Green Livin Sunscreen What to Buy

Green Livin What to Look For

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., and one million people are diagnosed with it every year. Despite the high numbers, skin cancer is preventable with proper protection.

Mineral Ingredients

Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are minerals that physically block ultraviolet (UV) rays from reaching your skin, as opposed to other sunscreens that use chemicals to absorb UV rays. Minerals are considered the best protection against sunburn because they block both UVB rays (which cause sunburns) and UVA rays (which cause skin aging and cancer). Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, don't always protect against UVA. And some break down in sunlight in as little as half an hour, while also interfering with your hormonal systems.
All the sunscreens listed use either titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or a combination of both. None contain chemical sunscreens.

1. Name
2. Protection Rating
3. Nano-sized or Micronized Particles?
4. MSRP
5. Website
6. Phone Number

Purchasing Information

Alba Botanica Sun Fragrance-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18
SPF 18
micronized
$9.95
http://www.albabotanica.com/, 877-263-9456

Avalon Organics Baby Avalon Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18
SPF 18
micronized
$9.95
http://www.avalonorganics.com/, 800-227-5120

Badger Sunblock SPF 30
SPF 30
micronized
$16.00
http://www.badgerbalm.com/, 800-603-6100

Burt's Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen SPF 30
SPF 30
nano-sized
$15.00
http://www.burtsbees.com/

California Baby No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion
SPF 30+
micronized
$17.99
http://www.californiababy.com/, 877-576-2825

Caribbean Solutions SolGuard SPF 8
SPF 8
nano-sized
$16.00
http://www.caribbean-sol.com/, 888-877-7338

Clinique City Block
SPF 40
micronized
$16.50
http://www.clinique.com/

Devita Solar Body Block 30
SPF 30
micronized
$27.95
http://www.holisticbeauty.net/

Dr. Hauschka Sunscreen Cream for Children and Sensitive Skin SPF
SPF 30
micronized
$27.95
http://www.drhauschka.com/, 800-247-9907

Eco Lani Sunscreen
SPF 15
micronized
$15.50
http://www.lanisimpson.com/

Epicuren Zinc Oxide Sunscreen
SPF 20
micronized
$38
http://www.joybeauty.com/

Jason Sunbrellas Chemical Free Sun Block SPF 30+
SPF 30+
micronized
$12.00
http://www.veganessentials.com/, 866-888-3426

Juice Organics Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
SPF 30
neither
$29.00
http://www.juicebeauty.com/

Lavera Sun Block SPF 40 Neutral
SPF 40
micronized
$22.50
http://www.lavera.com/

Mexitan SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion
SPF 30
micronized
$16.95
http://www.mexitan.com/

Soleo Organics
SPF 30
nano-sized
$25
http://www.soleousa.com/

UV Natural Adult SPF 30+ Sunscreen
SPF 30
neither
$32.80
http://www.rei.com/, 800-426-4840

Zinc Oxide Ointment, $2.50-$5.00 (available at drugstores)
n/a
neither
$5
http://www.drugstore.com/

Coolibar swimsuits and clothing
UPF 50+
--
from $19.95
http://www.coolibar.com/, 800-926-6509

Patagonia clothing with UPF
UPF 30+
--
from $78
http://www.patagonia.com/, 800-638-6464

Shark Suit swim suits and clothing
UPF 50+
--
from $26.95
http://www.sharksuit.com/, 212-334-8498

Sun Precautions clothing
SPF 30+
--
from $49.94
http://www.sunprecautions.com/, 800-882-7860

Tilley TH4 hat
UPF 50+
--
$69
http://www.tilley.com/, 800-363-8737

SunGuard SPF Laundry Additive
UPF 30
--
$1.99/box
http://www.sunguardsunprotection.com/, 866-871-3157

Protection Rating

SPF (or sun protection factor) is an FDA-regulated rating system that represents how long it will take for exposed skin to burn with the sunscreen applied. For example, if your unprotected skin usually burns in 10 minutes, a sunscreen with an SPF 15 would prevent a sunburn for 15 times that length of time, or 150 minutes (two and a half hours). However, SPF only rates UVB rays, not skin damaging UVA rays. For that reason, never rely entirely on a sunscreen's SPF, and look for products that advertise "broad-spectrum protection," which means it protects against both types of rays.

Fabrics and sun-protective clothing are rated according to UPF (ultraviolet protection factor), which measures how well these items prevent sunburn in the same way that SPF does. While UPF does apply to both UVA and UVB rays, UPF claims aren't federally regulated, as SPF ratings are.

Nano-sized or Micronized Particles?

The primary drawback to sunscreens with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide is that they can leave a white tint on your skin. To make the lotions transparent, manufacturers shrink titanium dioxide or zinc oxide particles down to nano-sized particles. Smaller particles can act differently than larger particles when they enter the body, nano-sized particles have been cause for concern: Research indicates that nanoparticles of titanium dioxide are small enough to bypass your body's "blood-brain barrier" (a natural defense against foreign substances in the bloodstream) and enter the brain where they can damage brain cells. Larger particles, however, are blocked by that barrier and don't pose this problem. In 2006 the Australian government review on the topic found that neither titanium dioxide nor zinc oxide penetrate the skin deep enough to actually enter the bloodstream, and most scientific evidence supports the fact that nano-sized particles of these ingredients are often trapped in the outer layer of the skin and not absorbed (always avoided powders that may be inhaled). Now, if your leaning on the side of safety, you should choose sunscreens that use micronized ingredients (particles larger than 100 nm), which are mostly transparent but may still offer a slight tint.