Sunscreens that multitask as much as we do

Each summer, the shelves at my local drugstore practically groan from all the sunscreen. Every year, there seem to be more SPF lotions and sprays, more SPF face powders and lip balms.

I've tried so many different formulas and brands over the years, and been disappointed so many times, that my expectations were fairly low when my editor handed me a bag of new sunscreens asking me to test them and write up a story.

As a former tanning salon junkie, recent basal cell skin cancer diagnosee and all-around pasty white girl, I was particularly intrigued by the broad-spectrum sunscreen and self-tanner from Supergoop!

The box promised to give me a golden glow and to protect me from the sun without the paraben, oxybenzone and other nasties or leaving residue on my clothes or towels -- all of which sounded too good to be true.

But I've used it. I love it. And I will be buying more throughout the summer. The tan looks natural and it didn't rub off on or destroy my clothes.

Read more about multitasking sunscreens in this Sunday's Image.

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-- Susan Carpenter

Photo: Supergoop! SPF 20 self-tanning sunscreen mousse. Credit: Supergoop!

New guide ranks safe, effective sunscreens for 2012

The best sun protection is a broad-brimmed hat and clothing, but it's the rare Angeleno who wants to wear long sleeves and pants in the heat of summer. Most of us use sunscreen, but what are the safest and most effective products?

According to the 2012 Sunscreen Guide released Wednesday by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, just 25% of sunscreens are effective and safe to use. That's an improvement from the group's 2011 guide, which recommended just 20% of sunscreens.

The Environmental Working Group, in Washington, D.C., analyzed the ingredient lists of more than 800 beach and sport sunscreens. The sunscreens that made the cut do not use the vitamin A ingredient retinyl palmitate, which may heighten skin cancer risk when applied to sun-exposed skin. Nor do they use oxybenzone, a chemical that is known to disrupt hormones.

Many of the recommended products use mineral ingredients, including zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and are spread on the body in lotions rather than sprays or powders which, the group says, pose inhalation risks.

Sunscreens with SPF ratings of 50 and above were also given poor ratings since "high-SPF users are exposed to as many or more ultraviolet rays as those who use lower-SPF products, probably because consumers get a false sense of security from those big numbers. They wait too long before reapplying sunscreen and stay out too long," the report said.

The sunscreen guide found that 14% of the beach and sport sunscreens it analyzed claimed SPFs greater than 50. Seven percent did not contain ingredients known to protect against the UVA rays that cause wrinkles and skin damage.

Moisturizers, makeups and lip balms fared particularly poorly for their lack of UVA protection and inclusion of retinyl palmitate. The 2012 guide recommends nine percent of lip balms, seven percent of makeups and nine percent of daily moisturizers with built-in SPF.

On the positive side, the guide reports that 63% of children's sunscreens contain effective mineral ingredients, compared with 40% of other sunscreens.

Still, "sunscreens or moisturizers or makeups with SPF is only part of a full sun-protection routine," said Nneka Leiba, senior research analyst with the Environmental Working Group. "It's also extremely important to wear protective clothing, to wear UV-blocking sunglasses and to avoid the mid-day sun. All these things together offer the best sun protection."

The searchable 2012 database lists sunscreens by brand and type, and can be screened for specific ingredients. Recommended products are listed in green and also include pricing information.

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-- Susan Carpenter

Top photo: Sun bathers in Miami Beach, Fla. Credit: J. Pat Carter / Associated Press

Lower photo credit:  Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

FDA delays implementing sunscreen rules

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it will delay the implementation of new sunscreen rules that had been scheduled to take effect in June. The rules are designed to give consumers better information about the effectiveness of over-the-counter sunscreens and will, for the first time, allow the bottles, tubes and sprays to say that sunscreens protect against skin cancer and early skin aging. The FDA says the rules will take effect in mid-December to allow the manufacturers of affected products to fully implement them.

