How to choose the best sunscreen: your no-nonsense sunscreen guide
Every year, as the summer sun gets higher in the sky and people head off to sunny holiday spots, questions come up about sunscreen: Which is safe? Which is best for travel? How do I know?
In 2019, a study in a respected medical journal was released indicating that many of sunscreen’s top ingredients are absorbed into your skin within 24 hours. And that made a splashy headline about sunscreen safety. Tweets and posts flew around cyberspace in a panic about how to find the best safe sunscreen.
Although these ingredients are apparently absorbed, “The demonstration of systemic absorption well above the FDA guideline does not mean these ingredients are unsafe,” wrote editors at the Journal of the American Medical Association. In short, they just don’t know.
Also important when it comes to sun safety, especially for travelers, is the prevalence of skin cancers: Researchers noted that skin cancer is the most common malignancy in the United States, making the use of sunscreen (or wearing sun protective clothing) more important than not, especially if you are doing a lot of touring outside, during sunny months or in places with higher UV risk.
What guidelines did the FDA establish?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved guidelines for sunscreen brands in summer 2011, focusing on marketing, labeling, and testing to help alleviate widespread confusion. They went into effect in mid-2012 for major players, while smaller ones had until 2013 to comply. The FDA updated its guidance in 2021, but there is still plenty of sunscreen confusion.
First, consumers were unaware that regulations had finally been introduced, and that there had been none before. Really. None. Not since the FDA started the process of determining rules in 1978. Indeed, there was nothing until 2011 that officially told brands that made all those creams, foams, and sprays what was OK and what was not. The lack of FDA oversight left users at risk for a lot more than wrinkles.
Following a lengthy investigation that involved sorting through hundreds of pages of yawn-producing FDA documents, talking to manufacturers and advocates, organizations, and researchers, and analyzing label upon label, one basic question kept surfacing: Which sunscreen is best?
The question is simple enough, but the answer is not, and that leads to plenty of sunscreen confusion. We’ll explain first why it gets complicated:
>> Labels don’t always reveal the whole truth about ingredients and how they could be altered, stabilized, combined, encapsulated, nano’d, or otherwise modified, thus potentially affecting their application, wear, and protection ability.
>> Personal sunscreen demands or needs are different, from use in water, with gear, and the potential of friction that could rub off protection, to length of time needed, as well as to quantity of sweat, use at altitude, sensitivity or allergic reactions, or environmental, health, or ethical concerns. We can’t guess what is best for each individual.
>> Sunscreen brands’ formulas change constantly because science is changing constantly. If we name a brand now, it may be different by the time you find it on a shelf. It could be different even if the label and the ingredients look the same.
>> Chemical formulations and modifications in general in sunscreen products are changing so quickly that there is no telling how effective many of them will remain. And that can lead to even more sunscreen confusion. What is good, considered safe, and recommended this year may be on the junk heap next year. Plus, there are ingredients in other countries that are not yet approved in the United States that some scientists consider excellent, so who knows when another strange name will appear on a label, making the potion perhaps better.
With that in mind, HI Travel Tales will summarize what we use for active endeavors and why, based on countless hours and days of investigation and our own personal use and concerns stemming from that:
>> Only use broad-spectrum sunscreen. We always look for one of the few ingredients recognized as fully broad-spectrum for protection from cancer-inducing UVA rays and not just burn-producing UVB rays. Our top choices are the sunblocks zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. If a total block, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, is not possible, then look for a stabilized version of avobenzone, such as Parsol 1789.
>> Coral reef safety. An increasing number of tropical destinations (including Hawaii, Key West, Palau, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, and various resorts in Mexico) have banned the use and, in some cases, even the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate to protect coral reefs. There are also some indications that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide may also be harmful to coral reefs, although this is not yet definitive. Parabens are also thought to be harmful to reefs. Look for reef-safe sunscreens that still offer broad-spectrum protection. One company, Coral Isles, offers reef-safe sunscreens that the International Coral Reef Initiative recommends. One sure way to protect yourself when swimming and snorkeling while also protecting reef health is to cover up with sun-protective clothing rather than slathering the entire body with sunscreen.
Even underwater, skimming over reefs while snorkeling, Therese is protecting her skin with sun-protective clothing on her top. And you can be sure her bare skin was well slathered with a titanium dioxide sunscreen.
>> Vanity, schaminity. If we turn a little bit white from the application of sunscreen, so what? We don’t care what we look like when we’re trail running, biking, or hiking, so why should this matter if we are hedging our bets against cancer? Most brands have worked with zinc and titanium or encapsulated it sufficiently, making the whitening effect pretty minor. Likely only you will notice.
