Dermatologists Say To Avoid These 3 ‘Harmful’ Ingredients Found In Sunscreen Products—And Look For These Instead

1. Oxybenzone

Oxybenzone is a chemical that is often used as a UV filter in sunscreen. Some of the issues that may be associated with it include hormone disruption, skin allergies and reactions, and absorption through the skin that has led to concerns about its possible long-term effects. There are also environmental issues linked to oxybenzone that include toxicity to marine life and coral reef.

2. Octinoxate

Octinoxate is another popular UV filter that has been associated with hormone disruption, system absorption through the skin, allergic reactions, and coral reef and marine life toxicity. To ensure your sunscreen doesn’t contain ingredients like this one, check for the “reef safe” label on bottles, or those that outright say they are free of oxybenzone and octinoxate.

3. Homosalate

In labs, homosalate has been shown to disrupt estrogen, androgen, and progesterone function and may affect hormonal regulation. It is also known to be potentially toxic to aquatic life. The FDA allows a small percentage of homosalate in sunscreen (although the European Union has stricter limits on it), but has expressed the need for additional data to learn more about it.

Safer alternatives to these ingredients include mineral, physical filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It’s also a great idea to look for “broad spectrum” protection and those that say they are “Reef-safe” or “Oxybenzone- and Octinoxate-free.”