Product Review: Badger Anti-Bug Sunscreen

I'm on vacation! And for me, that always entails heading to my childhood home on Cape Cod. Living in San Francisco, I never have to worry about sunscreen or bugs, but the Cape is an entirely different story. In preparation, I closely perused the Environmental Working Group's Safe Sunscreen Guide and headed over to my local Pharmaca.

I am a big fan of efficiency and multi-tasking, so I picked up this Badger Broad Spectrum SPF 34 Anti-Bug Sunscreen. Scented with citronella and cedar, it may be too fragrant for some but I personally like its light lemony aroma. Its power as a sunscreen is undeniable (I'm still as white as a sheet!) and so far, no bug bites. Score!

The formula uses the mineral zinc oxide as its sunscreen source, which is a safe and effective choice. When applying, the zinc creates a whitish cast that takes a bit longer than most sunscreens to rub in. If you can get past that annoyance (which you'll find in many non-toxic sunscreens), you'll find this to be a worthy contender for your beach bag. Surf's up!

Ingredients
Non-Nano Uncoated Zinc Oxide 20%
Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Certified Organic Beeswax
Certified Organic Castor Oil
Certified Organic Citronella Oil
Certified Organic Lemongrass Oil
Certified Organic Cedar Oil
Certified Organic Rosemary Oil
Certified Organic Geranium Oil

DIY Frizz-Ease Hair Serum

Summer is here, and on the East Coast that means humidity and crazy hair. Even the finest of hair can get frizzy in the summer haze. My mom stumbled upon this easy way to tame flyaways accidentally, and found that it worked better than any product she's tried. Here in San Francisco, we don't get too much humidity, but I've found that this simple serum doubles as a style setting serum - apply a few drops to the ends of your hair, curl away and voila! Your curls will set for DAYS. It's amazing!

Ready for the secret recipe?

Ingredients:
Oil, any type (my mom used Vitamin E oil w/ safflower, I use jojoba or olive or shea butter. Argan oil is all the rage at the moment for hair, but you really don't need to spend a fortune!)

Ummmm - that's it! Just go in your kitchen, take a few drops of oil & apply to the ends of your hair or wherever you need frizz control. Use sparingly - you don't want to be too greasy, and you can always layer it if you need more. If you want it to smell amazing, try using coconut oil or adding 1-2 drops essential oil to the mix.

Enjoy your newfound frizz-free locks!

What's So Bad About Parabens, Anyway?

Lately there has been lots of news about parabens - synthetic chemicals that are used as preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products. They're pretty easy to identify on ingredients labels - just look for the -paraben suffix, e.g., ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. According to the FDA, preservatives like parabens are "used in cosmetics to protect them against microbial growth, both to protect consumers and to maintain product integrity."

According to the Environmental Working Group, parabens are endocrine disruptors, which means that they can bind to hormone receptor sites in the human body and interfere with normal function. Currently there is a controversy over what constitutes an acceptable level of exposure to these types of chemicals (Dowdle, H., 2012). With parabens implicated in health hazards ranging from breast cancer to fertility to birth defects (EWG), more and more consumers are choosing to avoid them.

Natural preservatives do exist (think about how food has been traditionally preserved: salt, alcohol, pickling, freezing, etc.). And many cosmetic lines are now producing paraben-free products. As with food, reading labels is essential in selecting safe cosmetics.



Dowdle, H. (2012). Outside Job. Whole Living, 67. 103-107.