What Can I Do If I’m Allergic To Sunscreen?

316 Comments on What Can I Do If I’m Allergic To Sunscreen?

1. I can’t use chemical sunscreens at all. They sting and give me breakouts. I thought PABA is no longer used in sunscreen, right? My current sunblock contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which is effective but gives me a white cast. I don’t have any problems with it but a lot of people have skin reaction, probably because of the other inactive ingredients.
   .-= Dao´s last blog ..Lancer Dermatology Giveaway ($200 worth in prize) =-.

   • Hi Dao,
     i read your comments about being allergic to sunscreens. what product/brand sunscreen do you? i’m highly allergic to sunscreen. i break out in rashes when i apply. i try to use baby sunscreen but oftens times, i still break out.
     please let me know.

     Q

2. I’m allergic to the chemical in sunscreen as well. Mine changed after a bio lab experiment. I had a reaction and then I couldn’t use sunscreen afterwards. :/
   .-= Ahleessa´s last blog ..L’oreal Volume Shocking Mascara =-.

3. Dao, that’s too bad. But at least you can use physical blockers. Despite the white cast, I prefer them to the synthetic sunscreens. As for PABA, I think it isn’t used anymore. Maybe some cheap brand could still use it, but that’s very rare since most people react badly to it.

4. Ahleessa, I’m sorry, that’s awful. Have you tried using Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide? They shouldn’t cause you any reaction.

5. I breakout with sunscreen as well, but am not sure what it is that is causing it…i tried hypoallergenic, and same problem… Zinc oxide, do you mean using it on its own? See I dont need sunscreen, my daughter does, and i get the reaction from hers…is there anything safe and uv protected for a child????

   • Char_333 sadly hypoallergenic doesn’t mean anything. It’s impossible to make sure a cosmetic ingredient won’t give a negative reaction to someone but companies like to print that on the labels to make people believe their products are gentler when they’re not. You should check the ingredient list to see if the ingredients at the top are comedogenic and once you find the culprit, avoid it.

     About Zinc Oxide, I mean using a sunscreen which lists it as an active ingredient. It protects skin against UVA and UVB rays and it’s gentler than chemical sunscreen agents so it’s less likely to cause negative reactions. However, it is slightly comedogenic can clog pores and cause breakouts in some very sensitive people. If pimples are your problem than maybe you’re better off with a sunscreen that contains both chemical and physical blockers.

     And everyone needs sunscreen, even you. You should wear it every day even if it rains or snow or the sun damage will add up and cause premature aging and sun spots. Hope this helps. 🙂

6. Thanks so much for the information and the quick reply!
   I will look for a sunscreen for myself and my daughter that meet that criteria… Thanks again

   • Char_333 you’re welcome. I’m glad I could help. 🙂

7. I am also struggling with allergy reaction to sunscreen lotion. I am frustrated. I am planning a wedding this summer and i am trying hard to avoid getting a reaction. My skin burns and blister after contact with sunscreen, even if i just touch a rail or anyone that has it on. This has been my problem for 9 years now. After my breakout i don’t know what to use or even what to use on my skin to protect me from the sun or from getting a breakout. Please give me some advice. I am trying zincofax cream the same stuff you put on babies bumb. It seems to dry it up a bit but i am need to use somthing that stop the breakouts. Where do i get physical blockers, and am pretty sure it the paraben am allergic to but i need sunscreen for my kids when they are out in the sun.

   • Donnette, I’m sorry to hear you have such an awful reaction to sunscreen. Parabens are preservatives used in a wide variety of beauty products so if you can’t use them I guess there are also lots of other cosmetics and skincare items you can’t use. If it’s the parabens you are allergic to, then choose products that don’t use them by checking the ingredient list.

     If it is an active ingredient in the sunscreen instead, it’s probably a chemical filter so you would need to use physical blockers (ie Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide) instead. Just check the ingredient lists of sunscreen and buy one that contains one or both of these ingredients and no chemical filters at all as some contain both types of sunscreen agents. If you’re still having problems with physical blockers as well then it would be best to consult a dermatologist and see what he recommends you use.

     Hope this helps.

8. im allergic to the suncreens and dont know what else to use…my friend told me that you can use some of the lotions to protect you from the rays but i dont know if its true

   • Yasmin, I’m sorry to hear that. By lotions do you mean moisturizers with SPF? Because they would offer some protection, even though just minimal, but they contain the same ingredients as sunscreen. Do you know what sunscreen ingredient you are allergic to? Usually the synthetic ones are those that cause problems, so I would look for a sunscreen that contain only Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide, which are physical blockers that protect both from UVA and UVB rays. If you still have problems, then you could be allergic to the way the sun reacts with your sunscreen, in which case it is better to consult a dermatologist. Hope this helps.

9. I react to most sunscreens, and some insect repellents and quite alot of moisturisers and skin cleaners and general creams…. I have found sunscreens that don’t make my skin rash, but it would be helpful to know what not to look for before we have to buy lots of different bottles to find an ok one. All the names are so long and scientific!

   • Laura, I’m sorry you react badly to some many products. It must be very frustrating trying to find products that work well for you especially when the ingredients have such long and complicated names. It’s hard to say what you are reacting to without doing allergies test but most chemical sunscreen ingredients can cause irritations and allergies, so I’d suggest you use sunscreens with physical blockers, namely Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. Also, fragrance can be a very irritating ingredients so I would opt for scent-free products. Hope this helps.

10. Hello,

    A few years ago I experienced a severe acute onset allergic reaction (dermatitis- pustules and rash). It covered my face and neck and chest. Since then I have learned that when I don’t use products with Parabens I am fine. The only thing I am still trying to figure out is even when I use Paraben-free sunscreen I am still getting the reaction. What is confusing is that I only get the rash on my face and chest, no where else that I have also applied the sunscreen. This is getting really annoying because I love being out in the sun and I’m only wearing the sunscreen because I don’t want to damage my skin (I have never burned in my life). I know not wearing sunscreen is not a safe option. I almost want to say that it sounds like a phototoxic reaction but then I can’t rule it out as such because it doesn’t happen all the time. It only seems to be most problematic when I go on vacation to warmer climates (I’m from up north). I don’t think the physical blockers would be a good choice for me since I am really prone to breaking out. If you have any suggestions on products to try that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

    • Houndstoothgirl, I’m sorry to hear this, it’s awful! And it must be very frustrating for you. It could be a phototoxic reaction but since you mentioned that it doesn’t happen all the time, and that it happens on your face and chest, maybe it’s the combination of the sunscreen and some other product you use on your skin that’s causing the reaction. Like, the sunscreen you use is ok on its own, but when it reacts with your moisturizer or foundation or whatever other product you wear on your skin, the allergic reaction occurs? Since you said that it happens more in warmer climates, do you by any chance use different products on vacation? A different moisturizer perhaps? But if sunscreen is the only think you apply on your skin, then I’m not really sure what to suggest bar going to a doctor and have some allergy tests done.

      I’m not really sure what products to suggest since you don’t wanna use physical blockers. Mexoryl is a chemical ingredient (found in L’Oreal sunscreen mostly as they patented it) that shouldn’t cause any allergic reaction but then I think most of the products with it contains some parabens and you can’t use those… But if you manage to find one without, that would be the best choice for you imo. Although I also think you should consult a doctor as he/she will be better able to determine the best products for you to use.

11. I’m pretty sure at this point that I’m allergic to the stearyl alcohol/stearic acid in sunscreen, which is also in all other lotions because it’s a standard emulsifier. I just developed the allergy a few months ago, and whenever I use sunscreen, lotion, some types of conditioner, or moisturizing soap, I get itchy bumps in that area. I burn very easily and I used to wear sunscreen every day, but now I just can’t take it.

    • Molly, I’m really sorry to hear that, it’s awful. That’s such a popular ingredient and so it’s not easy to find good products that don’t contain it. But at least you know what to avoid..

12. I’m really, really allergic to chemical sunscreens too – and I’ve been dealing with summertime break outs for the last ten years! It’s always a reaction to coming in contact with other people wearing chemical sunscreens that gets me.

