Green Daily

It's full-out sunblock weather in many parts and you'll want to make sure you are using the safest ones possible. All sunblocks have an SPF number, the higher the SPF, the longer length of sun protection. But there is more to it than that. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you also want to be sure that you are using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Sunburn is mostly caused by UVB rays, but UVA rays do their own dirty work, like causing photo damage (including wrinkles).

There are two types of sunscreens, chemical sunscreens, which absorb UV light, and physical sunscreens, which reflect and scatter UV light. It is thought that physical sunscreens are safer than some of the chemical sunscreens. One chemical of concern is oxybenzone. According to EWG, oxybenzone was last reviewed for safety in the 1970's, but since then there has been new evidence published on its toxicity and a recent review by the European Union found insufficient data to determine whether oxybenzone is safe. Other chemicals in chemical sunscreens have also raised concerns.

The alternative to the chemical sunscreens are the physical sunscreens, which contain titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as the active ingredient, and which block or reflect the light, as opposed to absorbing it. Such sunblocks can satisfy the broad spectrum requirement, but one minor downside is that some of them can be a bit more difficult to rub into your skin. However, a huge benefit of physical sunblocks is that they don't kill coral reefs, unlike some chemical sunscreens.

See the gallery below for some sunblock picks with low hazard ratings from the Environmental Working Group.