Independent laboratory testing carried out by Valisure found benzene contamination 27% of the sunscreens they tested, with some batches having up to triple the FDA's conditionally restricted limit of 2 parts per million (ppm). The recommendations for formulating sunscreen products are guided by the Scientific Community on Consumer Safety (SCCS).

According to a 2004 study, UVA also causes DNA damage to cells deep within the skin, increasing the risk of malignant melanomas. Since sunscreen's active ingredients work preventatively by creating a shielding film on the skin that absorbs, scatters, and reflects light before it can reach the skin, UV filters have been deemed an ideal “first line of defense” against sun damage when exposure can't be avoided. To be considered a GRASE active ingredient, the FDA requires it to have undergone both non-clinical animal studies as well as human clinical studies.

It’s clean, fragrance-free, and free of sulfates and parabens – giving all the benefits with none of the irritation! Factors like temperature changes, invasive species, pollution, and detrimental fishing practices have previously been highlighted as threats to coral health.

In 2018, Hawaii passed a legislation that prohibits the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. If that were true, then applying two layers of SPF 5 sunscreen would always be equivalent to SPF 25 (5 times 5). As of 2021, only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) by the U. You already know how we feel about hair masks, but if you still haven’t added on to your routine, there’s no time like the present!

Another study in Hanauma Bay found levels of the chemical ranging from 30 ng/L to 27,880 ng/L, noting that concentrations beyond 63 ng/L could induce toxicity in corals. When assessing individual compounds prevalent in sunscreens, substances such as butylparaben, ethylhexylmethoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3, and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor induced complete coral bleaching at even minimal concentrations.