    But there are a few products for me and my family to wear that won’t cause me a week’s worth of agony:

    1. Neutrogena sensitive skin sunscreen lotion spf 60
    The Active Ingredients are: Titanium Dioxide 4.9%, Zinc Oxide 4.7%

    2. A French product called: Kibio Solaire Fluide Protecteur Corps, spf 20
    The Active Ingredients are: Titanium Dioxide 8%, Zinc Oxide 2.9%

    Although they both leave a little bit of a white cast to your skin, it’s a small price to pay to skip the painful allergic reaction and still get UV protection.

    • Kim, I’m sorry to hear about your allergy, but I’m glad you’ve found some products that work for you. And thanks for sharing them, I’m sure other people who are allergic to chemical sunscreens will find your recommendations helpful. And I agree with you, the white cast is a small price to pay for the benefits.

13. This is the problem that I have. I use sunscreen and go out and tan and a few hours later or maybe a day later, my skin would have a irritating rash on it almost like sunburn but more rashy feeling on my face, shoulders and arms. what to do? what kind of sunscreen can i use?

    • Christy, I’m sorry to hear that, it’s awful! I think your best bet would be to use a sunscreen with zinc oxide, which doesn’t irritate skin and provides broad spectrum protection on its own.

14. I am very disappointed that I am no longer able to get PABA-based sunscreens. They worked great and never caused anyone in my family any problems. PABA is a B vitamin. Almost all new sunscreens contain salicilates which makes people bleed, including me. 25 years ago, I took part in a 6 week research test for sunscreens. I had indicated that I am allergic to ASA and should not have been allowed to take part. To this day, I have severe itching in the areas on my back where the sunscreens were applied. The dermatologist to whom the company sent me ridiculed me, telling me that the symptoms were imaginary. Some of the women in the test had severe bleeding, but were not pulled from the test until their wounds festered. I will never again take part in a research test.

    • Traute, I’m so sorry to hear that! What a terrible experience!

15. I am a man trying to take care of his skin but everthing that has spf scares me. In the past my reactions were so bad that even my lips broke out in terrible rashes, it was agonizing my face swelled and got red, I try PABA free, Baby spf thinking that would do the trick, I think I have tried zink but nothing works. my arms get bumpy and tender and my face swells up so badly that I am embarrased to go anywhere. it’s strarting to get sunny and hot where I live, can a vented hat and sun glasses be enough?

    • Brian, I’m so sorry to hear about your problem. That’s really awful!

      Hat and glasses will definitely help, but they won’t be able to protect the rest of the face and other areas that should be exposed to the sun. You said that you tried sunscreen with zinc oxide, but that it didn’t work either. Did you check the label to see if other sunscreen agents were present in the lotion? Cos sometimes zinc oxide is used with other ingredients and you may have reacted to one of those.

      But if the only sunscreen agent the product contained was zinc oxide, then I’d try to apply it on a small area of the body that’s not exposed to the sun and see if you still get an allergic reaction. If you don’t, then the problem is not caused by the sunscreen but by sunlight and you should consult a doctor to find out what you can do about it. Hope this helps.

16. I am allergic to all sunscreens, both chemical and physical blockers. I have tried titanium dioxide only and zinc oxide only sunscreens and they both cause an allergic reaction whether I spend time in the sun or not. I do have atopic dermatitis, so I know genetically my skin barrier is not as good as others, even when I do not have active outbreaks. I even tried mineral make-up which has some sunblock protective properties as well as plain zinc oxide powder – but these both of these caused a terrible rash. So, my skin is so much calmer and clearer when I do not wear sunblock. Just wanted to let people know that even minerals are allergenic. I have to stick with hats and sunglasses and sun avoidance. Surprisingly despite not being able to wear sunscreen my skin looks much better than most people my age, so sunscreen is not the only thing that protects people from photo-aging. Healthy diet plays a big role too. Curious if others have experienced this as well.

    • Fiona, I’m sorry to hear you’re allergic to all types of sunscreens and thanks for sharing your experience. Sunscreen is very important in preventing premature aging, but so is diet I agree. Eating healthily helps a lot too.

