Now that warm weather is back, there's a lot to be excited about. (No more layers of clothes! No more being stuck inside for endless freezing days!) However, moms have told us they are also apprehensive about the safety of everything from sunblock to plastic shovels.
Q: One reader wrote, "I am a little confused and overwhelmed. I will be taking my baby to the beach in July (she will be 19 months old by then), and I would like to get a good, nontoxic sunscreen for sensitive skin that is organic and green. If you could point me in the right direction, that would be great!"
So here are some ideas for safer seasonal products and a gentle reminder to think about the environmental impact of any item you buy for your family.
SUNBLOCK
As with all cosmetics, most sunscreens contain chemicals that are best avoided. The Environmental Working Group says the toxic sunscreen chemical oxybenzone, which has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage, is in almost 600 sunscreens sold in the U.S. Instead, try oxybenzone-free creams that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which rest on top of the skin and won't get absorbed into it. Try Dr. Hauschka and Lavera, which are certified-natural products. Dr. Hauschka comes in a spray, a cream, and a stick form (great for tucking into a diaper bag), and Lavera makes a version with chlorophyll dye, which helps parents see what parts of their wiggly kids haven't been coated.
SUN GEAR
Concerns about chemicals—and trying to get a squirmy kid to stand still for an icky greasing—might make you want to use less sunblock (skipping it isn't an option). So outfit them—and yourself! —with rashguards and other protective clothing made with the equivalent of SPF built in. Some of these UV-blocking fabrics are better than others, and the poorly made stuff can leach chemicals. Try Coolibar, which is one brand recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation and the Melanoma International Foundation. Check out the Skin Cancer Foundation for additional recommendations.
SCRAPE-AND-CUT CREAMS
Shorts-and-T-shirt season brings the inevitable skinned knees and elbows and other assorted ouchies. Heavy-duty petroleum-derived ointments that contain antibacterial agents aren't the sort of thing you want to overuse on simple surface wounds. Along with a feel-better kiss, a squirt from a tube of all-natural boo-boo care is a must: Try Weleda's Wound-Care and/or Hauschka's Mercurialis Wound Rescue.
BEACH TOYS
Plastics, again. For shovels and buckets, the material is largely unavoidable, but there are safer versions available. Green Toys makes a four-piece sand set from recycled milk jugs, which has been tested for the various things you don't want your kids' plastic toys to contain (BPA, lead, phthalates). German toy companies Spielstabil and Haba offer versions that adhere to German standards (stricter than U.S. standards) and claim their products are BPA-, PVC-, and phthalate-free. Both lines are sold on Oompa.com. If you want something that's material isn't clearly marked, call the manufacturer.
