reef-safe sunscreens
There’s yet another factor to
consider when choosing sun
protection: safety not just
for your skin but for the
environment. This year has
seen a huge increase in the
number of ‘reef-safe’ formulas,
as consumers become more
concerned about the oceans.
‘It is estimated that 10,000
tons of Uv filters are produced
annually. around 25 per cent
of the sunscreen ingredients
applied to your skin will be
released into the water over
the course of a 20-minute
swim,’ says charlotte vøhtz,
founder of green People. ‘The
use of oxybenzone is a huge
ecotourism concern and, in
recent years, several marine
parks have taken the decision
to ban sun creams containing
it.’ This is because it puts coral
reefs at risk of being bleached
and becoming vulnerable to
disease and death.
another ingredient raising
concern is ethylhexyl
methoxycinnamate. Studies
have shown that it is a
hormone disruptor that mimicsoestrogen and could be
genetically altering the
gender of fish.Be kind to the environment
as well as your skin with
these all-new sunscreens
that won’t harm wildlife...l Green People’s Marine
Friendly Suncare range (from
£18, greenpeople.co.uk).
l Soleil tojours sunscreens
(from £18, spacenk.com).
l ReN Clean Screen Mineral
SPF30 (£30, renskincare.
com).
l Organic Pharmacy
Cellular Protection Sun
Cream SPF30 (£39.95,
theorganicpharmacy.com).
l Caudalie Milky Sun Spray
SPF30 (£20, spacenk.com).Sign up to our newsletter at topsante.co.uk TopSanté 31
HealtH | SUnScreenAbi Cleeve. ‘It’s tough for skin to “breathe”
and the product can feel very greasy and leave
a white layer.’ Physical sunscreens usually
rely on titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide to
provide the protective element, and these
minerals can be difficult to rub in.
Chemical sunscreens contain the likes of
oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate and
avobenzone. In recent years, these chemicals
have come into question as they’ve been
found to seep into your skin. ‘The skin is a
great carrier of product into the body – just
look at the effectiveness of patches for
nicotine or HRT,’ says Abi. ‘Knowing this, we
have to be very careful what we put on it.’
A recent scientific study published by
the Food And Drug Administration in the
USA found that chemicals in sunscreen are
being absorbed into the bloodstream at much
higher levels than recommended, causing
concern about health implications. According
to the FDA’s findings, common ingredients,
including those mentioned above, were
detected in blood samples at levels that
exceed the ‘safe’ threshold recommended for
toxicology testing.
So with this in mind, should we all be
eschewing sunscreens altogether? Especially
when so many formulas on the market
contain both physical and chemical filters,
making it difficult to avoid the chemical ones?
‘This recent study involved a small number of
subjects and has shown that chemicals from
sunscreens are absorbed by the skin and are
found in the bloodstream,’ says Colin.
‘However, at present we don’t know whether
these chemicals have an impact on health at
the levels found. Until further evidence
becomes available, people should continue to
use sunscreens to reduce the known risks of
overexposure to the sun.’ Tscan sunscreen
really Be
waTerproof?
‘nothing is truly
waterproof but it
can be water
resistant,’ says
abi. ‘water
resistant means a
formula has been
tested to ensure up
to 40 minutes of
resistance
underwater. These
formulas are great
for swimming and
playing sports.’