Skin Deep

Today was the first 70 degree day of the year. We met our playgroup friends at a park for a little romp. We had a blast, but I noticed when we got home that we all looked a little pink-cheeked and somehow my freckles have quadrupled. I forgot the sunscreen. Rats!! I sort of thought we were safe, but I guessed wrong. That sent me to Skin Deep a data base of research on the safety of cosmetics and skin care products sponsored by the Environmental Working Group. There they have a list of all of the sunscreens they tested and how the sunscreens were ranked for safety by measuring toxins in the sunscreens themselves as well as how they actually protect you against the sun. This list is a little intimidating because the ones that ranked the best are a) hard to find and b) expensive. But, after going through the list I found that CVS has a moderately hazardous ranked sunscreen, as does Trader Joes which are both easy enough for me to find and inexpensive. Last year I used the CVS sunscreen with zinc oxide 45+, but I can't find it on their website this year. I can only find the sunblock +30, but I'll check in the stores and see if they have it.
I got a little long-winded just trying to tell you to check out your family's skin-care products at Skin Deep to see how they're ranked. It might just surprise you at how toxic your child's shampoo might be. (Darn that "fragrance"!)