My view
It really is with regret, that I have to pass on this product because of the parabens and BHT it contains.
By far, this is the only Made in India sunscreen, I have thought SO CLOSE to the finish line, but not there yet.
What do I mean in English? I’ll explain by looking at the product’s filters first.
3. UVA and UVB filters present?
Both UVA and UVB have both been implicated in skin cancer and photo-aging and we want filters to protect against both types of damage. Any sunscreen must protect against BOTH UVA and UVB damage.
This product has both UVA and UVB filters.
The UVA filter is Avobenzone – in fact, it is the 2nd ingredient on the list!! Meaning, its concentration in the formula could be as much as 5% (the maximum permitted by law).
Avobenzone is a gold standard UVA filter that is also the most notoriously unstable UV absorber. It’s efficacy can reduce by 50%-90% within 60 minutes of exposure to sunlight.
Avobenzone needs to be stabilised. In this product, its stabilised by the second filter, Octocrylene and a second ingredient DEHS*
The UVB filters are Octocrylene (5th ingredient) and Octinoxate (22nd ingredient).
Titanium Dioxide also makes an appearance as the 16th ingredient. Ordinarily, I do baulk at Octinoxate + Titanium Dioxide with Avobenzone – they both make Avobenzone less stable. But here, Avobenzone is the 2nd ingredient and its stabilised by high amounts of Octocrylene.
I have no doubt this product provides SPF 30 UVB and sensible UVA protection.
Note: DEHS stands for Diethylhexyl Syringylidene Malonate
1a) Harmful chemicals – parabens
The harmful chemicals present are parabens and BHT. Parabens are cheap and extremely effective preservatives. They are also potentially estrogen mimickers.
(For more information, see Chemicals to Avoid – Parabens)
Should you be using sunscreen that contains parabens??
I will be honest with you – scientists don’t think parabens are all that bad OR the amount of parabens required to cause real damage – and the original concern was breast cancer – would be astronomical compared to the amounts contained in cosmetics.
Most “Made in India” sunscreens can’t even make sure that they are photostabilised formulations and some don’t even contain BOTH UVA and UVB filters. And let me get this straight, some international scientist in the US and Europe want me to rely on the Indian manufacturing sector to make sure it adds only the correct amounts of paraben to cosmetics, personal care products, food and so on?
I think not. I am Indian and I live in the real world, not some cosy apartment in Malmo. (I have nothing against Malmo, I just like the sound of it).
I will take my chances with products that don’t contain parabens.
1b) Harmful chemicals – BHT
BHT are preservatives and it’s the policy of my blog to NOT suggest products containing BHT An excellent explanation of the downside of BHT is offered on the David Suzuki website:
Limited evidence suggests that high doses of BHT may mimic estrogen [6], the primary female sex hormone and prevent the expression of male sex hormones [7], resulting in adverse reproductive affects
References: see below.
Closing remarks
That’s it from me. Drop me a line if you have any questions at email@happyskindays.com
Notes
References to BHT quote are: [6] Wada, H. et al., “In vitro estrogenicity of resin composites,” Journal of Dental Research 83, no. 3 (March 2004): 222-6. [7] Schrader, TJ and GM Cooke, “Examination of selected food additives and organochlorine food contaminants for androgenic activity in vitro,” Toxicological Sciences 53, no. 2 (February 2000): 278-88.