Worried About Sunscreen Ingredients? Which Ones to Avoid and Why

Everyone needs sunscreen, but everybody has different requirements so whether you require a sunscreen product to complement sensitive skin or a sunscreen product that is safe to use when you are pregnant, this article will help you to identify the ingredients to avoid. Not all sunscreen products are created equal and while all of them offer protection from harmful UV rays, many contain ingredients that may not work with your skin type or individual preferences.

What is Sunscreen Made From?

Typical sunscreen products contain one or more from the following list of ingredients:

• Avobenzone
• Ecamsule
• Homosalate
• Octisalate
• Octocrylene
• Oxybenzone
• Sulisobenzone
• Trolamine Salicyiate
• Titanium dioxide 
• Zinc Oxide

Sunscreen Specifically for Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin, you may find that some of the ingredients contained in chemical based sunscreens can irritate it. If you want to avoid skin reactions specific ingredients to avoid include:

• para-aminobenzoic acid
• Amino benzoic acid
• Glyceryl amino benzoate
• Ethyl-4-bis amino benzoate
• Amyl dimethyl PABA,
• Glceryl PABA,
• Ethyl dihydroxypropyl PABA
• Octyl dimethyl PABA,
• Octyl salicylate
• Homosalate
• Triethanolamine salicylate

These ingredients are some of the common culprits when it comes to skin irritations and reactions.

Vegan Sunscreen

If you are a vegan, you will have specific requirements when it come to your sunscreen and these include natural and organic ingredients. There are many natural cruelty free formulas that offer excellent protection but watch out for toxic ingredients and synthetic chemicals such as Oxybenzone that can be detrimental to marine life. Always opt for plant based formulas as an alternative to animal products.

Sunscreen During Pregnancy

Some sunscreen products contain chemicals and toxic ingredients that are not safe to use when you are pregnant. If you are pregnant, you should search for sunscreens that contain only natural ingredients. There are certain ingredients to avoid when selecting a sunscreen to use during pregnancy and the main one is Oxybenzone. This specific chemical has been associated with low birth weights. Other potentially harmful ingredients include Homosalate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, Octocrylene and para-aminobenzoic acid and these should be avoided as they could affect your baby and affect estrogen levels should they enter the bloodstream.

Sunscreen is essential during pregnancy as your skin is more sensitive to UV rays, but when choosing the perfect formula, opt for a physical sunscreen rather than a chemical one.