The new rules, announced last June, are the result of more than 30 years of deliberation. The FDA had been considering new regulations since 1978 and released some proposals in 2007, but it subsequently concluded that the labeling system under consideration would cause too much consumer confusion.

The new rules going into effect Dec. 17 for large companies, and one year later for smaller manufacturers, ban claims such as "sweat-proof" and "waterproof" and prevent manufacturers from labeling products with unsubstantiated claims of instant or all-day protection.

"FDA just gave consumers 1,800 more reasons to turn to our sunscreen database," said Sonya Lunder, senior analyst with the Environmental Working Group, which publishes an annual database focusing on the safety and efficacy of sunscreens. Its 2012 report will be issued Wednesday (May 16).

"We are baffled that FDA deems it necessary to delay such weak regulations," Lunder said in a statement released Friday. "The agency has caved to industry pressure every step of the way."

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-- Susan Carpenter

Photo credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

 

Sun protection, from the top of your head

I almost never go outside without a hat. I do it to save my (expensive) blond hair color. I do it to guard my fair skin from sun damage. But I also have an even more important reason -- to protect my scalp. 

The scalp is the often-overlooked Achilles' heel of many a sun-protection regimen. How many of us slather on sunblock, slap on a pair of UV-protected sunglasses and think we're done?

A man of my acquaintance always wore a hat when his hair began to thin, as a matter of vanity. He didn't want the world to see what was happening. But when he decided to take the very stylish route of buzzing what remained of his hair, he cast the hat aside to proudly show off his smooth dome.

Wrong move.

A bare scalp can be toast. The sun's rays penetrate even thick hair and can cause skin cancers on the scalp just as they can anywhere else on the body. In some cases, the cancer can be deadly, and I know this from experience. Despite a full head of thick dark hair, my dad died at 40 from melanoma of the scalp, leaving behind a young widow and two little girls. And that's the most important reason I will keep wearing my hat.

The right hat can offer protection, but there are other steps you can take too, writer Alexandra Drosu explains elsewhere in Image.  Oh, and in case you're worried about hat hair, she has tips for getting around that too! 

--Susan Denley

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Photo: Coolibar men's crushable ventilated hat is $45 at Coolibar.com. Credit: Coolibar.com.

Everything you ever wanted to know about sunscreen is now in one place

UVA, UVB, SPF. It seems like the more experts find out about sun damage, the more confusing buying and applying sunscreen gets.

Which is why we're loving a comprehensive new infographic, the Sunscreen Smokescreen, recently published from Informationisbeautiful.net that demystifies what we need to be wearing to keep our skin protected and why.

The charticle starts by breaking down the types of ultraviolet light, and how they affect our skin and overall health. But that's just the beginning. The exhaustively researched graphic actually spells out how long and how comprehensively sunscreens with varying SPFs remain effective.

The graphic also debunks outdated sun care wisdom, such as applying sunscreen every two hours in the sun; the current recommendation is to apply sunscreen 30 minutes before sun exposure, then 30 minutes after exposure and then again after sweating or swimming.

It also details the three types of skin cancers and what types of rays cause them, and the upward trend of melanoma cases in the U.K., U.S. and Australia (only the U.S. has seen a slight dip in melanoma cases recently, and in Australia the cancer is spiking.)

We perhaps found the chart on harmful ingredients in sunscreen the most educational. We've heard that oxybenzone -- an ingredient that aids in the absorption of other ingredients and is found in more that 850 sunscreens on the market -- is not so hot for our health. But we never really knew why. Turns out the toxic stuff is an immune system disruptor that accumulates in the body.

Knowledge is power, so get educated here.

-- Emili Vesilind

Photo: A small part of a long infographic by Informationisbeautiful.net. Credit: Informationisbeautiful.net.

Your Stylist: Patriotic chic pieces for the 4th of July

Resident Image stylist and market editor Melissa Magsaysay soothes your sartorial woes in the weekly Your Stylist blog column

If you’re gearing up for the 4th of July weekend, you might want to think about packing or putting on an item or two that are a sartorial expression of the holiday. Red, white and blue are the obvious choices, and those colors as a combo or solid will always work. But here are a few items that are fun, whimsical and definitely patriotic-chic.

