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| Photo Credit: Healthy Living Magazine |
- Physical blocks with zinc oxide over chemical blocks with ingredients such as oxybenzone which is hormone disruptor or retinol or its derivatives (retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate) which is believed to increase sun sensitivity.
- Select suncreens with SPF between 15 and 50 and has broad spectrum so you are protected from both UVA and UVB (phyical blocks with zinc oxide protects from both).
- Avoid sprays since it might be inhaled and also difficult to gauge how much of the product actually makes it onto the skin.
Check out a previous post on Sunscreen Basics for more info on the ingredients. The ones that we use daily are Badger All Season Face Stick for the face (very easy to apply) and either Thinkbaby Sunscreen or Badger Broad Spectrum for the body.
Sunscreen alone is not enough, other things to bear in mind for sun safety during this summer:
- Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before and reapply every two hours.
- Apply a huge dollop (golf ball size).
- Try to stay indoors when the sun is the harshest - 10 am to 2 pm.
- Accessorize with sun hats (4" brim), sunglasses, and rashguards.
Practicing sun safety early reduces the risk of melanoma later in life so it's never too early to start. Check out Environmental Working Group's 2013 Sunscreen Guide for more info on individual sunscreens and their safety rating.
Happy Summer!!