Worrywart
Editing The Green Guide is the perfect job for me because I worry so. The simplest daily event is rife with potential perils. Walking down the street, I'm exposed to diesel particulates from an idling truck that can lead to cancer; vapor drifting from a construction site could disrupt my hormones. Catching my reflection in a glass, I ask: Am I heart-attack fat? At a dinner party, I break into a sweat: Will I get mad cow disease from this saute de boeuf?
I have learned that the best antidote to worrying is finding out the facts, which is our mission at The Green Guide. This blog is dedicated to worrywarts everywhere. Let me know what's worrying you!
–Mindy Pennybacker
| Back To the BlogNano-Sunscreens, Part Two
On the eve of a longer-than-usual July Fourth weekend, I was delighted to find The Green Guide's current top sunscreen pick, Jason's Chemical-Free SPF 30-plus Sunblock, at the Fairway Supermarket in Manhattan–on sale! This product contains no parabens, nor any of the conventional active sunscreen ingredients, such as benzophenone, homosalate and octyl-methoxycinnamate, that are linked to hormone disruption in animal tests and readily absorbed by skin. Instead, Jason's and the other products listed on our freshly updated (as of today, June 28) Smart Shopper's Sunblock Card rely on zinc oxide and/or titanium (TiO2) dioxide, which are minerals that physically block damaging UV rays and are not easily absorbed by skin. Dr. John Knowland of Oxford University in England has told us that TiO2 is much less likely than other chemical sunscreens to penetrate human skin.
And, according to Dr. Kazutaka Hirakawa of Shizuoka University in Japan, TiO2 under normal conditions does not pose a toxic threat as a sunscreen. But because the jury's still out on the possible health impacts of nano micro-particles, sometimes used to make zinc or TiO2-based sunscreens transparent, we've selected products that are either non-micronized or use micro-particles in the bigger range. The sunscreen smart shopper's card specifies whether micronized formulations are used. For now, it's good to know that the Australian government's January, 2006 survey of studies to date on micronized sunscreens concludes that "the weight of current evidence is that they remain on the surface of the skin and in the outer dead layer (stratum corneum) of the skin."
I also recommend trying testers at the store: squeeze a bit of a mineral-based sunscreen on your arm–if it's white and doesn't turn transparent as you rub it on skin, it's not going to be easily absorbed. Jason's Chemical-Free easily passed that test. And I have to confess that I still love and use my zinc/TiO2 Mustela Bebe Block, even though it contains parabens! It stays on in the water, and as I only use it on my face, and only when surfing, I figure it isn't having a chance to invade my breast cells the way, say, a deodorant might (parabens have been linked to breast cancer cell proliferation in lab tests).
In any case, take care not to put any sunscreen on broken skin, where it can more easily gain entry into the bloodstream. A waterproof Band-Aid can block sun in these areas.
One does have to be on guard against green marketing claims: Last week in California, I was told by a salesperson that a sunscreen containing benzophenone was "chemical free." She was looking only at the inactive ingredients, which were all plant essential oils–nice, but not nice enough!
To help you sort through all this label lingo, be sure to take along our Smart Shopper's cards as you do your weekend shopping, whether it's for sunscreen or after-sun lotions (see our Dirty Dozen Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products for ingredients to avoid), safest picnic plastics, or meat and fish for the grill.
For more information, please see The Green Guide's Sunscreens and Sunblocks Product Report.
© The Green Guide, 2008
Discuss this blog
posted by awittink@mac.com on 2006-06-28 15:06:51
I see you mention California Baby as one of the "OK" sunscreens, but I'm pretty sure it contains "micronized titanium dioxide". I would check, but I threw it out because a trusted organization working on nano-particles in sunscreens told me that "micronized" is code-word for nanotechnology.
It concerns me that it's on your list -- do you have any information that I don't?
Alicia
posted by mpennybacker on 2006-06-28 16:40:45
Alicia,
Good to hear from you! You're right, California Baby contains "micronized," (code word for nano-ized) titanium dioxide, and that is why it is marked with an asterisk on our Smart Shoppers' Card. Unfortunately, nanotechnology has so quickly been adopted that, as you see on the card, only three products using mineral block remain non-micronized: Lavera, Jason's Chemical-Free, and zinc oxide ointment in a tube, which lifeguards have been smearing on noses for decades.
If you can find those three at your store, you're in luck--one reason I list Jason's as my top pick is that it is so widely available, and non-micronized. We have listed the other varieties so that readers will have options,practically speaking, should they be unable to find non-nano products in a pinch.
We have spoken with the manufacturers, with scientists, and carefully looked at the not too pretty sites of EWG and at FOE's nano article, as well as the new Australian survey of the studies that says that nano-ized sunscreens seem safe enough, based on what is known so far.
We will stay on top of this topic, however, continuing to regularly update our sunscreen cards as we do all our other content.
Best,
Mindy
Green Guide Editor
posted by drsue on 2006-06-29 16:03:42
I noticed you listed Aubrey organics as a non chemical sunscreen. But one ingredient is Padimate-O, listed as a PABA ester. I e-mailed the company, but have not received a response.Any info on this?
posted by mpennybacker on 2006-06-29 18:58:42
As our Smart Shopper's Card notes, Aubrey does contain PABA. Those who aren't allergic to PABA should be able to use the product. The list is not of non-chemical sunscreens, as most contain some chemicals, but of products that are free of the active ingredients of most concern because of their links to hormone disruption in lab tests.
posted by klbrowne on 2006-07-04 13:41:06
I believe California Baby Sunscreen (as in most all of their products) contains methylparaben for preservative. The ingredients call it "natural". What is your feeling about the paraben they use?
Thanks. Kelly
posted by mpennybacker on 2006-07-05 18:44:42
Hi Kelly,
According to our latest California Baby watch, there are no parabens in the sunscreen we recommend in our Smart Shopper's sunblock card (see clickthrough in my blog). They're evolving, as are other companies, but we need to stay on top of them.
posted by elisa_b7 on 2006-07-31 15:57:23
thanks for all the great info on sunscreens. I see in one of your postings that you listed 3 products Jasons, Lavera and zinc oxide as not having nano particles. Does this mean UV Natural does contain them? The infor I have from the company says they use "coated xinc oxide". Can you clairfy? Also just wanted to note that the products on Dr. Huschka's website that you listed in the recent update, look great, but aren't available in the US until 2007. Thanks!
posted by elisa_b7 on 2006-07-31 16:27:17
hello again, I saw on EWG report that they recommend aubrey which uses padimate-O. Their reports says "Aubrey's contains titanium dioxide and padimate O--a supposedly safer derivative of now rarely used para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)" I noticed on the green guides smart card that Padimate-o is listed as one to look out for b/c of DNA damage. This seems to be conflicting. Can you clairfy?
Also would you consider ranking sunscreens in terms of overall safety. Some are listed with no nano particles, but do contain chemicals and those that are all natural contain nano-particles. AHHH! How does one decided. Thanks!
posted by elisa_b7 on 2006-08-02 21:07:15
Hello, Do all the zinc oxide sunscreens contain an alumnium coating? Is this harmful? Thanks~
posted by elisa_b7 on 2006-08-04 10:42:39
Message from UV Natural in regards to if they use aluminum coating on their zinc. "Absolutely not, our coating is made from coconut oil and we are the only ones in the world with this technology as far as I know. UV natural is unlike anything available."
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