Mineral Sunscreens are Best
Best Sunscreen
4 Best Sunscreeens
+Badger mineral sunscreen
+Raw Love mineral sunscreen
+Stream2Sea mineral sunscreen
+Waxhead mineral sunscreen
Most chemical sunscreens contain harmful ingredients, some of which are believed to be endocrine disruptors. Better to go with mineral sunscreens (also known as physical sunscreens) that have as their active ingredient zinc oxide or titanium oxide. This type physically blocks some of the sun's rays from penetrating your skin whereas the chemical ones absorb the UV radiation and convert it to heat which is then released. (No sunscreen will completely stop all UV radiation from your skin.)
The chemical sunscreens -- which is still the majority of them -- contain toxic chemicals like avobenzone, oxybenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octocrylene, retinyl palmitate and parabens that have a variety of known or suspected health impacts from hormone disruption to cancer. Some also damage coral and other marine life. In fact some of these sunscreens, depending on their chemical ingredients, have been banned in locations like Hawaii and parts of Mexico due to the damage they're causing to marine ecosystems.
While the chemical type has long dominated the market, that's changing as consumers are increasingly recognizing their toxic ingredients are not safe and are buying the mineral type instead.
The four mineral sunscreens Good as Dirt recommends are Badger brand, Raw Love, Stream2Sea and Waxhead. All use zinc oxide and are eco-friendly, using safe and natural ingredients. There are a variety of mineral sunscreens available but these four brands put some of their sunscreens in metal tins instead of a plastic tube and it's for this reason they're at the top of the list.
Using sunscreen together with covering up with natural fabrics like cotton, wearing hats and even carrying a parasol, is important. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 1 in 5 people will develop skin cancer by age 70 and an estimated 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day in the U.S. More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. And while skin cancer is highly treatable if caught early, still, an estimated 20 people in the U. S. die of melanoma every day. The vast majority of skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and tanning beds.
Mineral sunscreens are not only non-toxic and safer than their chemical neighbors on store shelves, they are also better at protecting your skin from both UVA and UVB radiation, both of which are damaging. For this reason sunscreens with these ingredients are referred to as broad spectrum. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide have both been recognized by the FDA as effective and safe in sunscreens.