So many people ask me which is the best sunscreen.
Of course I love SkinCeuticals because they are well-formulated and effective. However, there’s probably no sunscreen that is 100% safe or 100% effective.
So first let’s talk about chemical vs. no chemicals…An ideal sunscreen would be free of synthetic chemicals, harmful preservatives, and PABA. Personally I don’t worry about nano particles, because they have been found to be safe. (see my blog 11-Aug-08)
The new higher SPF products contain chemicals. And according to a small study published in Free Radical Biology & Medicine in 2006 these chemicals may actually cause damage to the skin. If you have time, check out this excellent article from Feb 09 Allure Magazine.
If you want to avoid chemicals, terms as “organic” or ”natural” sunscreen are often misleading, so do check this link to the Skin Deep website to help you find products that are truly chemical-free or just to peruse what other products are out there!
In the meantime, I will not be compromising my outdoor activities. I will still use sunscreen and prefer a zinc-based product. I will continue to use Skinceuticals SPF 20 or 30 for daily use and their Sport SPF 45 when I am exercising outside. For the body, I use and recommend the sunscreen from Trader Joes which has 10% zinc as the active ingredient and only costs $4. I slather it on!!
outside and staying protected
Cheers,
Sue
