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Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:56 am |
I've posted about this once before, but is worth bringing up again as I often see posts about recommendations for sunscreens. Unfortunately most of the ones we use are toxic as hell! Apparently the worst ingredient you can use is Oxybenzone:
25 MAR 2008 A new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that 97% of Americans are contaminated with a widely-used sunscreen ingredient called oxybenzone that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. A companion study published just one day earlier revealed that this chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. Oxybenzone is also a penetration enhancer, a chemical that helps other chemicals penetrate the skin.
The following website lists all the sunscreens from least toxic to most toxic. The web address was is too long to post so just enter this on your web browser:
Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database
It will ask you sign up for their newsletter but you can bypass that by clicking beneath that line on the No Thanks and it will take you to the list. Very interesting! |
_________________ Vehicle is a 1952 scratch and dent model....olive-ish, dry skin, long curly gray hair. Staples: Tazorac, 2mm Dermaroller, Anti Aging Light Stim, Devita Sunscreens, homemade C serums, some positive affirmations and whatever else it takes! Kicking and screaming the whole way... |
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Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:05 am |
EWG is known as an alarmist group. I would take anything they report with a grain of salt and do further research on your own for any particular issue that interests you. |
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Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:58 am |
Girlygirl, I can't speak to whether or not EWG is an "alarmist group," but if you do any search on toxins in sunscreens, the same information comes up over and over from other sites as well, so I don't think the concern is unwarranted. It appears to me that EWG is doing the work the FDA is failing to do and personally, I appreciate seeing how they rate the products I use. |
_________________ Vehicle is a 1952 scratch and dent model....olive-ish, dry skin, long curly gray hair. Staples: Tazorac, 2mm Dermaroller, Anti Aging Light Stim, Devita Sunscreens, homemade C serums, some positive affirmations and whatever else it takes! Kicking and screaming the whole way... |
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Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:06 pm |
i think too much information never hurt anybody rather than using a product blindly its better to be an informed consumer...better safe than sorry! |
_________________ age 33 .. skin dry with odd breakout now and then. skin color best i can describe is golden brown..tans easily |
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Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:15 pm |
There is a lot we don't know about long term exposure to oxybenzone, but it has a chemical profile that suggests a high potential for endocrine system disruption. Another reason to consider physical sunscreens or European sunscreens with tinosorb, which has not shown those kinds of in vitro effects. |
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:17 am |
I've read articles that mineral sunscreens could be problematic as well. It is so difficult for the consumer to know who to trust and what to use. |
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:00 am |
why are mineral SS problematic? |
_________________ age 33 .. skin dry with odd breakout now and then. skin color best i can describe is golden brown..tans easily |
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:12 pm |
From my reading of posts on EDS, the main problems with physical sunscreens are:
1. Lower protection than chemical sunscreens even at highest possible concentrations of zinc oxide.
2. High concentrations of zinc oxide give heavy white cast and the texture is not cosmetically elegant.
3. Microionized and nanoparticles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide help to reduce the white cast and make the product more cosmetically elegant but protection is even lower than with the larger particle minerals (non-micro and non-nano). Plus the smaller particle sizes (especially nano-sized) have greater risk of generating free radicals that can paradoxically damage skin cells rather than protecting skin when UV light shines on them. And absorption of nano-sized titanium dioxide may have other health risks in the body. The risks of these effects can be lessened if the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide particles are coated with silicone.
Please correct me if my interpretation of the information is not accurate. |
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:32 pm |
Dr. Loren Pickart considers chemical sunscreens to be dangerous as well. The problem comes with everyday use of deeply-penetrating chemicals over the long term.
I am using a titanium (non-micronized) based sunscreen by Nature's Gate. It is a little bit of a pain to spread but is not thick and greasy like Lavera's zinc dioxide sunscreen for babies. I find that the "bits" that seem to remain on the face can be easily buffed off with one of those soft dermabrasion cloths. |
_________________ Born in 1952. Blonde, very good skin. A few noticeable wrinkles. |
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:35 pm |
I never know about it before. Thanks for sharing |
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:39 pm |
I think we have to look very carefully at the thing we are putting on our skin. I don't know either way but am really interested in getting the facts about this. |
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Wed Jan 28, 2009 2:33 am |
Hi, again
The problem I have with mineral/physical sunscreens is that they break me out. I developed some very deep, large, painful, cyst like pimples after using a facial moisturizer with titanium and zinc.
Chemical sunscreens, on the otherhand, tend to make my face a bit greasy looking.
I try to take care of my skin the best I can so am always reading up on the subject but sometimes there is so much information out there and so many varying view points it is difficult for me to know what to believe. |
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Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:01 pm |
Maybe you can try titanium dioxide only or zinc only mineral sunscreens. It may be one of the ingredients that's breaking you out rather than both. |
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Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:25 am |
mountaingirl wrote: |
I've posted about this once before, but is worth bringing up again as I often see posts about recommendations for sunscreens. Unfortunately most of the ones we use are toxic as hell! Apparently the worst ingredient you can use is Oxybenzone:
25 MAR 2008 A new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that 97% of Americans are contaminated with a widely-used sunscreen ingredient called oxybenzone that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. A companion study published just one day earlier revealed that this chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. Oxybenzone is also a penetration enhancer, a chemical that helps other chemicals penetrate the skin.
