Only 8% of sunscreens recommended by the Environmental Working Group

Marie Veronique Organics’ new Kid Safe Screen offers a solution

08.25.2010– Sustainable skincare company Marie Veronique Organics’ sunscreens shine in what is being considered a dark era for the skincare industry. In the wake of the Environmental Working Group’s May 2010 report, which only recommends 8% of sunscreens that exist on the market, Marie Veronique Organics’ new Kid Safe Screen offers a solution. The success of the line’s popular Moisturizing Face Screen and Anti Aging Day Serum (which rank in the Environmental Working Group’s top 10 sunscreens) inspired the creation of a safe and effective kid-friendly sunscreen that could be shared with the whole family and used on the entire body.

As explained in the Environmental Working Group’s recent report, “The major choice for U.S. consumers is between chemical sunscreens, which have inferior stability, penetrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone systems, and mineral sunscreens (zinc and titanium), which often contain micronized- or nano-scale particles of those minerals”.

To add to consumers’ confusion and frustration, the American Cancer Society’s latest report has set the stage for further narrowing the range of safe choices. It states that, “identification of research needs to resolve the carcinogenicity of high-priority IARC carcinogens”, and goes on to list titanium dioxide as one of their top 5 "suspected carcinogens”.

Another drawback to use of titanium dioxide in sunscreens is that it not as stable as zinc oxide. Titanium dioxide is a UV reflector/absorber that protects in the UVB and short (320-340 nm) UVA range. As an absorber it has significant photocatalytic properties, forming free radicals when exposed to light. Free radicals generated by UV exposure are considered the main agents of cell damage leading to an acceleration of the aging process. Unfortunately, it is not widely understood that popular sunscreen actives like titanium dioxide and oxybenzone may contribute to increasing the harmful consequences their use is intended to reduce or eliminate.

In May 2010, the Environmental Working Group stated that “The ideal sunscreen would block the UV rays that cause sunburns, immune suppression and harmful free radicals. It would remain effective on the skin for several hours and not create harmful by-products when degraded by UV light. It would smell, feel and look pleasant so that people use it in the right amount and frequency. Unsurprisingly, there is currently no sunscreen that meets all of these criteria.”. This summer, Marie Veronique Organics offered a solution with the launch of Kid Safe Screen, a safe, effective, baby and child-friendly SPF 25 sunscreen. Kid Safe Screen is currently rated by the EWG to be among the safest and most effective available, all without the use of titanium dioxide, harmful chemicals or nanoparticles. An important bonus is its wearability--Kid Safe Screen’s unique manufacturing process and choice of ingredients allow for the use of non nano-sized zinc oxide without turning skin ghostly white.

Kid Safe Screen contains 15 intelligent ingredients: camellia sinensis (green and white tea)*, non-nano zinc oxide, capric/capryllic triglycerides (fractionated coconut oil), Helianthus annuus (sunflower oil), Persea Americana (avocado oil), MVO butter, vegetable glycerin, potassium sorbate, xantham gum, allantoin, Polyaminopropyl biguanide (Cosmocil CQ)**, glycine soja lecithin, rosemary oleoresin, Cananga odorata (ylang ylang) essential oil, and iron oxides. It is offered with an SPF 25 for $24. It is packaged in a 2.7 oz recyclable bottle, and is available exclusively at www.mvorganics.com.

*For anti-oxidant support

**Paraben-free anti-microbial agent

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