17. It seems that I am not only allergic to sunscreens but most lip products as well. I cannot use Chapstick or Blistex or even the all-natural Burt’s Bees products. Carmex and Vaseline are the only products I can use on my lips. I don’t have a reaction to sunscreen anywhere but my lips and I somehow managed to get some on my face while sunbathing the other day. My lips swell up, turn brigher red than a baboon’s backside and ooze. It’s a painful and embarrassing reaction. I’m typing this out while holding an ice pack to my lips. It’s the only thing that keeps the swelling and weeping down.

    • KinaMorii, I’m so sorry to hear that! That’s really terrible and must be frustrating too. I wish there was something I could do to help, but I’m glad that you managed to find a couple of products that work well for you.

    • Wow, I am so glad to find someoone who has the same reaction. I can’t wear any tyes of lipsticks or lip gloss that has spf in it. The only thing i found that I can wear is carmex and victoria secret lipgloss. If i even so much as kiss my kids who have sunblock on I am in trouble. I do have a reaction if I wear in on my body, usually my shoulders and chest get all scaly and bumpy. This is one allergy that I really truly am annoyed by!!!

      • Liz, thank you for your comment. I’m sorry about your allergy. That must be very annoying indeed.

18. I am wondering if more people are allergic to titanium dioxide than is known at this point. I am allergic to it–it makes my face itch, feel tight and dry, my eyes water, and a rash begins. Octoxinate produces similar symptoms but not quite as extreme. Ethylhexyl methoxicinnimate makes my eyes water like crazy! I just read a dermatologist’s comment that putting sunscreen in makeup is next to useless because foundation, for example, is applied too thinly and often not to all areas of the face. Further, it is not applied frequently enough. With the prevalence of titanium dioxide in makeup (look at mineral makeup!), it may be that more and more women become sensitive to it. I, too, wish PABA were still used as I did not have a reaction to that. Zinc Oxide is the one I do best with but I can’t use it every day or my skin reacts. I’m not a sun worshipper and I don’t burn easily, so I don’t worry about it that much.

    • Julia, I’m really sorry to hear that, how awful! As far as I know Titanium Dioxide does not cause allergies but I guess that, as its use is becoming widespread and more and more people use it, some could become sensitive to it. And that dermatologist is right. You have to apply several layers of foundations and powders to get the SPF stated on the packaging, which is not really possible to do anyway. I hope you’ll be able to find a sunscreen that work for you soon.

19. I don’t use sunscreen at all any more. I just make sure that I cover when the sun is high in the sky, about 11:30 to 2:30, especially from June to August. That works fine for me. Haven’t had a sunburn in 20 years.

    The claim that PABA is no longer used because of allergic reactions seems to be the pharmaceutical industry’s attempt sell their chemical products. As everyone should know by now, the Canadian government has several times attempted to pass a bill which will make the selling and even growing of natural products illegal. If I continue to teach people the benefits of medicinal herbs, I will be put in jail. I have read the proposed bill. Most people do not believe that any government would do that. They will wake up when it is too late.

    • Traute Klein, I’m sorry to hear that. I believe there are studies showing that lots of people are allergic to PABA, which doesn’t surprise me because when something is widely used, then more and more people will become sensitive to it. I think that’s what will happen in the future with PABA alternatives that are becoming more and more common nowadays.

      Also, news of that bill doesn’t surprise me at all. I have heard of a bill in the US that, in an attempt to get rid of all potential (not proven) carcinogens, de facto, if it passes, would ban a lot of natural substances as they contain these dangerous compounds. Only that when their amount is minuscule they aren’t dangerous at all and these plants usually contain other compounds that make the “dangerous” ones totally innocuous anyway. But sadly governments don’t understand science and neither do most people. They get scared when they hear that an ingredient is toxic without researching whether these claims are true or false. Unfortunately they’ll realise their errors only when it is too late.

