Sizing Up Sunscreen

Check the rankings:  The new EWG database allows consumers to compare sunscreens on different characteristics—without scanning labels for complex chemicals. Overall, Badger SPF 30, Peter Thomas Roth Titanium SPF 30, and Lavera Sunscreen Neutral SPF 40, received top marks. This does not that mean they are perfect, cautions Houlihan, but that they will do the best in keeping you sun safe.

Apply early and often: If you apply sunscreen when you start feeling the heat, you're already too late. "Some people only think about sunscreen when they start feeling warm," says Martin A. Weinstock, professor of dermatology at Brown University. "Meanwhile, they've gotten a dangerous dose of UV long before then." He recommends putting on sunscreen a half hour before heading outdoors and reapplying every few hours.

Want a tan? Fake it: "It's best not to bathe yourself in carcinogens to make a fashion statement," says Weinstock.  A change in skin color is always an indication of heavy exposure to UV rays. The safest and best color, Weinstock says, is the one you were born with.

Listen to your mother: No matter how well a sunscreen ranks, Houlihan cautions that there "isn't a perfect product or ingredient and there isn't perfect knowledge that sunscreen can do enough to completely protect us from skin cancer. It's important to not only use sunscreen but also follow the safety tips we've been told again and again." Those safety tips—make sure to cover all areas liberally, stay out of the sun at peak hours, and, most importantly, keep skin covered with hats and light clothing—combined with a safe sunscreen should give you one less thing to worry about when enjoying that day at the beach.

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