Environmental Working Group's 2010 Shopper's Guide to Sunscreen - UPDATE!

UPDATE: Environmental Working Group has released their 2010 Sunscreen Guide.

With Spring upon us, it's a great time to check out the sunscreen that is hanging around your house.  Environmental Working Group has once again proved to be a great resource when it comes to purchasing sunscreen.  You can check out their full report:  Environmental Working Group's 2009 Shopper's Guide to Sunscreen.


Best Easy to Find Sunscreens

California Baby - any sunscreen
Mustela - “Sun Cream” or “Sun Lotion, Bebe”
Mission Skincare - “Face Stick”
Neutrogena - “Pure & Free” or “Sensitive Skin”  

Symhomemom Comment:  The Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby sunscreen is now listed as 7 - AVOID.  As you see in the picture below this is one of the Sunscreens that I purchased.  Fortunately I have not opened one of them yet so I will be returning it.  I am disappointed in EWG's inconsistency between 2009-2010 and what appears to be incomplete reviews of a lot of sunscreens in the 2010 guide. 

Blue Lizard - “Face”, “Baby”, or “Sensitive”
Jason Natural or Earth’s Best - “Mineral Based”
Solar Sense - “Clear Zinc Sport Stick”
CVS - “Sport Sunstick”
Coppertone Water BABIES - “Pure & Simple”

Reading the Labels

BUY
SPF 30 or higher for best protection.
At least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for broad spectrum protection.

AVOID
Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3:  skin absorption, allergies, hormone problems
Spray and powder sunscreens:  inhaling sunscreens can pose extra risks
Fragrance:  allergies, reproductive problems
Sunscreen with added bug repellent:  you can get too much of the pesticide in your body


Here is what we purchased:

Photo Credit:  About.com and Amy Lloyd