Just in time for Memorial Day Weekend, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released its 12th annual Guide to Sunscreens, which lists the safest and most effective SPF formulas on the market.
So, what's the group's criteria? There are a number of things EWG looks for as it puts together the guide. Each tested sunscreen is rated on a scale of 1-10 and only sunscreens that get a 1 or 2 make the final cut. Some of the biggest no-nos include potentially harmful ingredients like oxybenzone (a hormone-disrupting ingredient that also contributes to coral bleaching) and retinyl palmitate (a form of vitamin A that increases sun sensitivity). EWG also advises against using spray sunscreens since they often don't offer even protection and pose inhalation risks, as well as SPF values higher than 50+ because they offer users a false sense of security.
Less than a third of the sunscreens tested meet the guide's high standards but there are still plenty to choose from. Read on for a few of the EWG Sunscreen Guide's top picks. But while you're at it, remember that sunscreen shouldn't be your only measure of protection; the EWG also recommends covering up with clothing and hats (and sunglasses to protect your eyes), as well as limiting time in the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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This face sunscreen offers water-resistant mineral coverage in an easy-to-use stick form, which makes it perfect for on the go.
With its keen standards for "clean beauty," Drunk Elephant is a reliable destination for skin-safe products. As such, it's no surprise that this lightly tinted sunscreen made the EWG's cut with its physical, broad-spectrum protection.
This sunscreen's thick, zinc-heavy formula might feel intimidating at first, but it absorbs nicely into the skin while offering some serious broad-spectrum coverage.
Biossance is founded on principles of environmentally safe, sustainable clean beauty and its new sunscreen does that and more. Packed with hydrating squalane, it protects while creating a lovely, luminous base that primes the skin perfectly for makeup application.
