FDA Flips On Sunscreen - Issues Warning

By Mike Smiley

At My Skin's Friend we are always researching the skin care sphere to make sure we are on the leading edge of innovation in "made from scratch" alternatives to the chemical soups found commonly almost everywhere--even in the so-called health food stores.

In fact, our company was started by our founder after constantly being frustrated by healthy-sounding products only to discover that they were filled with chemicals and maybe a hint of something organic at the very end of the ingredient list.

Someone we've followed for years is Dr. Al Sears of the Sears Institute in Florida. Dr. Sears is an M.D. who understands that our bodies are not mechanical machines, but holistic creations that operate on quantum levels to perform literal miracles by-the-second in the way they function.

Dr. Al Sears

Dr. Sears has a healthy respect for the importance of biologically synchronized nutrients ingested and applied to the body.

Dr. Sears recently published a short post regarding the FDA and their eventual discovery of the dangers of almost every sunscreen being sold.

I wanted to share his post for two reasons. The first is to provide warning to everyone who uses sunscreens containing these dangerous chemicals and the second is to thank him for continually sounding the alarm on the kinds of "oversight" provided by the pharma-controlled FDA.

According to Dr. Sears, a new study, commissioned by the same FDA who has told us for years that sunscreen is safe, looked at six common toxic sunscreen ingredients — and found that these chemicals don’t just affect your skin. They accumulate in your bloodstream at dangerously high concentrations — far higher than the FDA’s own safety threshold.¹

An editorial accompanying the FDA research in the Journal of the American Medical Association, admitted: “Sunscreens have not been subjected to standard drug safety testing.”² Even the Wall Street Journal has started asking questions about why these toxins are still used in sunscreens.³

These six chemicals:

avobenzone
oxybenzone
octocrylene
homosalate
octisalate
octinoxate

have been linked to multiple short-- and long-term health problems, including hormone disruption and, ironically, skin cancer. The FDA has also requested safety data from sunscreen manufacturers on further six ingredients known to have toxic effects.

These chemicals mimic estrogen, causing hormonal imbalances, allergic reactions, skin irritations and reproductive harm. They also attack the cells in your body, causing premature aging. And studies show they can promote the onset of breast cancer.⁴

But these ingredients are just the tip of the iceberg. Dangerous chemicals like octyl methoxycinnamate, parabens and formaldehyde are also common. Some sunscreens still also contain PABA (also called octyl-dimethyl and padimate O) — a substance known to attack DNA and cause genetic mutations when exposed to sunlight.

Plus… by filtering the sun’s ultraviolet rays, sunscreen blocks your body’s natural ability to make vitamin D. This essential nutrient is vital for building strong bones, as well as preventing inflammation and multiple types of cancer.^5,6,7

Enjoy the Sun Safely

First,

Second, if you’re going to be in the sun for an extended amount of time, he recommends using a natural or zinc oxide-based sunscreen. Unlike chemical-laden sunscreens, zinc oxide sits on top of your skin. It reflects and scatters UV rays and doesn’t penetrate your skin or accumulate in your bloodstream or fat cells.⁸

Apply zinc oxide generously on exposed skin at least 30 minutes before sun exposure. Look for micro-fine zinc-oxide. It’s nearly invisible.

At My Skin's Friend, we've been hammering home this point for years. We introduced our very clean sunscreen with zinc oxide as its main ingredient five years ago. To the zinc oxide we added other anti-oxidant ingredients distilled from our bio-enzyme extraction method. This process extracts the nutrients locked inside fresh, organic fruits and vegetables to feed your skin cells naturally.

Two years ago we improved it by switching to the micro-fine zinc oxide recommended above by doctor Sears. The reason was simple. The Micro size zinc oxide disappears after applying.

Earlier this year a representative of the FDA spent four long days at our facility inspecting every step of our process in the creation of My Skin's Friend products including our organic sunscreen.

