Although wearing sun cream obviously has major benefits for your skin (preventing lobster burn being just one), and applying a daily SPF works wonders for limiting sun damage and pigmentation, it turns out chemical sun creams aren't necessarily that great for the environment.
And as bonafide beauty eco-warriors, that's something we're not sure we're totally cool with.
Turns out, Hawaii isn't either, with the state proposing a bill to ban sun creams made with the damaging chemicals octinoxate and oxybenzone, which are in almost 65 percent of non-mineral sunscreens, according to the Environmental Working Group.
The two chemicals are said to 'cause genetic damage to coral and other marine organisms,' which is kind of a disaster when you consider that nearly 14,000 tons of sunscreen makes its way into the ocean.
Hawaii voted to ban the ingredients in an effort to protect the state’s diminishing coral reefs and others around the world. According to the bill, 'these chemicals have also been shown to degrade corals’ resiliency and ability to adjust to climate change factors and inhibit recruitment of new corals.'
The bill hasn't been passed as yet, with Hawaii's governor retaining the final approval, but if successful the ban would become effective in January 2021.
And it's not just the environment that chemical sun creams might be bad for. Yup, the bad news is that although chemical sun creams protect you from sun damage, there might be other negative side effects on your skin that we didn't bargain for.
Chemical sunscreens, like those you predominantly find on the shelves of beauty halls and supermarkets, contain special UV filters that absorb the sun’s UV rays, cutting down the amount of radiation that can penetrate the skin.
However, chemical sunscreens penetrate into the skin below the surface of the epidermis and even enter the bloodstream. As a result, according to an article by Yale University, ‘they pose possible hormonal side effects and could even be promoting the kind of skin cancers they’re designed to prevent.’ Not great.
The alternative? Mineral or physical sun creams such as Alumier MD Clear Shield Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 42 that works without penetrating the skin and is suitable for all skin types.
Time to swap that sun cream and start saving the planet.
ELLE Edit: 17 Of The Best Sun Creams To Prevent Sunburn
