At a recent trip to the beach with other mommy friends we were all discussing the safest and best sunscreens for ourselves and our little ones. It is hard to simply pick one based on the label as most have very lenghty ingredient lists and chemicals that we aren't sure what they are or do. And then it was like someone was listening because a friend of mine in attendance came across the Environmental Working Group. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) had just released the first-ever, in-depth analysis of the safety and effectiveness of more than 700 name-brand sunscreens. Their new database lists products that offer the best combination of safety and effectiveness: they are formulated with the safest chemicals, are most effective at protecting against sunburn, and help prevent long-term damage caused by the sun’s UVA rays, which are linked to skin aging, wrinkling and, potentially, cancer. Hooray!!! Sadly, the analysis found that 84 percent of 785 sunscreen products with an SPF rating of 15 or higher offer inadequate protection from the sun’s harmful rays, or contain ingredients with safety concerns. This is one of the reasons I had always been so leery of slathering sunscreen on my kids. I was opting for SPF clothes which is fine for the baby and toddler, but for my 5 year old she is not so happy about looking like a comical tourist in head to toe sun protection garb. Ironically, some popular sunscreen chemicals break down when exposed to sunlight and must be formulated with stabilizing chemicals! So those would be a complete waste of money and the time it would take to apply. Others penetrate the skin and present significant health concerns, which scare me and probably most moms. Chemicals like oxybenzone are endocrine disrupters. So I personally stay away from "chemical" sunscreens. This very welcomed and much needed research is based on nearly 400 peer-reviewed studies of the 17 sunscreen chemicals approved for use in the U.S., an analysis of sunscreen ingredient toxicity linked to 60 industry and government databases on chemical hazards, coupled with customized, product-by-product assessments of protection from both UVA and UVB radiation. So now moms we have research and third party validation on which products are effective AND safe! These products top the list: Alba Botanica Sun: Mineral Sunscreen Kids, SPF 30 Sun: Mineral Sunscreen Fragrance Free, SPF 30 All Terrain Aquasport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30 TerraSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30 KidSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30 Badger Sunscreen Face Stick, SPF 30, Unscented Sunscreen for Face and Body, Unscented, SPF 30 Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 30 Lightly Scented Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 15 Lightly Scented Beyond Coastal Lip and Face Screen, SPF 30 Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen Sensitive, SPF 30+ Australian Sunscreen Baby, SPF 30+ BurnOut Kids Physical Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Clean and Clear, Zinc Oxide Sunblock, SPF 32 California Baby Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance, SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+ Moisturizing Sunscreen No Fragrance, SPF 18 Sunscreen Lotion Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30+, Citronella Sunblock Stick Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+ Caribbean Solutions Natural/Biodegradable SolGuard, SPF 25 Sol Kid Kare Natural Sunscreen, SPF 25 Cliniderm Gentle Protective Lotion SPF 45 COOLA SPF 45 Mineral Baby Moisturizer Unscented Desert Essence Age Reversal SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Doctor T’s Supergoop! Quickstick Elemental Herbs Sunscreen Sport, SPF 20 Sunscreen Sport, SPF 22, Tinted Kids Sunscreen, SPF 20 Episencial Sunny Sunscreen, SPF 35 Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30+ Kids Natural Sunscreen SPF 30+ Facial Natural Sunscreen SPF 30+ Hara Body Care Sport SPF 30 Healing-Scents Live Long Sunscreen, SPF 15 Heiko SPF 40 Kids Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas: Mineral Based Physical Sunblock, SPF 30+ Sunbrellas: Chemical Free Sunblock, SPF 30+ Earth’s Best: Sunblock Mineral Based, SPF 30+ Johnson & Johnson Baby Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 40 Kabana Skin Care Green Screen Organic Sunscreen Fragrance Free, SPF 20 Green Screen Organic Sunscreen, SPF 22, Skin Tone Tinted L’uvalla Certified Organic SPF 20 Sunscreen Face/Body La Roche-Posay Anthelios 40 Sunscreen Cream Little Forest Sunscreen Lotion For Babies and Kids, SPF 30+ Loving Naturals Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Marie Veronique Organics Kid Safe Screen, SPF 25 MDSolarSciences SPF 30+ Broad Spectrum UVA-UVB Sunscreen SPF 50+ Broad Spectrum UVA-UVB Sunscreen SPF 40 Broad Spectrum UVA-UVB Sunscreen Mexitan Products Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50 Miessence Reflect Outdoor Balm, SPF 15 MyChelle Sun Shield, SPF 28 Purple Prairie Botanicals SunStuff, SPF 30 Sun Stick, SPF 30 SunStuff, SPF 15 Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Soleo Organics/Atlantis Resort All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Soleo Organics/Wyland Organics All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Suntegrity Skincare All Natural Moisturizing Face Protection SPF 30 Sweetsation Therapy Sun’n'Berry Fun Organic Baby Sunscreen SPF 50+, with Antioxidants & Superberries Baby Sweet Kisses Sun’n'Fun Organic Baby Sunscreen, SPF 30 thinkbaby and thinksport Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Tropical Sands SPF 30 All Natural Sunscreen SPF 50 All Natural Sunscreen Trukid New Sunny Days Mineral All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Sunny Days Face and Body Stick, SPF 30+ UV Natural Baby Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Sunscreen, SPF 30+ Sunscreen Sport, SPF 30+ Vanicream Sunscreen Sport, SPF 35 Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin, SPF 30