Isn’t it funny how you can go through life not knowing what’s right under your nose? Even if you put it there yourself? I recently came to realize that aluminum oxide and iron oxides are everywhere! If you use or have ever used any sort of BB cream, tinted moisturizer, or tinted sunscreen, you’ve probably rubbed one or more of these ingredients on your face every day.

I thought my lifelong search for the perfect facial sunscreen was over when I discovered Australian Gold Botanical Tinted Face Sunscreen (SPF 50). I really do love this sunscreen, but I’m a bit concerned about its low concentration of active ingredients: 4% zinc oxide and 4% titanium dioxide. When I emailed the company to ask, Australian Gold said that it hasn’t applied for the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation, and has no plans to do so. So, as summer approaches,…

I still find it odd that more companies don’t share their SPF testing results with consumers—or at least the name of the lab they use. I think it seems suspicious that they don’t share these test results. But then I asked my dad what he thought. His answer surprised me and made me consider the other side of things: are companies intentionally choosing not to share their SPF clinical testing results with the public, not because they fear that the test results are illegitimate, but…