Sunscreens with toxic ingredients being absorbed into our bloodstreams.

Protection from harmful UV rays is important, but so is the safety of sunscreens we lather all over our bodies, did chemical sunscreen manufacturers forget about the latter? In my research below, I dive deep into the three biggest sunscreen brands - Banana Boat, Neutrogena and Coppertone - and cover the toxic ingredients present in all of these. It is best to avoid such sunscreens — especially if you have sensitive skin or want something that is safe for new mothers, babies and kids.

The side effects of toxic ingredients in sunscreens could be immediate such as hives, dermatitis and allergic skin reactions, or they could be long term that are not immediately known. These long term bioaccumulative consequences - such as disruptions to our hormones and endocrine system and lower testosterone levels - are especially concerning. The focus in this research is thus studying both the immediate and the long term side effects. I give special attention to the active ingredients used by chemical sunscreen manufacturers and their troubling safety records - these include Oxybenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene and Avobenzone. I also cover the damage being done to our environment and coral reefs by these sunscreens.

Let’s now go brand by brand and learn about concerns surrounding each of these 3 sunscreen brands:

Please Note: Here is my article on all-natural mineral based sunscreens from small companies with integrity.

Also: Here is my article exploring the failure of traditional chemical based sunscreens in lowering skin cancer rates. The research article includes data over the last 50 years from the U.S. and U.K.