Sunscreen Safety: How to Pick Products That Actually Protect You

Choosing a sunscreen used to feel simple — grab a high SPF and head out. The reality is more complicated. Each year, the Environmental Working Group's annual sunscreen guide reviews more than 2,000 products and finds that only about one in four meets its standards for safe, effective protection. The rest either don't deliver what they promise or contain ingredients linked to potential health concerns.

Knowing what to look for — and what to skip — can help you pick a sunscreen that protects your skin without unnecessary risk. Here's a clear guide to navigating the SPF aisle.

Chemical Sunscreens and How They Work

Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays before they can damage your skin. The catch is that they don't just sit on the surface — they soak into the body. FDA testing showed that seven common sunscreen ingredients, including oxybenzone, avobenzone, and homosalate, are absorbed into the bloodstream after just one day of use, and that they remain detectable in the body for weeks after people stop applying them.

Once washed off in the shower or in the ocean, these chemicals can also end up in waterways. Studies have linked oxybenzone in particular to coral reef damage, which is why Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands have banned over-the-counter sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. (Key West passed a similar ban, though Florida state law has since preempted it.)