Apparently, this was part of the inquiry being done to help determine the safety of sunscreens on the market. I'm happy to report that, to no surprise to us, we got a thumbs up on our entire process from the FDA after their thorough inspection.

We launched My Skin's Friend organics because we knew there were other organic fanatics like us who understood the relationship between what goes into and onto our bodies and our overall health.

Thanks to doctor Sears and the Sears Institute for continually researching and discovering ways to help all of us live healthier, more enjoyable lives.

If your plans include the sun, enjoy it in moderation and if you're going to be out over 30 minutes in the direct sunlight, take along My Skin's Friend organic sunscreen.

1. Matta MK, et al. “Effect of sunscreen application on plasma concentration of sunscreen active ingredients: A randomized clinical trial.” JAMA. 2020;323(3):256-267.
2. Califf RM and Shinkai K. “Filling in the evidence about sunscreen.” JAMA. 2019;321(21):2077-2079.
3. McGinty JC. “Sunscreen chemicals accumulate in body at high levels; FDA study looked at six common ingredients; proposed rule to test safety remains on hold.” Wall Street Journal. July 17, 2020.
4. Matta MK, et al. “Effect of sunscreen application under maximal use conditions on plasma concentration of sunscreen active ingredients: A randomized clinical trial.” JAMA. 2019;321(21):2082-2091.
5. Johnson CS, et al. “Vitamin D-related therapies in prostate cancer.” Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2002;21(2):147-158.
6. Maruyama R, et al. "Comparative genome analysis identifies the vitamin D receptor gene as a direct target of p53-mediated transcriptional activation." Cancer Res. 2006;66(9):4574-4583.
7. Aranow C. “Vitamin D and the Immune System.” J Investig Med. 2011;59(6):881-886.
8. Hanson KM, et al. “Sunscreen enhancement of UV-induced reactive oxygen species in the skin.” Free Radic Biol Med. 2006;41(8):1205-1212.

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...Organic Sunless Tanner

Stopping here first was a good call.

We used to enclose a printed version of this booklet with our tanner but we continually get suggestions and recommendations from the hundreds of customers who love this tanner so we decided to convert it to a more dynamic forum so you always have the latest information for getting the perfect tan.

One you learn these simple secrets, you can keep that sexy, natural looking tan all year long while you're also pampering your skin.

You'll get more than just a tan.

My Skin's Friend Sunless Tanner is on of the very few liposomal tanners on the market. It actually helps moisturize your skin as well as tanning it so it's like getting two products for the price of one.

These simple secrets will guarantee an even, natural looking tan

Getting an even, natural looking tan shouldn't be difficult yet we hear from customers who have tried so many sunless tanners on the market only to be disappointed in the look of their tan.

We set out to make the best organic tanner on the market and from the emails and customer reviews we get, looks like we've accomplished it.

If you don't get the perfect tan, let us help

Sure, we occasionally get a customer feedback that says they got streaks or some uneven spots but even then, we work with them to help correct those issues and start over. Without exception, the outcome is positive so I urge you to write to us if you experience anything but a perfect tan and let us help.

Getting an even, natural looking tan is definitely possible without covering your body with chemicals, baking in a tanning bed or enduring the funky smell most tanners leave you with.

If you follow these simple steps, you too will be sporting a tan so natural looking that your friends will ask you where you just vacationed!

First things first.

Don't rush the process o.k.?

You want a natural looking tan, not a cheap paint job right? Just like getting a real sun tan, it takes a little time and patience but the outcome will be well worth it.

My Skin's Friend doesn't tan you, it causes your body to tan itself. In fact, when you spray it on, you won't see any color because there isn't any in it. That's why it doesn't look fake like a lot of others but there are "secrets" to getting the best, most natural looking tan with it.

Before you spray, make sure your skin is clean and exfoliated.

Use a regular wash cloth, loofah or anything else you might already like to exfoliate with. I discovered this helps speed up the process because it starts with new, fresh skin cells, not the old dead ones. Don't scrub so hard that you cause an abrasion. Just a nice firm scrub.

