You’ve done a thorough job eliminating plastic, you eat organic when possible, and you are always on the hunt for more sustainable products. Sadly, when it comes to everyday SPF skincare products, you find the offerings sparse. At MADE SAFE we believe you shouldn’t have to apply potentially harmful ingredients to your skin in order to be protected from harmful UV exposure. After all, our skin is our largest organ and despite providing a physical barrier to the outside world, it still allows chemicals to enter our bloodstream.
Typical sunscreen ingredients can include things like: siloxanes, PEGs, avobenzone, benzophenone, and nanoparticle zinc oxide. Read more about sunscreen.
Siloxanes are commonly used in sunscreens to add a silky, smooth feel and they’re persistent in the environment. Numerous siloxanes are persistent in the environment. Some are classified as toxic to aquatic life, endocrine disruptors, and possible reproductive toxins.
PEG ingredients are considered penetration enhancers, substances that make it easier for other ingredients to pass through the skin. These can be contaminated with ethylene oxide, a chemical associated with multiple kinds of cancer.
Avobenzone is problematic in sunscreen products because it isn’t photostable: it breaks down from sun exposure, rendering it ineffective. Furthermore, the breakdown of avobenzone can also generate free radicals within the skin. Free radicals can lead to oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation, which then can lead to damage of lipids, DNA, and to cells overall.
Benzophenone is considered carcinogenic. There is also some evidence of endocrine disruption. This ingredient is toxic to aquatic life and, like siloxanes, it is persistent in the environment.
Nanoparticle zinc oxide is linked to toxicity to human neural cells and nasal mucosa cells. It can induce oxidative stress and apoptosis. Nano size zinc oxide is also associated with mitochondrial and DNA damage, even at low doses. Airborne zinc oxide nanoparticles can enter the respiratory system and induce inflammatory responses. In zebrafish, nano zinc oxide is acutely toxic and has been linked to developmental toxicity and DNA damage. Read more about Nanoparticles.
Check out all MADE SAFE Certified sunscreens to avoid known or suspected harmful sunscreen ingredients.
What usually goes into conventional sunscreen products will not be found in True Botanicals’ new Certified MADE SAFE sunscreen, Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30. The groundbreaking formula is free of any pore-clogging waxes, toxic ingredients, and is non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. True Botanicals uses antioxidant-rich and age-defying ingredients such as chebula, a potent antioxidant; olive-derived squalane, and a wild-harvested, sustainably-extracted sea buckthorn. With this product, True Botanicals has created an SPF skincare product you’ll actually love wearing.