Sunscreen. 

Yes, that’s right. It’s officially summer, and that means lots of time outside. And time outside means we need to protect our skin. It is so important to make sure you pick a sunscreen that doesn’t contain all that extra junk and those nasty chemicals. 

Before I became “crunchy”, this was never on my radar. Even when I started having awful skin reactions. The summer I was pregnant with Little Miss T, our family went to the beach. I applied sunscreen as usual, and was fine…until a day later. I noticed little red, itchy bumps started appearing on my hands, then up my arm and soon almost most of my upper body was covered. And I. was. miserable. 

It went away after about 3 weeks. But not before I went and had a biopsy done at the dermatologist. That came back with no answers as to what caused it. We just chalked it up to one of those weird pregnancy symptoms that some people deal with. 

Later on that same summer, the boys and I visited my parents at their home down the mountain. It’s always sweltering there in the summer, so sunscreen is a must. 

After a few days the tiny bumps came back! I couldn’t believe it, and got so angry and annoyed at the constant itch, that I could not stop the tears from flowing. Then a lightbulb went off. The last time I experienced this was when I used sunscreen. And not the same sunscreen, mind you. But definitely one that you could buy at any old convenience store, Target, or Walmart. 

I started researching and came across the Environmental Working Groups list of safe sunscreen. They also have a list on unsafe sunscreen, by the way…in case you care to take a peek. Just a heads up…I guarantee you have at least one of the unsafe ones in your cabinet as we speak. I did. 

Living in a small town, it was nearly impossible to find some of these safe options.

So Amazon to the rescue! 

I found and purchased the Blue Lizard brand for the kids and myself. (Mountain Man is still set in his ways on his preferred sunscreen, but I’m working on that). I applied it to the kids and (hesitantly) to myself. I was, for good reason, a bit gun shy on the sunscreen front. 

The results? 

LOVE! It didn’t leave a white chalky residue, and soaked into the skin so well. The best part? I have never had an issue since! Well, except one day, when I was in a hurry to get the kids out of the house and to the park on a beautiful day. In my haste, I couldn’t find the new stuff, and grabbed our old sunscreen that I had forgotten to throw away. I thought to myself. One day won’t hurt. I’ll toss it when we get home. 

Wrong. 

I broke out again. But that was the last time. I threw all the old junk away and have never looked back. 

Now, I still use the Blue Lizard for the kids, but I have since branched out to try another brand for myself. I was feeling risky. Plus I have a sweet friend who swears by it, and I trust her brand, so I gave it a shot. 

SUCCESS!

It’s the BeautyCounter sunscreen. And I’m in love. A little bit truly goes a long way, and it also soaked into my skin well, without leaving a weird white layer caked on. Plus, it didn’t leave any greasy residue either. Win-win. 

Now, before I continue, I will give you a disclaimer here. I am in no way affiliated with BeautyCounter, other than I love their products. That’s literally where the train stops my friend. I do not earn any commissions or kick backs from mentioning this brand. If you have never tried their products, I can put you in touch with my amazing friend. She is a rep for BeautyCounter, and is passionate about what she does, and she can help you out! 

And guess what…this sunscreen is also on the approved list from the EWG! Score! 

So what makes this brand so incredible? The first thing I ever learned about them, was their “Never List”. This is the list they came up with on chemicals that will never make an appearance in any of their products. Period. 

So before you grab for your same-ol’ sunscreen, I beg you to just look at the ingredients. See if they made the safe list. If not, I hope you will consider checking out a safer option. Stay safe, friends…and enjoy your summer, chemical-free!! 

Here’s a super helpful read: 8 Little Known Facts About Sunscreens