This kicky Lucca Couture sundress ($79 at Urban Outfitters, right) isn’t technically red, white or blue. It’s got a little pop of red running through it, but mostly it’s the bright and explosive design festooning the back and front of the dress that reminds me of fireworks. It feels celebratory and totally summery.

For something more modest and traditional, this red, white and blue circular print top from Boden ($80 at www.boden.com, above left) would look good paired with denim cut-offs or cuffed white jeans and brown leather sandals. With something this busy and bright, you’ve met your color quota. Don’t try to pair it with red or blue pants, stick to something neutral.

Whether you’re planning a beach trip or just want to switch up your current carryall for something much more suited for warmer weather, this blue striped straw tote from Michael Stars ($80, piperlime.com, above right) is roomy enough for a towel and bottled water and light enough for running around on weekend errands.

To add a little bit of patriotic pop to your look, dainty star-shaped jewelry always works, and makes perfect sense to wear at other times of the year. These bright green starfish earrings from Betsey Johnson ($23.99, piperlime.com, above right) look patriotic and beachy and give some nice neon color to summer whites. The gold star pendant from Lisa Stewart ($80, maxandchloe.com, left) is a nice addition to a simple sun dress or would look great layered with heftier necklaces. And for a  real rich pop of red, try the red and gold chain necklace from Missoni ($655 at netaporter.com, right)

Don’t forget the sun protection this weekend, especially if you’re planning something poolside, or well, just outdoors in general. You can’t go wrong with classic red  Ray Bans ($129, sunglasshut.com, above left) they provide a perfect pop of bold color that livens up even the simplest of outfits.

Same goes for the Max raffia fedora from Eugenia Kim ($192.50, netaporter.com, above left). The bold red and blue striped band makes this preppy and summery at the same time.  

For the skin, make sure to pack sunscreen and a little self tanner, because your tan might need a little boost in case this June gloom keeps up. (Shiseido self tan, $30, left, and Shiseido sunscreen, $35, at Bloomingdales)

Send your style queries to melissa.magsaysay@latimes.com

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos: Top left: Boden silk painterly top/Boden, top right: Lucca Couture dress/Lucca Couture, left: Eugenia Kim Max raffia fedora/Eugenia Kim, right: Michael Stars striped straw tote bag/Michael Stars, left: Ray Ban wayfarers in red/Ray Ban, right: Betsey Johnson starfish earrings/Betsey Johnson, left: Lisa Stewart star pendant necklace/Lisa Stewart, right: Missoni chain necklace/Missoni, left: Shiseido self tanning lotion/Shiseido.

2011 Sunscreen Guide names most safe and effective sunscreens

Just 20% of sunscreens are safe and effective at protecting against sun damage, according to the 2011 Sunscreen Guide, released Monday by the Environmental Working Group, an environmental research group based in Washington.

"To be on our list, you have to avoid vitamin A ingredients and oxybenzone. You can’t have SPF above 50 and you need to be free of ingredients that are hormone disruptors," said EWG senior analyst, Sonya Lunder.

Of the 600 beach and sport sunscreens her organization tested, 128 "ranked well," Lunder said.

The sunscreen report says 50% of beach and sport sunscreens contain the chemical oxybenzene, which is linked to hormone disruption. About 33% include retinyl palmitate, a type of vitamin A that the group says may hasten the development of skin cancer.

Lunder said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had allowed the proliferation of misleading SPF values and inaccurate claims about sun protection. She called on the agency to strengthen its standards.

In 2007, the FDA proposed a rule for broad-spectrum sunscreen testing, or testing for effectiveness against both both UVB rays, which cause sunburn, and UVA rays. The current test is for UVB only.

"We are working diligently to publish final testing requirements for both SPF and broad-spectrum testing," FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess said.

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-- Susan Carpenter

Photo: Los Angeles Times