Summer, Sunburn, and Sunscreen

This wonderful sunscreen that is 7.5% titanium dioxide, and 7.5% zinc oxide (both physical sunscreens) is $18 for 4 ozs. Soooo...is this too much to pay for sunscreen?

Let me clarify, that's what it costs at the local dermatologists office. Sure, I can find it cheaper on the internet, but once you factor in shipping, it's probably less to get it locally.

Here's my dilemma. I have 2 olive skinned babes, and 2 white, pasty, irish, light haired, freckly babes. Genetics, funny, huh?!

Well, after thinking for some reason that I needed to research what makes a good sunscreen good, here's what I decided.

The physical sunscreens protect the skin by deflecting the harmful rays of the sun! Hence, they protect right after they are put on, and tend to last a little longer.

The chemical sunscreens (check yours...most are all chemical) absorb the harmful rays. These sunscreens are also absorbed into the skin. Not that they aren't safe, I mean they are FDA approved, but still...there's something about the word "chemical". It's like pesticides vs. organic.

Now, I'm no tree hugger, but I figure what's wrong with zinc...we used it back in the day (that or baby oil) and I'm fine. Why did all the companies decide to stop using it as their main ingredient, and switch to the chemicals?

Oh, don't give me your whinny "it's so hard to spread...it's too thick". Buck up, put some muscle into it! Show 'em whose boss!

Seriously folks, more and more research shows these chemical sunscreens to be bad for the ocean life, our bodies, and whatever else they decide to come up with. Now I will say that right now, I'm using both types of sunscreen. The aforementioned and pictured above sunscreen is used on the "high risk areas". i.e. shoulders, neck, ears, face, butt crack, etc...

The chemical/physical combo sunscreen I use for all other areas.

Sooooo, I ask you is this too much to pay for a little non-chemical sunscreen, and my ability to sleep better at night? At least partially, since I haven't totally converted!

xoxo ~L