Do You Need More Protection From Your Sunscreen Then You Do From the Sun?

Online, May 19, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The study showed that many leading brands are insufficiently effective, provide inadequate sun protection, contain chemicals that may be potentially unsafe and fall short of their manufacturers claims for protection. Because of this, "to sunscreen or not" has become a hot topic for people everywhere especially when protecting children is part of the equation.

What's a bewildered sun lover to do short of hiding in the shade all day?

As beach and outdoor weather return, there's more to know about sunscreens than the number on the label. According to Katie Schwerin, co-founder of the W.S. Badger Company, a natural, personal care products manufacturer of a full line of safe, natural and effective sunscreens, "The best protection from the sun is to stay out of it or cover up with a good hat and long sleeve shirt. But for the sun lovers among us, using a mineral sunscreen with zinc, not chemicals, is the safest and most effective way to go because these minerals stay on the surface of the skin and are not absorbed, releasing free radicals into your body."

Schwerin continues, "Sunscreen users should be careful not to have a false sense of security and overdo, over expose or under protect themselves."

What else is important to know about a sunscreen? "Make sure it's natural, really natural," says Schwerin. If it is, it will have the Natural Products Association's Certified Natural seal or an NSF/ANSI 305 designation that certifies organic ingredient content.

Next, make sure your sunscreen choice includes organic plant oils, butters and waxes. These provide a safe moisturizing base to help protect your skin from water, wind, sand and sun while they help keep your skin hydrated.

Other hidden dangers from conventional sunscreen are their impact on the environment and our natural surroundings. If your sunscreen isn't biodegradable, its chemicals can wash off the body and leech into lakes, oceans and rivers causing potential damage and harm. "They can even damage delicate coral reefs and marine life," adds Schwerin.

W.S. Badger makes a full line of safe, effective, natural, mineral-based, certified organic sunscreens for your entire family - from infants to elders. The Badger sunscreen line includes SPF30+ Lightly Scented, SPF30+ Unscented, SPF30+ Baby Sunscreen, SPF30+ Sunscreen and Anti-Bug Repellent, SPF30+ All-Season Face Stick, SPF15 Lightly Scented, and SPF15 Unscented Lip Balm Stick.

The full line uses uncoated, non-nano zinc oxide for broad-spectrum protection in a base of certified organic ingredients. They protect you from both UVA and UVB rays by creating a barrier that blocks sun damage before it happens. W.S. Badger sunscreens are recommended and rated #1 for safety and effectiveness by the Environmental Working Group as sunburn protection you can depend on and trust.

"When you have sunscreen protection that really protects your family, you can go to the beach and just relax," says Schwerin. "Of course, if your kids let you."

For more information please contact the W.S. Badger Company at www.badgerbalm.com or call 800-603-6100.