musings of a gluten free runner

I really never used to wear sunscreen.  I told everyone that I drank enough carrot juice to protect my skin!  And then one day something clicked… I think it was turning 27 and realizing that I was nearing the down-slide to 30 and middle-adulthood.  It was like a hazard light went off in my brain: I AM AGING.   Obviously this seems overly dramatic, but I have a mother who has always been obsessed with skincare and it was just a matter of time until I joined in the compulsion.

For me it’s not just about finding the MOST effective products, but also finding the LEAST toxic ones.  Many active ingredients (like glycolic & salicylic acids) have been found to be potentially hazardous, but they give great results.  Just like any effective medication, there could be some side effects… it’s just a matter of how much you are willing to compromise.

One things that kill me are parabens.  These are simply chemical preservatives added to products to make them last longer on the store shelves.  They have been linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, mutations, and they are an endocrine disruptor (ie. they mess with your thyroid & hormones).  So why are cosmetic companies still adding these harmful preservatives to everything from makeup to shampoo to lotions?  We know they’re bad and many “natural” companies have abandoned them… there’s really no excuse.

And onto the hottly debated topic of Sunscreen.  Studies have linked certain UV filters to the transsexualization of male fish, hormone disrupting activity and low birth weights in infant girls.  One of these culprit chemicals is oxybenzone, which is common in many sunscreens.  To lower the toxicity of sunscreens look for physical and not chemical blockers (ie. zinc oxide) in their non-nano form.  This means that the particles are large enough to sit on the surface of the skin.  The downside to this is the dreaded pasty-ghost-white film… but many products are getting better.  A way around this is to use a tinted moisturizer with spf on your face.

I really like Juice Beauty’s tinted moisturizer (SPF 30).  It is the least harmful one that I’ve tried.  My mom swears by Skinceuticals Physical Defense SPF 30.

The cosmetics database from the Environmental Working Group, a DC-based nonprofit, has 1,000’s of products rated on their safety levels.  It’s a wonderful resource to lookup your favorite products and see their toxicity level.  I used to buy Aveeno’s Positively Radiant facial sunscreen until I looked it up a couple of years ago.  Today we are so bombarded with environmental pollutants and toxins from every angle (food, water, air, homes, etc.) that it is no wonder that an alarmingly high number of us have some kind of hormone, auto-immune, endrocrine (thyroid) or adrenal problem!  One of the easiest things we can control is what we put onto my body.

Here’s the 2009 Guide to Sunscreens.  Now, I’m off to enjoy the nice weather!

Also check out: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

One Response to “Best & Worst Sunscreens: Toxic Offenders”