Hot off the press and just in time for summer fun is Environmental Working Group’s 2011 Sunscreen Guide. EWG has been our go-to guide for the past several years and for this year’s 5th Annual Sunscreen Report they analyzed more than 600 beach and sport sunscreens and they found that they could only recommend one in five sunscreens for this summer. The rest of those tested either don’t protect enough or contain hazardous ingredients that don’t belong on your skin.

All told, the analysis of sunscreens includes safety and effectiveness ratings for 1,700 SPF products, including sunscreens and SPF-labeled lip balm, makeup, and moisturizer. When you access the database, you want to find (and use) products with low ratings. A rating of 1 (or zero) is best. The rating refers to the amount of toxicity found in the product’s ingredients. Lower indicates less toxicity, so lower is better.

Well advertised Aveeno received a good rating of 1 for their Baby Natural Protection Mineral Block Face Stick, SPF 50 yet received higher ratings of 5-7 on many of their adult products. Even a harmless sounding “Almond-Aloe Moisturizer with spf 15+ by Earth Science” received a 7! Buyer beware and be smart – do a little homework before slathering on sunscreen.

No one wants to wear long sleeves and hats outside all the time, but we can learn how to relax, get Vitamin D from summer’s rays AND receive a healthy dose of sunscreen at the same time:

• look up your sunscreen
• discover EWG’s top-rated sunscreens
• Quick Tips alerts you to the key ingredients to avoid and look for.
• download the free app (graphic below)

Related: previously on altCon – more EWG