Exfoliate before using My Skin's Friend sunless tanner

There are two reasons for this.

One, the organic tanner interacts with your skin to create the tanning process so the more fresh, clean skin it can contact (without oils or creams between) the faster, deeper and more even your tan will be.
Secondly, dead skin cells tend to get darker than fresh cells and may cause some spotting so your outcome will be much more even once you properly clean and exfoliate your skin.

When your done, dry off and go to the next step.

I put plastic grocery store bags on my feet from the ankle down to keep the tops of my feet from getting tan from the falling mist.

Some customers have told me that they apply a thin layer of cocoa butter or other natural lotion like MSF Sweet Potato, Melon Fresh or Honey & Aloe to theirs.

They also apply to elbows and knees because those areas tend to get darker faster and the lotion acts to help avoid that.

O.k. with those bases covered, it's time to apply the spray.

It is much easier if you have a friend who can spray you but almost all of our customers report they spray it on themselves with little problem. It might take a little practice to perfect it but it's done every day.

My Skin's Friend organic sunless tanner application

I apply it to myself most of the time but when I can get my husband to do it, it is easier to maintain a more even coverage.

VERY IMPORTANT. The main cause of streaks or runs is OVER SPRAYING.

Because My Skin's Friend sunless tanner is clear (no colorants or staining chemicals), it is hard to tell where you've sprayed.

For this reason, it is important to plan to cover in a methodical way to make sure you don't over spray and get runs or streaks.

Do right leg, left leg to thigh front.
Right arm, left arm front and sides.
Abdomen front (pubic bone to under neck unless you want au natural all over tan).
Then back from hairline to butt. Then back of left leg, back of right leg.

If you have someone applying the spray to you, have them hold the bottle about a foot from your body and spray evenly from side to side, making sure to get an even coat. Applying too much each time will cause runs and you don't want that or you'll have streaks. Just a very light coat works like magic.

RUN REPAIR TIP!

If you see a run or large droplets during or after spraying, don't panic. It can be fixed before the streak shows up.

Once you've finished your third and final application for that day, simply let the last coat dry a few minutes and then apply an organic lotion to the entire area to blend the overspray into the rest of the area. In almost all cases, this will completely eliminate any spots or streaks and you'll wake up with a very nice, even, natural looking tan.

Over spray also happens because you will swear you're not getting enough on you but I assure you that you are. We chose the very fine mister pump to make sure you get a very light application each time to prevent runs or streaks.

When one coat dries (which is very quick and can be accelerated with a blow dryer set to cool), apply the next one until you've sprayed three consecutive coats in one treatment. I know you won't feel like anything is happening but trust me, it is.

Once the third coat is dry, you're ready to get dressed. My Skin's Friend tanner won't color hair or clothes so don't worry about having to cover your hair or having it rub off on your clothes or bed linens.

Cover your whole body or the areas you want tan with that first coat and wait 3 minutes or so for it to dry. One of the things people love about it is that it dries very fast.

Repeat this process no more than three days straight.

Once you've done if for three days, STOP and wait for 48 hours for your tan to “mature” and show you the final shade. If you want to be darker, simply continue to apply it as above until you reach your ideal shade. Once that happens, you can usually maintain your tan with a once or twice a week application. Remember, you won't see the final results for 48 hours
after the final coat.

That's it! That's all you need to have a cool looking tan. And when people ask where you got your beautiful tan, tell 'em Tahiti!

If you have any problems, questions or tips you'd like to share with us and your fellow tanners, please contact us at support@myskinsfriend.com. We love hearing from our customers and always appreciate tips you've learned to help get the best looking organic tan under the sun.

Want to share what you've learned? Click here to send a link to this page to your friends!

Now, go show off that beautiful tan of yours!

My Skin's Friend Organic tanner

Thank you for being My Skin's Friend.

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