What to Look For

Skin cancer is the most common, and one of the most preventable forms of cancer around the world. Prevention is as simple as protecting yourself from the sun. Because sunscreen comes into close, repeated contact with the skin it’s important to choose all natural sunscreens. The following are the basic elements to look for when deciding on a natural sunscreen.

Protection Rating

The SPF (sun protection factor) rating is regulated by the FDA. The SPF number is intended to show the number of minutes that exposed skin will take to burn with the sunscreen applied. It’s a good idea to look for sunscreens that offer “broad-spectrum” protection, as these are more likely to provide some protection against UVA rays as well as UVBrays (the SPF rating considers UVB and not UVA rays).

Mineral Ingredients

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are minerals that physically block UV rays from reaching the skin. Many synthetic sunscreens use chemicals to absorb UV rays. Physical sunblock ingredients like titanium and zinc dioxide are considered the best sun protection because they block all UV rays (UVB and UVA). These more natural sunscreen ingredients are also preferable over synthetic sunscreens because with the latter, the chemicals used to absorb UV rays are harmful and have been known to interfere with the body’s natural hormonal systems.

Micronized or Nano-sized Particles?

Several natural sunscreens now carry ingredient lists that say ‘micronized’ titanium dioxide. There has been some concern that these tiny particles could possibly enter through the skin, but there have since been a few different studies that show nano-particles of zinc or titanium dioxide do not penetrate the skin. Overall these micronized sunscreens are thought to provide a more thorough barrier of protection from the sun. It should be noted that while micronized particles of titanium and zinc dioxide are safe in liquids, these should not be in powders that could be inhaled.

New European Sunscreen Regulations and Natural Sunscreens

Recently European regulations regarding sunscreen have been stepped up a notch to require good protection for UVA as well as UVB rays. Many natural European sunscreens have been discontinued because they either could not or did not want to reformulate their sunscreens. Some have said it is not possible to formulate a natural sunscreen that fits these new criteria. Yet, there are several natural sunscreens from the US and Australia who come very close to or exceed these regulations. Look for natural micronized sunscreens.