sunscreens that don't screen out the sun

The Environmental Working Group have released findings from a recent study on sunscreens. They studied 952 (!) brand-name sunscreens, only to find that 4 out of 5 sunscreens don't work, AND contain harmful chemicals.

The EWG recommends that you use SPF 30 or higher, and only buy products with at least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for broad spectrum protection. Oxybenzone (or benzophenone-3) is a common chemical in sunscreen that should be avoided.

For the full article, click here.

I thought I had been keeping up to date on this stuff, but I had to clean out my cabinets when I read that Neutrogena, Banana Boat, and Coppertone were among the many brands that don't work.

Click here for a list of products that the EWG recommends. You can also search for the product that you're already using and check their review.

The list has brands that you won't find at your local pharmacy. I headed out to Rainbow Grocery, only to find the shelf had pretty much been cleared out. Apparently I wasn't the only one who read this article. I ended up buying UV Natural Sunscreen SPF 30. It goes on pretty thick but blends in, and is a bit greasy. But if it works, I can't complain.

I talked to a staff person for recommendations for a facial sunscreen. She recommended Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer 30 . It's not on the list and hasn't been reviewed yet by the EWG. I called the company to get a percentage of the zinc oxide. It's over 14%, and it doesn't contain oxybenzone. It has good reviews on Amazon, and it seems to be working. Funny, because previously I had noticed that I was getting tan, despite using Neutrogena sunblock...

UPDATE on 8/8/08: I spent a week in hot and sunny Costa Rica, and I'm happy to report that both the Devita and UV Natural sunscreens worked splendidly. On me and on my rather pasty traveling companion.