![\"\"](\"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Sunburnbyjeanieforever.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Each year The Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes their Sunscreen Guide<\/a>.\u00a0 The guide is a round-up of the best in several categories of sunscreen; Best Beach & Sport Sunscreens, Best Lip Balms with SPF, Best Moisturizers with SPF, and Best Makeup with SPF.\u00a0 The sunscreens are also listed as mineral or non-mineral, and the guide includes the worst of the worst in their Hall of Shame<\/a>.<\/p>\n EWG\u2019s Sunscreen Guide <\/a>is packed full of helpful information and great product recommendations.\u00a0 The guide also contains some sunscreens that most natural beauty experts (myself included) would not<\/em> recommend their readers use<\/strong>.\u00a0 This discrepancy is due to a few main factors:<\/p>\n First, EWG ranks sunscreens by effectiveness first.\u00a0 This means that the UVA\/UVB protection is their top priority in selecting the \u201cbest\u201d sunscreens, over safety of ingredients.\u00a0 So, while EWG\u2019s Skin Deep database may rank an ingredient as a high hazard, a sunscreen containing this same ingredient may top one of their \u201cbest of\u201d lists in the Sunscreen Guide because the product offers high UV protection.<\/p>\n Fragrance also plays a role in how well sunscreens rank in the guide.\u00a0 Unscented sunscreens usually receive better rankings than those with fragrance, even if the unscented sunscreen is less \u201cnatural\u201d than the scented one.\u00a0 This is because the term \u201cfragrance\u201d on a product label can determine both synthetic and natural fragrance ingredients, to protect trademark scents<\/a>.\u00a0 EWG ranks any \u201cfragrance\u201d as an \u201c8\u201d (with 1 being lowest, 10 being highest hazard), whether natural or not.<\/p>\n Then there is the inhalable mineral issue.\u00a0 Powder and spray mineral sunscreens don\u2019t receive quite as good marks in the Sunscreen Guide because of potential inhalation risks.\u00a0 We have to keep in mind that a lotion spray is not airborne and does not pose the same threat as a powder.\u00a0 That said, I do use a mineral sunscreen facial powder regularly and feel it is safe.<\/p>\n Again, EWG\u2019s Sunscreen Guide <\/a>is meant as a resource to help consumers choose the safest sunscreen products for themselves and their families.\u00a0 The guide is very thorough and contains lots and lots of products to choose from. Stop back next week when I will share my own sunscreen review for the season.<\/p>\nHow Best to Use EWG’s Sunscreen Guide<\/h3>\n
\nMy advice:\u00a0 as with all cosmetic and personal care products, read your labels.\u00a0 Look for ingredients from the Ingredients to Avoid <\/a>list and avoid chemical sunscreens.\u00a0 If one of your favorite natural brands gets a poor ranking on the list, or a main stream brand seems to rank a little too well, do some investigating and ask questions.\u00a0 Leave a comment below or send me an email \u2013 liz(at)organicbeautysource(dot)com — if you\u2019d like to check on an ingredient or product.\u00a0 EWG works very hard to bring clarity to the very foggy area of cosmetics, but it is a big job and, at this point, we still need to protect ourselves<\/em>.<\/p>\n