20. I’ve recently been doing research about sunscreens after my 21 month old broke out in blisters and hives from two different sunscreens. I want to point out that just because the active ingredient in a sunscreen is titanium oxide or zinc oxide does not mean that it won’t contain other chemicals in the inactive ingredients that will break you out. The sunblock we found that worked for my son is Seventh Generations Baby Sunscreen. It is a new product that I’ve only found online. It contains more natural ingredients and on the plus side doesn’t stink like typical sunscreen. It has a light citrusy smell. I hope that helps someone.

    • Katelyn, I’m sorry to hear that and you’re absolutely right. Any ingredients in sunscreens can cause a negative reaction, thanks for the remainder. And also thanks for sharing what works for your son. I’m sure that will help other people with the same problem.

21. When I put suncreamon the only area that is affected is my face. It doesn’t even really hurt it just comes out into a red rash. I am always wearing a hat but it still happens. I am not definite it is the suncream but every holiday or sunny day I pit on suncream and the rash breaks out. Please help xxx

    • Teigan, I’m sorry to hear that. Do all sunscreens do that to you? Have you tried using one with only Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide?

      • I have nor tried many suncreams out but I am going to get a suncream fro sensitive skin to see if that helps ! As I am in secondary school it can be quite embarrassing having red splotchy cheeks ! I will definitely try out some different suncreams! Thank you x I will give you the update soon !

        • Teigan, you’re welcome. Do try one with Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide. They’re great for sensitive skin. Let me know how it goes. 🙂

22. I went cycling yesterday and because the weather was hot, I sprayed some sunscreen on myself (the colourless kind) and before evening I started itching. I didn’t think anything of it then. But I couldn’t sleep well the whole night because I was scratching so much, especially at the neck (and I put the most sunscreen at my neck). Now, my arms itch like crazy and I have rashes all over them. My neck too. I’m not sure if it’s caused by the sunscreen but I remember having such a reaction a few years back, when I went to the beach to swim and applied sunscreen too. Now I’m hesitant to apply sunscreen because I’m not sure which kind I’m allergic to. It sucks. 🙁

    • Vanessa, I’m so sorry to hear that. It sucks indeed. I believe you may be allergic to a chemical sunscreen agent, so I would opt for a sunscreen with only physical blockers, ie only (or both) Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. These usually don’t cause allergic reactions, but may leave a white cast on skin.

23. Great information about sunscreen. I developed a nasty allergy to the ingrediant Avobenzone. Took months to figure out what was making me itch to the point where my eyelids were nearly swollen shut! I went to the Allergist and all they could tell me was that I tested positive to thimerasol after my skin patch test! Even “sensitive” suncreens will use it. I like Elta MD’s facial sunblock with SpF of 30. It feels like a moisturizer when applied. Lubriderm made a Moisturizer with SpF 15 that was great but last year they “improved” it with Avobenzone unfortunately. As for my kids, I don’t help them apply suncreen, unless it is the Spray kind.

    • Amy Jo, thanks for your comment and I’m sorry to hear about your allergy to Avobenzone. It must be so frustrating, especially having to wait all that time to know what caused the problem. But at least now you know what to avoid and I’m glad you’ve found something that works well for you.

24. my granddaughter has it her face…I never had acne ….but her mother feels that is a reaction to sun lotion it iches an looks like white heads…very red…what do you do to get rid of this rash. thanks

    • Joanne, I’m sorry to hear that. If it’s an allergic reaction, then the best thing to do would be to consult a doctor to know what exactly caused it so he/she can prescribe the proper treatment.

25. would it make sense to make you own sunscreen? tried it before, all natural ingredients except zinc oxide and it works

    • Abena, even though I’m usually a fan of making your own products, I wouldn’t recommend making your own sunscreen. That’s because we don’t know exactly the amount of sunscreen ingredients that should be used to effectively protect skin. Better be safe than sorry and buy a sunscreen properly formulated by a cosmetic chemist.

26. I’m so grateful for sites like these–back in the day I had to figure out each individual allergen on my own (uh oh, my lips are red and bumpy and twice their usual size–what’s in this lip balm?). My red flag ingredients include PABA, avobenzone, oxybenzone, and several plant oils and extracts (no minty lip balm!). I seem to be OK with octyl-methoxycinnamate aka octinoxate, and octyl-salicylate aka octisalate, which makes it much easier to find something at the drugstore that I can use. I prefer all mineral sunscreens though. Zinc oxide is my favorite for the face, because my oily skin seems to love it–for me it helps prevent breakouts and keeps my skin from becoming greasy. Your mileage may vary!

