SUNBLOCK- Serious Issue - Anyone sure about what's NOT safe, +++?

Hi everyone!

I saved info. from an older post (printed it on 3/27/08) re: sunblock. It may have included a link to Dr. Mercola, because I have that info. attached - promoting Aubrey Sunscreen products.

- I don't feel comfortable when a doctor promotes a product that obviously, - am I wrong this time?

- I understand that we need a sunblock that actually protects ANY rays from coming in, with the ingredients Titanium Dioxide and/or Zinc Oxide.

- I went to the nearest Whole Foods today and bought a "Jason" sunblock that has the above, but also Octoxate, Oxybenzone, Octisalate & Octocrylene (not feeling too good about the purchase).

- I absolutely love being outside and being in the sun, - but I don't want to get sicker from sunblock than from the sun. (Yes - I overexposed when many of us were oiling our bodies to be fried and served). I really do need the sun to combat depression, I think. I'm forever craving sun thru windows - anything. Anywho, - all these chemicals scare the crap out of me.

- I wore some "regular" sunscreen yesterday to protect myself, and all I could smell was the chemicals. Yuck! My husband only noticed a coconut smell, - not me! (he also doesn't smell all the chemicals in his cologne).

- Sorry to sound so serious, - it's just that skin cancer is still the number one cancer "killer", right? I go every year for a check-up, but haven't found a solution to loving the sun but fearing sunblock.

Love, peace and joy to all! May God bless you and may you receive all that you with for!!!!!

Any feedback/chat would be greatly appreatiated. :-)

Tags: sun, sunblock

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by marla on April 25, 2008 at 8:52pm: i just recently threw away a tube of the elta md, which was recommended and sold by my dermatologist - besides the titanium and zinc - here are the other ingredients:

Active Ingredients:
9.0% Zinc Oxide
7.0% Titanium Dioxide
Inactive Ingredients (alphabetical order):
Alpha Tocopheryl, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Iodopropynl Butylcarbamate, Iron Oxide, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octyldoceyl Neopentanoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Purified Water, Resveratrol, Retinyl Palmitate, Selenium Sulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by bueller on April 27, 2008 at 12:09pm: Thanks Marla. That's good to know!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by bav on April 25, 2008 at 2:38pm: I just wrestled with this very topic in Austin at the boot camp. I am fair, tend to burn first, then tan. Since I was on the fly in Whole Foods, I bought the California Baby brand, b/c it tends to have less toxic ingredients than some of the others. It was thick, made me look even whiter after I slathered it on, which I wasn't too crazy about, but at the end of the day, it really worked great. I got a nice even tan, no burn, no perfumey smell, no burning eyes etc etc. The link Bueller listed in her original post is fantastic to check out not only the topic, but individual sunscreens, it is our trusty www.cosmeticdatabase.com site.

Kris and Terri kept telling me how fabulous the color I got was, how it was just the right amount, how it made me look so healthy etc, etc so that works for me!

Hugs,
b; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Soaring Eagle on April 25, 2008 at 3:16pm: Thanks bueller, bav and all the rest for the superb feedback. Knowledge is power! You guys are great. Have a sunny and safe day!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Debbie on April 26, 2008 at 9:28pm: Hey did anyone try the coconut oil?? I have not tried it in a prolonged, roasted chicken on a spit way, just hiking.
anyone?
deb
PS I found this online:
HL What conditions does coconut oil help to treat?
BF Topically it seems to be able to benefit almost any skin condition. I wouldn't say that it can cure every type of skin condition, but I've seen a wide variety of conditions improve-and sometimes completely vanish-with the use of coconut oil. It can help speed healing of cuts and burns; there's a long tradition in the islands of using coconut oil as a sunscreen. It is great for fungal infections such as ringworm and athlete's foot. People tell me how they have used medicated treatments without success, but when they use coconut oil it does the job.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lauren on April 26, 2008 at 10:20pm: I would love it if coconut oil worked for my skin issues. I've diagnosed myself with keratosis pilaris, which is when you have pimple-like ugly things on your arms and legs. I haven't been officially diagnosed, but I'm pretty confident from reading the description that it's exactly what I have. I've tried many things that people have tried that has worked for them, but nothing gets rid of these little bastards! Adding raw foods has improved it, but not enough to make it go away completely. Although, maybe if I was more consistent with raw food it would.
I'll try coconut oil!!! Luv you guys!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Debbie on April 27, 2008 at 12:36am: Lauren my bump ridden friend.. do you do dry brushing.. I do that , then I use a pretty strong fibered scrub cloth in the shower, then slather on coconut oil or sesame oil.
Should chase the bumpy dudes away.. oh sorry Clint, not you! hee heh
deb; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sheila Wisdahl on April 27, 2008 at 8:55am: URGENT!!!!
As promised, the results of the full-day-in-the-Florida-sun-with-coconut oil-as-a-sunscreen test are in.
To my chagrin, I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT!!!
I feel really stupid for even thinking it would work, but I swear it can work for small jaunts in the sun (say 20mn tops.) And maybe it works for dark skinned peeps (I am white and freckly) but I have my serious doubts. OK, first of all, it is greasy as hell. Because of this, I did not reapply it (who wants to put grease on their sandy skin and slip off of a raft?) So, maybe it works if you reapply it but I am skeptical. I won’t be trying it again anyhow. I am fluorescent pink today. As a cancer patient, this is not a smart color for my skin. Unless you are planning to donate your body to a Philippine cooking, slathering this stuff on is not a good idea for sun-worshipers. You can almost tell what brand of sunglasses I was wearing yesterday as I look like I am wearing the white version of them today. The controls in this experiment (my husband and bff) who wore sunscreen got a little rosy but not like me. Coconut oil has so many amazing benefits for your overall health and skin but I am sorry to report that natural sunscreen is not one of them.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Soaring Eagle on April 27, 2008 at 2:57pm: Oh no, dear Sheila! I am so sorry that your experiment turned out very badly. Are you using aloe vera gel to help with the burn?

