I have heard a lot of talk lately that sunscreen unless bought "organic" can be toxic to children. Well I can't believe how expensive these sunscreens are and we go through sooooo much in the summer. What are your thoughts on sunscreen and what kind do you recommend?
Thanks!!!
Just get sunscreen that is formulated for a baby or child. The organic thing is a marketing ploy just like so many other marketing ploys out there to instill fear in new moms ex: (BPA free, Organic, arsenic , etc)
you have to get baby suncreen .. it is more sensitive toward the skin.. but organic i would go with. Aveno would be my best choice .. dermatologist recommended for children
Oh, please don't get Aveeno!! It has more chemicals then just about any other sunscreen. You can search this site, for the safest and worst sunscreens. (Aveeno and Nutrogena...the ones that people recommend to be the gentlest...often have the worst ingredients.)
http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/
Also, studies have conclusively linked the chemicals in sunscreens to certain cancers...it's not a farce. We are the only Wealthy nation, to not have banned BPA use. Except China...which is not someone we want to be like.
California Baby..I can buy it at Target. I love not having to order online and pay for shipping.
I've always used the formula for babies (well, children now, as my boys are 3 and almost 6), and I've always used Banana Boat or Coppertone. I would buy the generic, but I don't remember seeing one for kids the last time I was in the store.
Personally, I'm ok with buying non-organic. People get very freaked out by the word "chemical." Just because something is chemically made does not necessarily mean it is unsafe. It's just not that simple. Water is a chemical, salt is a chemical, alcohol is a chemical. Sorry, my husband is a manager in a chem lab, so I get an earful all the time. Unless your child is allergic or ingests the sunscreen somehow, I would be more concerned with not using sunscreen than with using a non-organic sunscreen.
Just think of all of the 'Coppertone babies' that are on this site and lived to tell about it! I've had my share of non-organic sunscreen and I'm somewhat normal :)
I don't know if ours is "organic" but we do use the all natural ones you can buy at whole foods (or similar stores). I break out in an awful itchy rash from coppertone and banana boat. My daughter breaks out in big blotchy hives from banana boat as well (mine are not hives though).
So, for us, I'd say the natural ones are better for my family.
This is a great and helpful site on sun screens...tells you what is in it and rating on each of the brands...you can either look by ratings or search for a specific brand...I made some major changes after reading through all this info!
http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/about-the-sunsc...
Oh and as I learned just because it says baby, or kids doesn't mean it is safe and good!
because it is the easiest to get locally and costs is nice this is what we end up getting...still not the Best out there but pretty good
http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/about-the-sunsc...
I just keep updating lol...also the higher the SPF the more chemicals and higher concentration so better to go 30 SPF or lower and apply more often!
Check out the environmental working group site listed below.
What you put on your skin is absorbed internally (just think of those nausea meds you put on your wrist) so I do not want any potentially toxic chemicals on my children or myself.
You can buy sunscreen at vitacost for a little cheaper rate. I like the Badger brand, I didn't find it to be streaky when putting on.
Yes, non- organic sunscreen is safe.
If you are concerned about the chemicals, just find a 100% mineral based sunscreen.....whether it is organic or not, I don't think it makes a difference.
I also use California Baby and get it at Target. If you buy in bulk from the CB website you can save. I used to balk at the price to but at the end of the day, skin is our largest organ - I'm not going to slather my kids in toxins to save a few dollars.
http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/
There is the site that keeps track of which of the sunscreens had which fatal flaw. It doesn't have to be organic just sans of any of the ingredients that are even banned in sunscreens by the European unions. This is the updated 2012 list it appears even.
I am not well educated on this matter but my philosophy is use the regular sunscreen but the kid needs to have it washed off at the end of the day
I believe mineral based sunscreens are better than the synthetic chemical based ones. Zinc containing products have been used for years with no real side effects. Now because the particles in these sunscreens can be made smaller, the lotions are not nearly as white as they used to be. I like the Badger products because the particles are small enough to make the product translucent, without being small enough to enter cells. That last part is important. It's on sale now at the Whole Foods near me, maybe it's on sale at other Whole Foods too. I don't like the idea of putting sunblock on my kids, but I don't want them to get melanoma either.
