Earlier this year, the FDA published a document that divided sunscreens into three categories.
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm631736.htm Why should you care?
For years – there have been concerns about some sunscreens that clearly were not suitable for human use or are harmful to the environment and these have been removed from ingredients in sunscreen and are now banned.These are called Category II. Category III sunscreens are chemical sunscreens that research and current knowledge is unclear of their effect on humans and or the environment and more information is needed. Category I sunscreens are proven safe and effective. The physical blocking sunscreens are zinc oxide and titanium are the two items in this category. In recent weeks, Hawaii first and other areas second, have banned some of the Category II sunscreen ingredients from use as they have been deleterious to coral reefs.
How do you find the safe and effective sunscreens? For years, I have been recommending Colorescience Brush – and the two active ingredients for sun protection are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. In addition, so that your skin does not have the white tint that these products give, an iron oxide is used to tint the powder so it matches skin color. We also know that iron oxide also helps protect the skin by shielding it from the blue light which we now know produces free radicals and therefore all the signs of aging.
What additionally may you like to know about Colorescience and their ability to produce sunscreens that are uniquely improved in the world?
The product is photostabilized with a triple coating technology that ensures the product is cohesive and adhesive – to your skin and between particles. The unique characteristics to this zinc and titanium formulation also allows it to not mix with water – allowing it to adhere to your skin through sweating and in wet conditions. This unique property allows sundamage to be blocked – as well as allowing the antioxidants in the product to not be broken down – allowing healing to be accelerated. There is a 65% reduction in free radical production with a standard zinc preparation. With colorescience there is an additional 50% lowering of free radical production.
In additional environmental impacts beyond sun – such as pollution – a normal zinc preparation does not protect from this. With the triple coated technology and the stabilization of zinc, titanium and antioxidants – we can see a 47% reduction of free radical production from pollution.
So the unique preparation of both the ColoreScience power and face shield, using the triple coating patented technology allows a three tier effect of protection for your skin:
1. It protects from free radical production from light – including UV, blue light and infrared light injury. Infrared light injury comes from heat production in the skin which is also diminished with this product.
2. Environmental impact of free radical production is reduced which is unique to this sunscreen which uses the two FDA approved molecules proven to be safe and effective – zinc and titanium.
3. The antioxidants you use and are also in this sunscreen are stabilized and are available to reverse the injury from production of free radicals.
There are additional unique properties to the product – the brush uses antimicrobial bristles to keep and maintain brush freshness. 45% of the product is sunscreen, 55% are additional ingredients to protect, moisturize, or calm your skin.
This is no expiration time for this product – the stabilization of the product maintains it’s effectiveness beyond three years.
This technology is known as enviroscreen. Take a moment to stop in, try it out, and use a layered approach to protect your skin……and while in the office, sign up for Lasting Beauty Rewards to earn rebates to continue to protect your skin.