It’s hard to resist the enticing allure of the summer sun. But considering that 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, you may want to moderate your enjoyment a bit. Further complicating the issue, products designed to protect us from excessive ultraviolet radiation (UV) may also cause harm in the long run. Commonly used sunscreen chemicals, such as benzophenone and octyl-methoxycinnamate (also called octinoxate), parabens used as preservatives and phthalates found in synthetic fragrances are suspected hormonal-system disruptors. Read the rest of this entry »

Cosmetic preservatives are second only to fragrances as the most common cause of skin reactions, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. But preservatives are necessary components of most personal-care products, says Zoe Diana Draelos, M.D., clinical associate professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “Preservatives are there not only to keep the makeup fresh on the shelf, but also to prevent you from contaminating the product,” Draelos says. Read the rest of this entry »