I agree, - I've been researching coconut oil and, Lauren, it appears to help almost any kind of skin condition (dandruff and stuff too) quite quickly. It's worth a shot! I bought Jungle's brand extra virgin cold-pressed 100% certified organic coconut oil the other day (16 oz., $10.79).

It can be taken internally (up to two tablespoons per day) or topically. I just tried eating it about ten minutes ago and I simply can't somach it, unfortunately. I think I'll try to maybe fry some fish with it tonight (unlike other oils it doesn't lose it's benefits by being heated). I hope I can get used to eating it somehow. I'm pretty excited about it's benefits. Anyone have any ideas how else to eat it? Make a salad dressing maybe?

And the coconut oil never gets rancid. It does not need to be refrigerated and stays well much longer than a year.

My sunblock experience: I used it yesterday for about three hours in a strong sun with wind. It worked fabulous. But, I live in New England, so what I call strong sun is NOT Florida-type sun. Lately my nose seems to burn at the drop of a hat, and my nose and entire body remained unburnt and actually got a very nice color. I read that for some reason, coconut oil can be an extremely effective sunblock for many people, BUT NOT FOR ALL! --- Thanks for the warning, Sheila.

Did I mention yet how excited I am about this stuff?!? LOL I'm hoping to reverse some of the sun damage I already have and kiss that freakin dryness goodbye! Debbie ~ smart idea about brushing before putting it on. My, this forum of full of such wise folks!

Hope everyone will share their experiences with coconut oil. I'll let you know as soon as I know more myself. Cheers!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Natalie Taylor on May 5, 2008 at 6:48pm: Hi everyone... this is my first post on here, as I ust joined but this one stuck me to the core because I currently have malignant melanoma. I used to love the sun, still do, but cannot be in it if I want to live another year. Basically, the sun block I have found to be best, and believe me I have tried so many its sickening, is any Neutrogena product. I wear the Faces 65 spf on my face and before, when i was living in FL and running outside all the time, it never got in my eyes and burned. I applied it like face lotion, all over, and since it has a think consistency, it absorbs in right away. It is more like a sunblock heavy lotion, as opposed to the watery stuff we find sometimes. For the rest of my body, I use lotion which has sunblock in it as well as a Neutrogena sunblock for all over. I have found this works really well, and much to the dismay of my dr's, I still manage to get a little color on my skin.
Good luck in your search!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Eileen on May 8, 2008 at 8:02pm: Hi Soaring Eagle: I too have done alot of research on sunblock as well as other cosmetics that are suppose to be safe, I do know that Aubrey is suppose to have the best ratings for safety. I work at a holistic clinic and there is a chiropractor in our building who highly recommends the Dr. Mercola site. He said he finds alot of his info very reliable, I have gone to the site and haven't yet made an opinion myself but when I have gone to the rating sites Aubrey is pretty much at the top for the best rating.
Hope this helps!!
Many blessings!!!.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Soaring Eagle on May 9, 2008 at 9:27am: Blessings right back at you, Eileen! Thanks so much for the info. I'm so intense about researching everything, but sometimes it's nice to be able to simplify things a bit. I think pretty much everyone trusts Aubrey products in general. I want to make the very best choices for my body, but I don't want to stress myself out or go insane trying to do so. Have a healthy, happy and beautiful day!; ▶ Reply to This