The following website lists all the sunscreens from least toxic to most toxic. The web address was is too long to post so just enter this on your web browser:
Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database
It will ask you sign up for their newsletter but you can bypass that by clicking beneath that line on the No Thanks and it will take you to the list. Very interesting! |
Uhh, theres no alternative for me. I will wear sunscreen every single day to prevent brown spots, and further wrinkling. Sunscreen is the best anti aging product and some will even prevent pre-cancerous growths. |
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Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:24 am |
hhm Oxybenzone... Does anyone know the chemical name for it or how it's usually labelled on the sunscreen? So this would be worse than Octinoxate which is widely used then?
I'm really frustrated & annoyed at all these harmful ingredients that're used in many sunscreens to protect our skin.... Sometimes I wonder if I should sacrifice my skin for a healthy body or the other way around |
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Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:32 am |
Oxybenzone is normally referred to (in Canada at least) as oxybenzone or Benzophenone-4. |
_________________ Born in 1952. Blonde, very good skin. A few noticeable wrinkles. |
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Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:45 pm |
burts bees make a safe sunscreen that is all natural - it doesn't contain any of the aforementioned chemicals and works pretty well. there is even one for kids.
the only thing is that it does look a bit white when it is first applied. you can sort of seen the film of stuff on your skin, but if that is the trade off to damage - not a bad one, especially if you are baking on the beach! |
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Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:52 pm |
The main ingredient IN BB's sunscreen is Titanium Dioxide. I really find this to be the best (non-micronized). |
_________________ Born in 1952. Blonde, very good skin. A few noticeable wrinkles. |
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Thu Jan 29, 2009 2:29 pm |
Stardustdy wrote: |
hhm Oxybenzone... Does anyone know the chemical name for it or how it's usually labelled on the sunscreen? So this would be worse than Octinoxate which is widely used then?
I'm really frustrated & annoyed at all these harmful ingredients that're used in many sunscreens to protect our skin.... Sometimes I wonder if I should sacrifice my skin for a healthy body or the other way around |
Stardusty, here is a good site about cosmetic ingredients and here is what`s written about oxybenzone:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=704372
I feel your pain and I`m frustrated too. It seems the only safe sunscreen ingredients are non-micronized and silicone coated zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, but they are impossible to wear, I can`t imagine wearing a white mask every day for the sake of beautiful skin |
_________________ 31, combo - oily, breakout-prone, fair complexion, sensitive and prone to rosacea |
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Thu Jan 29, 2009 2:43 pm |
I agree there is a difference when you consider the activity level. There are times when the activity justifies the need for something that will protect you. Melanoma kills. Skin Deep has much information that is helpful, and much that is not. They list Vit K and rose hip seed just to name a couple as toxins. Water is a toxin if you want to think about it. It makes it very hard to even attempt to understand something when there are people who portend to be experts in topics who maybe are experts, in very small areas, it doesn't mean they can apply that knowledge to interpreting the complex. Not much fun for consumers. There is a lot of wonderful, helpful information on this website that makes sense to me and it may help someone elsewww.greatnewskin.com the "just the facts tab". |
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Thu Jan 29, 2009 3:57 pm |
Aiva wrote: |
I can`t imagine wearing a white mask every day for the sake of beautiful skin |
Aiva, The product I use is white to begin with, then quickly blends into the skin and becomes transparent. Occasionally, a little fleck of white is left behind and I buff it off. My foundation goes on perfectly over the sunscreen. |
_________________ Born in 1952. Blonde, very good skin. A few noticeable wrinkles. |
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Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:38 am |
Antonia wrote: |
Aiva wrote: |
I can`t imagine wearing a white mask every day for the sake of beautiful skin |
Aiva, The product I use is white to begin with, then quickly blends into the skin and becomes transparent. Occasionally, a little fleck of white is left behind and I buff it off. My foundation goes on perfectly over the sunscreen. |
Hi Antonia
I usually keep it very simple and do not use foundation, just dusting of mineral powder (L`Oreal at the moment). I`m too lazy and do not have that much time in the morning for a complicated routine (and I have waiting times with my vit.C serum). |
_________________ 31, combo - oily, breakout-prone, fair complexion, sensitive and prone to rosacea |
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Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:17 am |
Aiva, I will use my mineral powder tomorrow over the sunscreen and let you know how it works out... Isn't mineral powder supposed to contain its own sunscreen? |
_________________ Born in 1952. Blonde, very good skin. A few noticeable wrinkles. |
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Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:58 am |
Antonia wrote: |
Isn't mineral powder supposed to contain its own sunscreen? |
yes, it does provide some protection, but not enough, moreover I`m using high % of retinaldehyde, so need very good UVA/UVB protection.
I`ve started using Shiseido Extra Smooth spf30 sunscreen, it contains titanium dioxide and octocrylene. I`m not that happy with octocrylene which is supposed to attack the skin with free radicals, buy I hope my vit.C serum will help me here. The sunscreen does leave a white cast, but it disappears quickly and just makes my skin a little paler than it is, but I`m glad of it |
_________________ 31, combo - oily, breakout-prone, fair complexion, sensitive and prone to rosacea |
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Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:03 am |
Yes, that Octocrylene is not a good ingredient for sure. I'm not certain of how or why creating free radicals in order to prevent free radical action caused by UVA light is of benefit. I'm sure my liver looks like a trilobite due to past chemical sunscreen use. |
_________________ Born in 1952. Blonde, very good skin. A few noticeable wrinkles. |
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