fda

Best zinc oxide-based sunscreen lip balms: Burt's Bees vs. Sprouts

Which company makes a better zinc oxide-based sunscreen lip balm: Burt's Bees or Sprouts (a grocery store)?

I’ve always loved leisurely browsing the aisles of a nice, brightly lit grocery store. One thing I hate about living in NYC is the grocery shopping experience. When I’m shopping in a nice grocery store, I feel on edge because it’s usually pretty crowded—either because of the sheer number of people, the limited square footage, or some combination thereof. In some stores, I also feel like I’m dodging store employees as they restock the shelves, and fellow shoppers who want…

Phthalates in personal care products: Should you be concerned?

Here are the four ingredients to watch out for. Plus, yet another reason to opt for fragrance-free products.

Phthalates are one of the 400 ingredients that Brandless bans from its personal care products. This piqued my interest because I have heard some rumblings about phthalates before. These chemicals are used in lots of products, ranging from plastic toys to shampoos. I decided to dig into the research and see what I could find. According to the FDA, three types of phthalates appear in cosmetic products: