Previously published in factoidz, Gather and Examiner
Of course the ideal sunscreen would block out the all the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. It would prevent immune suppression or boast immunity to the sun’s rays and it would prevent any free radical damage to skin cells. It would not breakdown and cause harmful toxicity to the body and it would last a long time on the skin. It would also feel good and smell good., Unfortunately no such product exists on the market today.
What are the best sunscreens that we have today
According to The Environmental Working Group, the best sunscreens are mineral sunscreens. They offer UV protection, last the longest, and seem not to penetrate into the skin.
Mexoryl SX (ecamsule) is a good product but harder to come by in the United States and more easily available in the Europe and Canada. The product is only sold if it adheres to the new FDA regulations in the USA. L’Oreal puts out sunscreens with this formula.
Tinosorb S and M (Tinosorb S (bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine) and Tinosorb M (methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol) are considered good products with the best UV protection, but for now they are only available in Europe and not the USA or Canada.
The fact of the matter is that Europe has the best sunscreens because they have more leeway in producing their products. For example, they can choose from up to 23 different ingredients, while in the USA ,a company can only choose up to 17. If the FDA rating was applied to European sunscreens, they would receive a 4 star rating while the current sunscreens available in the USA would only receive a three star rating. The approved chemicals for sunscreens in Europe are 5 times stronger than those in the USA.
Badger
Sunscreen for Face and Body, Unscented, SPF 30
Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 30 Lightly Scented
Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 15 Lightly Scented
Beyond Coastal
Lip and Face Screen, SPF 30
California Baby
Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30+, Citronella
Sunblock Stick Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+
Caribbean Solutions
Natural/Biodegradable SolGuard, SPF 25
Sol Kid Kare Natural Sunscreen, SPF 25
Jason Natural Cosmetics
Sunbrellas: Mineral Based Physical Sunblock, SPF 30+
Sunbrellas: Chemical Free Sunblock, SPF 30+
Earth’s Best: Sunblock Mineral Based, SPF 30+
Kabana Skin Care Green Screen Organic Sunscreen Fragrance Free, SPF 20
Green Screen Organic Sunscreen, SPF 22, Skin Tone Tinted
Please refer to the the Environmentally Working Group for a complete list of not only the best products, but a listing of the products to avoid as well.
Montrealers can find these products here at our pharmacies such as Pharma Prix or Jean Coutu, or they are sold on the Internet.
