In this issue…
🪄
Joining the cult of sunscreen sticks
🌞
An XL serving of mineral sunscreen
(it literally comes with a carrying strap)
Memorial Day is behind us. An unusually long summer (~hallelujah~) has unofficially started.
You know what that means: It’s time to pack a tube of sunscreen in every bag. Per their annual Sunscreen Guide that dropped last week, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has thoughts. And so do I!
First, a word on EWG: Public perception of their Skin Deep database and their annual analysis on sunscreen is decidedly mixed these days.
My stance: Databases and apps that score consumer products are tools to guide us and give us things to consider. They are not silver bullets. I do not recommend using them as such. That goes for EWG’s Skin Deep, apps like Yuka…and so on.
Any scoring system compresses a complicated set of details, tradeoffs and nuance into a number. Most importantly, these systems are unlikely to precisely reflect your exact preferences and values. Regarding sunscreen: Maybe minimizing the white cast of a mineral sunscreen is a non-negotiable for your family. Or avoiding an ingredient that is by all definitions “safe” but makes you break out.
And, hey, this comes into play at Sway, too: Wool is something of a hero material around here, but if wool makes you itchy and miserable, or gives you a skin reaction, it is certainly not your hero!
EWG has been around since 1993 and has moved the needle on consumer awareness surrounding chemicals of concern and U.S. regulatory gaps in deeply impactful ways. I think Skin Deep and EWG’s Sunscreen Guide are great jumping off points for evaluating your options. But it’s equally important to check the work of these platforms, particularly surrounding your own unique priorities for ingredients and efficacy.
For baby, kid & family sunscreen, here are mine:
Mineral sunscreen. Zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, which are frequently recommended for babies and children. Studies have shown that several chemical UV filters can be absorbed into the bloodstream, and while that does not necessarily mean they are harmful, there are still unanswered questions around long-term exposure. For me, the precautionary principle applies here. Chemical sunscreens also sting my eyes in SUCH an extreme way. They’re out!
SPF 30+. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends sunscreen that is broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) protection, SPF of 30 or higher, and water resistant.
Fragrance-free. Scented products give me an instant headache, so this one is personal. But it also conveniently sidesteps the endless debate over what's actually hiding inside "fragrance" on an ingredient list. ;)
Here are my picks from EWG’s 2026 roundup ➡️
Babo Botanicals, Sensitive Baby Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50: $19
This household’s go-to for the baby era.
Mustela, SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Stick: $11.69
I have a toddler, and I get it now. Sunscreen sticks make so much sense. I look forward to losing this in my purse.
Pipette, Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50: $12.99
I’ve mentioned this before when riffing on Pipette’s Baby Shampoo & Wash, but I feel that Pipette represents a new world order of sorts for “green beauty”/personal care products: affordable, accessible, well-branded. We’ve come a long way!
Thinkbaby, SPF 50+ Baby Clear Zinc Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin: $17.19
Was gifted Thinkbaby sunscreen by my cousin and I’m on my third tube now.
Earth Mama, Uber-Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 40: $18
The tagline “For everyone and their mother.” Give their copywriter a raise!
Tubby Todd Bath Co, Mineral Sunstick SPF 30: $18
A SoCal brand with another sunscreen stick for me to add to my wishlist?!
✨
Sunscreen is suuuch a broad topic to cover. I’ve been tearing my way through the mineral sunscreen landscape since around 2011 (I vividly remember when my first tube of Kimberly Sayer SPF 30 moisturizer arrived at my DC apartment) and this week, I had to pull myself out of multiple rabbit holes in order to get this issue of Sway out in time. But please, let’s email about how identical formulations are packaged into different “baby” “kid” family” products within the same brand. Marketing!
Last thing: if you’re overwhelmed with sunscreen options (hopefully this newsletter helped) or just life in general, Bri Emery’s new tool “Do the Dots” is designed to help you process emotion in 90 seconds. I love it very much.
Toodles,
Jennifer @ Sway