Why Badger Sunscreen? What is the difference between “Physical Barrier” and “Chemical” Sunscreens? What is an SPF rating anyway? What about those Nanoparticles I keep hearing about? Links to some helpful web sites regarding sun protection Why Badger Sunscreen? According to the Environmental Working Group's Safe Cosmetics Database, Badger makes one of the world's safest and most effective sunscreens. Most recently, we were recently rated number 1 out of 910 commonly available products. Not bad! Badger is a performance sunscreen. By this we mean: Stays on the skin when you sweat or play in the water Won't run and drip into your eyes when you sweat Allows your skin to breathe Is strong and effective enough to protect you from extreme conditions Low to no irritating ingredients. So how do we make this great stuff? Badger Sunscreen uses micronized zinc as its sunscreening agent. Zinc Oxide is a mineral that provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays. It is also said to have anti-inflammatory properties and is considered the safest and most protective sunscreening ingredient. While non micronized zinc oxide leaves a strong residue on the skin, like white paint, micronized zinc oxide creates the same barrier in a form that appears far more transparent and less whitening when rubbed in. The zinc oxide in our sunscreen is produced by high temperature processing of minerals that contain zinc. Currently, our zinc oxide is coated with Dimethicone, an inert ingredient derived from silica. The rest of our sunscreen ingredients are 100% natural and most of the ingredients are USDA certified organic. Our unique combination of zinc oxide and naturally protective ingredients - Extra Virgin Olive and Jojoba oils, & Shea and Cocoa Butters - protect your family from the sun's damaging rays. The product Development Badgers work hard to ensure that every ingredient we use is processed without chemicals. Badger sunscreens do not contain fragrances, preservatives or dyes, and they are water resistant for 40 minutes. Other sunscreens on the market contain chemical agents that do not provide broad spectrum protection, and many even contain chemical ingredients that are known toxins. We don't use any of this bad stuff! What is the difference between “Physical Barrier” and “Chemical” Sunscreens? Physical Barrier Sunscreens (like Badger's) form a film on top of the skin that reflects or scatters UV light. Most physical barrier sunscreens contain either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. We choose zinc oxide for our sunscreens because we feel it is the safest & most effective option - and has been used successfully for hundreds of years. UV light is divided into three wavelength bands: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVA and UVB are the two that reach the earth and Physical Barrier sunscreens are effective at blocking both. By the way, our sunscreen is in a spectrum of protection that also blocks UVC light. So this would be a good option for astronauts and pilots, who are also exposed to UVC - no kidding! Chemical Sunscreens differ from physical barrier sunscreens as they absorb UV rays before they can do any damage. Usually, single chemical ingredients protect against either UVA or UVB, but not for both. So for broad-spectrum protection, you would need to choose a chemical sunscreen containing more than one active ingredient, most often two or three. Chemical sunscreens can be absorbed into the skin, are more likely to cause irritation or allergy, and can degrade over time. What is an SPF rating anyway? SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, is a measurement of how well a sunscreen will protect skin from UVB rays, the kind of radiation that causes sunburn and some skin cancers. Example: if your skin would normally burn after 10 minutes in the sun, for example, applying an SPF 15 sunscreen would allow you to stay in the sun for approximately 150 minutes (a factor of 15 times longer). This is a rough estimate and depends on skin type, the intensity of sunlight, and the type of activity. But SPF isn't quite that simple. The scale is not linear: SPF 30 actually only blocks 5% more UVB radiation than SPF 15. For best protection, experts do recommend a minimum SPF rating of 15, and applying sunscreen generously and frequently. The SPF rating only tells you only about UVB protection, not about harmful UVA rays. UVA is the wavelength of sunlight that penetrates deeper into the skin without causing surface burning, but has the potential to release free radicals and perhaps cause skin melanomas and photo aging. Always choose sun protection that is broad spectrum - blocks both UVB and UVA wavelengths. Just because a sunscreen has a high SPF, it does not mean you are being protected from damaging UVA rays. Badger SPF sunscreens are broad spectrum: strong enough to prevent burning for a reasonable length of time with the power to block UVA radiation -- something that many higher SPF products cannot match! UVA Protection UVA: Long-wave solar rays of 320-400 nm. Penetrates the skin more deeply (into the Dermis, 2nd layer of skin); causes photo aging, actinic damage (wrinkled, leathery, variously pigmented skin); and can contribute to skin cancers including melanomas. Rays are the same strength year-round. UVB: Short-Wave solar rays of 290-320 nm. Penetrate only the epidermis; cause sunburn; and considered to be the main cause of basal and squamous cell carcinomas, as well as a significant factor in melanomas. Different strengths depending on Sun's location, and can be lessened when deflected by clouds. UVC: Reflected by the Ozone layer, does not reach the Earth. Critical Wavelength: an international rating system for UVA protection. The point at which the sunscreen allows 10% of the rays to penetrate is defined as Critical Wavelength. A sunscreen with a critical wavelength over 370nm is considered by the FDA to provide excellent UVA protection. Badger SPF30 Sunscreen has a critical wavelength of 377nm and Badger SPF15 Sunscreen has a critical wavelength of 376nm. What about those Nanoparticles I keep hearing about? At Badger, we take any potential health concern seriously, so we have researched this issue extensively. Our sunscreens contain micronized zinc oxide, which uses micro particle technology (particles that can be measured in nanometers and microns). The potential concern with such small particles is that they could be absorbed into the skin. We are confident that our zinc oxide sits on the top layer of skin and is not absorbed. Additionally, our zinc is a larger size than that in many of the other products on the market, and is larger than the nanoparticles you hear about in the news. We understand that no sunscreen can offer complete protection, and that you might have questions about the safety of small particles and zinc oxide. Links to some helpful web sites regarding sun protection. EPA Sunwise website - A PDF brochure on "Sunscreen: The Burning Facts" Please also look at the Cosmetics Database to check all of your home care products for safety .Back to top