As a 20 year veteran of Colorado the thing I hear myself bragging about most readily is our almost 300 days of sunshine annually. Let’s be honest, we wake up with a pep in our step when we feel the warmth of the sun on our face.  That said, there is certainly a downside to our beautiful sun and that’s its propensity to burn if we aren’t properly protected.  I learned this the hard way last month as I found myself in surgery to remove a squamous skin cancer from my lip.  Ouch!  It wasn’t pleasant.  Since then I have become quite the aficionado on sunscreen and thought I would share the cleanest  and most effective ones for both adults and kiddos. As a bonus, I’ll also share a few sneaky ones that look healthy but aren’t. Buyers beware! 

So here’s what to look for:: A sunscreen that uses mineral ingredients. Mineral sunscreens protect your skin by blocking and reflecting UV light.  Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are mineral ingredients. They also protect without penetrating the skin. Your face will thank you!

Chemical sunscreens penetrate the skin and are unhealthy to the body, our water system and wildlife.  Oxybenzone, an ingredient found in most chemical sunscreens, is being investigated by the FDA for its potential health risks.  Homosalate is banned by the European Commision and America allows up to 15% of product ingredients to be made up of this toxic chemical.  

So how do you know which ones are chemical and which are mineral? Easy! Flip the bottle and look for the word “Mineral.” Don’t be sold by the word ‘Natural”. 

Look for these below and oh, I linked them to places you can buy them! 

For Kiddos;

1. All Good Natural Sunscreen

2. Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Natural Sunscreen

3. California Baby

4. Made Of Broad Spectrum Sunscreen

Try these sunscreens for Adults:

1. 100% Pure Everywhere Body, SPF 30 

2. Badger Clear Zinc Sunscreen Cream Unscented, 40 SPF (Protect Land + Sea certified)

3. Juice Beauty Sport Sunscreen, SPF 30 

4. Pipette Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50

Sneaky Sunscreens labeled as healthy but are not.

• Alba Botanica

• Panama Jack Naturals Baby Sunblock (see that sneaky word Naturals?)

• Blue Lizard

• Avalon Organics Baby (Don’t be fooled by organic too.  Doesn’t mean it’s mineral.)