Sunscreen update
Sunscreen experiment #1 is a success, in that I got a result. I used the sunscreen three days in a row on my left arm and two days on the back of my neck, and by Day 5 I had developed the beginning of the rash. It's not red and itchy yet, and I wonder if that might be because I didn't manage to get a lot of strong sun exposure; the weather was overcast a lot. Either way, I know what's what.
It's a disappointing result. I really liked this sunscreen! Let me tell you about it in case you have fewer sensitivities and would like to try it. It's called Green Babies and there's only one active ingredient, non-nano zinc oxide. It also claims to be PABA- and paraben-free. (PABA is something my doctor mentioned as a possible allergen.) It applied very smoothly; it's not sticky and it didn't leave white streaks. It's a little expensive and probably not available everywhere (I got it at Whole Foods), but honestly, it's what I was looking for all last summer as I tried different sunscreens.
(Click to inspect more closely)
Since I'm on the subject, the sunscreen I was going to recommend last summer was a more affordable option and I've seen it everywhere: Banana Boat Natural Reflect baby sunscreen. It was fairly thick and just a tad sticky, but not bad, and I found that if I applied in several thin layers it wouldn't leave white film or streaks, and it felt dry once it was applied. It also worked very well. The active ingredients are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It's also paraben- and PABA-free and I don't remember it having any fragrance. Money-wise, it's no No-Ad, but ounce for ounce, it's about half the price of the Green Babies.
My future experiments will be #2 - chemical sunscreen (no zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) and #3 - titanium dioxide only. I need to rule out zinc as an irritant. The mineral powder sunblock I've been using on my face uses titanium dioxide and I haven't had any problems with it. It's great for face and chest, but it's hard to apply to the back of my neck!
This entry was also posted at http://rustydog.dreamwidth.org/1142863.html. You may comment at either place.
It's a disappointing result. I really liked this sunscreen! Let me tell you about it in case you have fewer sensitivities and would like to try it. It's called Green Babies and there's only one active ingredient, non-nano zinc oxide. It also claims to be PABA- and paraben-free. (PABA is something my doctor mentioned as a possible allergen.) It applied very smoothly; it's not sticky and it didn't leave white streaks. It's a little expensive and probably not available everywhere (I got it at Whole Foods), but honestly, it's what I was looking for all last summer as I tried different sunscreens.
(Click to inspect more closely)
Since I'm on the subject, the sunscreen I was going to recommend last summer was a more affordable option and I've seen it everywhere: Banana Boat Natural Reflect baby sunscreen. It was fairly thick and just a tad sticky, but not bad, and I found that if I applied in several thin layers it wouldn't leave white film or streaks, and it felt dry once it was applied. It also worked very well. The active ingredients are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It's also paraben- and PABA-free and I don't remember it having any fragrance. Money-wise, it's no No-Ad, but ounce for ounce, it's about half the price of the Green Babies.
My future experiments will be #2 - chemical sunscreen (no zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) and #3 - titanium dioxide only. I need to rule out zinc as an irritant. The mineral powder sunblock I've been using on my face uses titanium dioxide and I haven't had any problems with it. It's great for face and chest, but it's hard to apply to the back of my neck!
This entry was also posted at http://rustydog.dreamwidth.org/1142863.html. You may comment at either place.