Does sunscreen actually work?
That’s a scary question to ask. I mean, until I got this month’s newsletter (approximately five minutes ago) from EWG, I’d surely never asked it.
But according to the EWG, 3 out of every 5 sunscreens don’t really protect us from harmful UV rays.
Um, yikes.
If you want to find out if your sunscreen works (or doesn’t), then head over to EWG to read their latest sunscreen report. They investigated over 1,500 sunscreens to find which ones work, and which ones don’t.
And, I highly recommend signing up for their monthly newsletter. They send incredibly valuable information (like this!) so it’s definitely worth it.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I just found your site and love it! Thank you for bringing this information on sunscreen to my attention.
~Maggie
Maggie,
Thanks so much for reading! The Environmental Working Group (EWG) really rocks; every month they always send me something really informative.
It is pretty distressing to know that 3 out of 5 sunscreens don’t work! Something to think about.
Thank you so much for this article! I just found out that the sunscreen I have been using is in the list of products that not only don’t work, but are not safe. I am switching immediately.
I’m not surprised. A few weeks ago, I slathered Banana Boat’s SPF30 all over my body and went to the beach. I didn’t go in the water and reapplied. When I got home, I had the WORST sunburn in my entire life. My skin was actually purple. I called the company and they gave me two free bottles. Woo hoo! I might have skin cancer in twenty years and all I get for their defective product was two tubes of sunscreen.
I’ve actually been reading about the slew of nasty chemicals that are present in sunscreens and leach into our bodies…. so not only do they not protect us, but the chemicals used in sunscreens can be harmful as well.
Thanks for the link- I will be checking it out!