The Hidden Dangers In Sunscreens: What You Need to Know
For most of our lives, we’ve trusted that the sunscreens on the market are safe and effective, but recent research paints a different picture. It turns out that many common chemical sunscreens contain ingredients linked to potential health and environmental risks. At Meadow and Bark, we believe it’s time to question what’s inside your sunscreen and why safer alternatives, like all-mineral formulas, are crucial.
The Problematic Ingredients in Conventional Sunscreens
Chemical sunscreens often include ingredients such as avobenzone, octisalate, homosalate, oxybenzone, and octocrylene—names you may have never heard of, but they’ve been shown to have potentially harmful effects:
- Avobenzone: While effective at protecting against UVA rays, it degrades quickly in the sun and can lead to the formation of free radicals, which can contribute to skin aging and cell damage.
- Octisalate & Homosalate: These chemicals are used to stabilize avobenzone, but they have been linked to potential hormone disruption.
- Octocrylene: Studies have shown that octocrylene can degrade into benzophenone, a known carcinogen that can cause skin allergies.
Additionally, some sunscreen brands in the U.S. have turned to butyloctyl salicylate, an SPF booster that helps enhance the product’s sun protection. However, this ingredient is essentially a derivative of octisalate—making it less safe than initially assumed. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has raised concerns over this and other chemicals commonly found in sunscreens.
Why is the U.S. Lagging Behind in Sunscreen Safety?
Part of the issue lies in outdated regulations. The 1938 U.S. law classifies sunscreens as drugs rather than cosmetics, requiring rigorous testing, including on animals, to get new ingredients approved. This slows innovation and limits access to safer and more effective sunscreen options. Meanwhile, Europe and Australia have been able to adopt a wider range of UV filters with higher mineral active percentages, leading to sunscreens that often offer better broad-spectrum protection and higher SPF ratings.
In the U.S., manufacturers are limited to 25% of the total formula being composed of mineral actives like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. This cap often forces manufacturers to include other, potentially harmful, SPF boosters, like butyloctyl salicylate, to achieve a competitive SPF rating.
The Environmental Impact
Beyond human health, the environmental toll of chemical sunscreens is staggering. Oxybenzone and octinoxate, in particular, have been shown to contribute to coral bleaching, damaging fragile marine ecosystems. If these chemicals are wreaking havoc on coral reefs, imagine what they could be doing to our bodies.
The Debate Around Butyloctyl Salicylate: A Regulatory Loophole?
In addition to its potential health risks, what's even more staggering is that the manufacturer of butyloctyl salicylate openly acknowledges in their sales literature that this chemical is virtually identical to octisalate. Even more concerning, sunscreen companies can skirt existing regulations and ingredient limits because butyloctyl salicylate has yet to be officially regulated. This allows potentially harmful chemicals to continue entering the market unchecked, making it even more critical for consumers to be informed about what’s inside their sunscreen.
A Safe and Effective Alternative: All-Mineral Sunscreens
Meadow and Bark’s mission is simple: create safe, effective, and pleasurable sun protection products. Our Mineral 45 sunscreen, made from non-toxic zinc oxide, provides broad-spectrum protection without the harmful chemicals found in conventional sunscreens. You’ll never find the following in our products:
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
- Avobenzone
- Octisalate
- Homosalate
- Octocrylene
- Butyloctyl salicylate
Why You Shouldn’t Have to Choose Between Skin Safety and Health Risks
This is the sunscreen dilemma: The majority of products on the market either don’t provide adequate protection against UVA and UVB rays or contain toxic ingredients that can harm human health and the environment. At Meadow and Bark, we believe you should never have to choose between protecting your skin from cancer and exposing yourself to harmful chemicals.
Looking Ahead: Changing the Conversation
This issue is gaining widespread attention, with major news outlets like NBC discussing the limitations in sunscreen availability in the U.S. compared to Europe and Australia. In the coming weeks, we’ll continue to delve deeper into this conversation, sharing more insights into safe sun protection.