray provides better coverage (yes, poison everywhere!)

So I went digging around to find out what’s new and who can we trust and found my way to Austin’s famous icon: Peoples Pharmacy. The wellness staff has explored the world of sunscreen and done their due diligence, so I am bringing you some action-packed links from their site that will tell you everything you want to know, and many things that you don’t.

Great info on how food can protect your skin: The Sun’s Wear & Your Skin’s Care

A mom who tested 80 sunscreens on her four kids. Scroll for the best brands and learn about the estrogen overdose that most sunscreens provide. Over 80 Mineral Sunscreens Tested by One Family! 

And here’s one of the foremost authorities on sun and sunscreen safety: The Environmental Working Group.

Happy Summer!