Does retinyl palmitate in sunscreens increase skin cancer? This is a myth that’s been promoted a lot by clean beauty organisations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG), especially in their annual sunscreen guide. More recently, this was included as the first point in toxicologist Dr Yvonne Burkart’s video: “You’ve been lied to about sunscreen: Toxicologist reveals 6 things you should …
Here’s a growing directory of resources on sunscreen myths. They’re written as truths instead of myths, except where explicitly called out. These are mostly secondary sources, by me or other science communicators – most cosmetic science studies need to be interpreted with nuance to be useful. Also check out this sunscreen FAQ, and my Basic Skincare Guide eBook which goes …
You might have seen that Hawaii has banned certain sunscreens that have been linked to coral bleaching. In particular, it’s the organic “chemical” sunscreen ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate that have been banned. It sounds like a great victory for the environment, right? But if you search a little past the headlines, you’ll find that there are actually a lot of …
The most controversial topic in Dr Andrew Huberman’s skincare episode is probably sunscreen safety, which is hugely misunderstood even by scientists and medical doctors. Much of the confusion comes from differing sunscreen regulations around the world, and the fact that “not safe” has different meanings in everyday, regulatory and toxicological contexts. This is part 2 of my articles responding to …
There’s been a few viral posts about how harmful chemical sunscreens are. The latest one is a post about “Sunscreen Swaps” from @a.glimpse.of.amelia (an Australian “low-tox” consultant) and @jordiepieface (a nutritionist from New Zealand), claiming that “some conventional sunscreens can do more harm than good”. Unfortunately, most of the post is inaccurate, and it’s likely scaring people away from using …
Here’s Part 3 of my updated sunscreen recommendations – these are the new Korean sunscreens I’m adding to my list. Part 1: Japanese sunscreens Part 2: European sunscreens Part 3 (this one): Korean sunscreens Part 4: Australian sunscreens The video is here – keep scrolling for the text version. See Part 1 for the full background information – here’s a …
Part 2 of my 2024 top sunscreen recommendations update! This part covers the new European sunscreens on my list. Part 1: Japanese sunscreens Part 2 (this one): European sunscreens Part 3: Korean sunscreens Part 4: Australian sunscreens The video is here – keep scrolling for the text version. See Part 1 for the full background information – here’s a very …
I’m finally updating my top sunscreen recommendations! My last list was in 2022, but honestly, I don’t feel like the sunscreens I’m adding this time are a huge step over those. But I do like giving people more options – in case you can’t get certain brands where you live, or you’re allergic to a particular ingredient, or they get …