Mommy Goes Green

SafeMama‘s Kathy and Statia spend a lot of time combing through the ingredients in sunscreens to find the safest ones for our families.  Check out the guidefor 2010 to make sure you buy one on their list.  I’m disappointed that one of my favorite brands, TruKid, didn’t make the list (except for the stick) – hopefully they’ll take note for future formulations. 

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

Summer is here although I don’t know if it will stick around here, in the Northwest.  But we’ve been teased with beautiful weather for the past two weeks and it looks as if that will continue for another couple days.  Sun brings with it all kinds of new needs – sprinklers, gardening, swimming, flip flops and SUNSCREEN.  The dreaded sunscreen.  I don’t know why but it’s not my favorite part of summer. 

Regardless, use it we must so we do. 

Like every other personal care product, sunscreen can contain chemicals you don’t want to smother all over your child’s body ( or yours ), these include:

• PABA
• Benzophenone (benzophenone-3), homosalate, and octy-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate), Oxybenzone
• Parabens (butyl-, ethyl-, methyl-, and propyl-)
• Padimate-O and Parsol 1789 (Avobenzone)
• Phthalates (often hiding in “fragrance”)

If your sunscreen contains one or more of these, dump it for a safer one.  I can’t do justice to all of the time and effort that SafeMama has put into sunscreen testing and review so I direct you to their ‘Safer Sunscreen Cheat Sheet‘ for a list of their favorite safe sunscreens.

Personally, we are using Vivesana’s Solar to Polar line, one for my daughter and one for myself.  I like that I can pronounce all the ingredients ( no parabens, phthalates, or sodium lauryl sulfate ) and my daughter hasn’t gotten any of the icky rashes on her face that other sunscreens have giver her.   In fact, when Vivesana did clinical hypoallergenic testing, they had NO reactions in 8 weeks of testing.  This is the product for you if you’re kid has sensitive skin.  I’ve also used Badger and California Baby sunscreen products and have liked both.  All of these products require a little extra rubbing in but it doesn’t bother me - seeing the white on my daughter’s skin helps me to make sure I’ve covered every nook and cranny. 

Also, a quick reminder on good sunscreen use :

• apply 30 minutes before going outside
• reapply EVERY 2 hours
• reapply after swimming
• don’t skimp – 1 ounce to exposed skin ( about a palm full )

Enjoy your SAFE SUMMER!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.