>> 30 minimum, 50 maximum. We choose 30 SPF for most endeavors. We don’t shy away from a 50, but we don’t insist on it. Honestly, the additional protection is minimal. Any more than that is a joke — although the FDA proposed allowing the highest SPF allowed on labels to “60+” in the 2021 regulatory update. We only use a 15 for non-challenging activities, such as going for a short walk around the neighborhood or hanging out on the patio or under shade (where you still get some UV radiation). A 15 SPF is also part of our daily arsenal, used in moisturizers for the face, neck, arms, and hands.
>> Think thick and sticky. When pursuing active or sweaty endeavors, we like “stickier,” thicker sunscreens since they stay on your skin better. And now, with the new regulations, brands will have to be more upfront about water-resistance claims, with “waterproof” and “sweatproof” becoming banned terms. So choose thicker: Sunscreens that feel like a light face cream may delight, but if you wipe the sweat from your face enough times or rub backpack straps across your arms, those thin delights will rub right back off. So why bother?
>> An arsenal is best. We have a cabinet stocked with tubes and bottles — and that’s not counting the ones we are sent to try since they don’t stick around for our use if they don’t pass muster. Most people should have a collection of sunscreens for various uses, activities, and perhaps even where they will use them. We have — and use — some of the thinner-feeling ones for non-athletic challenges, such as at the BBQ gathering with a wine glass in hand, as long as we aren’t in the direct sun. We often use different ones on our hands and face as we do on our arms or legs.
>> Alternative carriers? Maybe…. Sprays are OK if they encourage you to use sunscreen, or in situations where you wouldn't normally use it. But put on “enough” (rules are a little iffier when it comes to non-lotions, so less is not more here), and rub it on for best coverage. We like sprays for our legs because we actually will USE them. Plus, they’re great for helping friends or spouses with the tops of their heads, the back of their shoulders, or the back of their neck. Just avoid spraying the air like a room freshener. It’s meant to be on your skin. Sunscreen sticks? Same rules as above. Make sure you’re covered and rub it on. They likely serve best for targeted application or re-application for the tip of the nose or the top of the ears. They usually have a higher wax content, so for athletic endeavors, beware the potential of clogged pores or inhibited sweating.
>> Separate bugs from sun. We won’t use sunscreen/insect repellent combos. Who wants chemical bug deterrents soaking into our skin and being reapplied perhaps more often than safe? That causes a shudder. When applying both sunscreen and insect repellent, always apply the sunscreen first, followed by the insect repellent.
>> Out with the old. We have cleared our shelves of old tubes, bottles, sticks, and sprays. The protection in sunscreens should last from two to three years — assuming you don’t keep it in the sun or heat – so clear out the old and in with the new.
>> Expect label details. If you don’t know the ingredients or the percentage used of each because it is not on the label or website, forget about it. Even some websites don’t tell you this vital information. We believe it's essential for you to know, and for brands to educate. The FDA max for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide is 25 percent, but that would whiten you like a street mime; expect 3 percent to 10 percent. Avobenzone's maximum allowed concentration is 3 percent, so aim for that.
>> The sunscreen brands we rely on. We regularly use sunscreens from the following brands: Aloe Up, Neutrogena, Thinksport, Cotz, and Beyond Coastal. Even though we recommend these brands, we would like to remind you to remain vigilant and always check the label on any sunscreen before using it, as brands will and do change ingredients. You want to be certain no potentially harmful chemicals are being applied to your skin. If you are worried about chemical absorption, then stick to using only sunscreens containing only two active ingredients considered safe: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Why are they considered safe sunscreens? They are natural and sit on your skin, acting as a barrier, rather than potentially being absorbed into your skin.
>> Minimize the chemicals and wear sun-protective clothing. We frequently wear sun-protective shirts, hoodies, and long pants to protect our skin from the sun when outdoors. The advantages include never having to reapply chemicals to our skin, and many brands offering sun-protective clothing also use fabrics that provide a level of cooling, which is especially nice on hot days. Sun protective clothing is rated by something called an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), which indicates how much UV radiation (both UVB and UVA) a fabric allows to reach your skin. A UPF 50 fabric (the minimum level we look for in any sun protective clothing) blocks 98 percent of the sun’s rays. A fabric must have a UPF of 50 or more to qualify for The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation.
Perfect sun protection. Michael is wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a Sol Cool shirt from ExOfficio, and his face is slathered in sunscreen.