    Those with PABA allergies–it’s still included in some multivitamin formulas, so don’t forget to check the label on those as well. The amount in a multivitamin is not supposed to be enough to cause an allergic reaction, but it nonetheless made my throat itch something awful before I finally figured out the cause.

    • Amy, thanks for your comment. I’m sorry you are allergic to so many things, but at least you now know what to avoid. I prefer mineral sunscreens too. Zinc Oxide is my favourite ingredient as well as it protects both against UVA and UVB rays and is not irritating.

      Thanks for the remainder about PABA too. I agree that if you’re allergic, you shouldn’t take any chances.

27. Hello,

    I too like everyone else had a reaction to my sunscreen. I am wondering- what can I do to reduce the irritation, rough bumpy, chapped feeling. I heard aloe vera is good?
    Help please!
    Thanks,
    Monika

    • Hello Mon, I’m sorry to hear that. I would recommend and hydrocortisone cream. It should calm your skin but make sure you follow the instructions exactly. Hope this helps.

28. Hello
    Recently I had a serious breakout of rashes on my face, my eyelids, my chin, and some parts of my neck. It flares up every week and at some points made my eyes and cheeks swollen. The first time it happened the dermatologist said it was contact dermatitis due to some make up products I used and gave me a cortisol shot which makes the swelling go down. But then I had post menopausal bleeding right after that and it caused a false alarm that sent me to the OB/gynae. Then the following weeks the breakouts continued and I experienced red, itchy skin strictly restricted to my face/chin only. I suspect it is due to the sunscreen I am using as I had eliminated all make up products from my face for a whole week and I still had breakouts.

    I did some research on ingredients in sunscreen, specifically avobenzone and oxybenzone which can trigger allergic reations, and is a potential hormone disrupter and penetrates the skin in relatively large amounts. I had been using Neutrogena Age Shield face block SPF110 for the past year and this product was stated as having 6% oxybenzone and 3% avobenzone. My dermatologist has recommended that I switch to the Neutrogena Baby faceblock which contains titanium dioxide and zine oxide instead. Does anyone has any idea if this sunscreen has any harmful effects so far? Please advise as I have fair skin and burn easily even though I wear protective clothing and hats.

    Itchy Nightmare

    • Itchy nightmare, I’m sorry you had such a bad reaction, how awful! I agree with your dermatologist that you should switch to a product with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide. These ingredients are gentler and haven’t been shown to cause allergc reactions. You can use them safely.

29. Hello, I seem to be allergic to every sun cream I try. I’ve even tried a chemical-free one and after much rubbing in I still started scratching shortly after going in the sun and came out in a red rash! However, I’m not affected by moisturisers or face creams that contain SPF. I am also allergic to all fake tans and perfume! This is very frustrating, especially as I am getting married on a beach in January so obviously don’t want to be covered in a rash on my wedding day!
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

    • Lynne, I’m so sorry to hear that, it must be very frustrating! It seems that you may be allergic to more than an ingredient, so I’d suggest you have an allergy test done. That way you’ll know exactly what to avoid and will be able to choose products that don’t hurt your skin.

30. My daughter now 5 is severely allergic to sunscreen. When she was 6 months old put on sunscreen she immediately started swelling whole body but worse on face green gunk coming out of eyes nose running we immediately tried to wash it off and went to seek medical advise
    Was told it was an allergy n gave her benadryl. We have since tried a few sunscreens for sensitive skin with worse side effects. Her skin will immediately burn peel blister swell its horrible. We were told to just not use sunscreen anymore. So we haven’t in 2 yrs. She cannot even touch someone if they have it on or she will have a reaction. I was just curious if anyone else has had these issues? If so any suggestions? She is a stubborn girl n doesn’t like to keep her hats or cover ups for bathing suits. Thanks for listening.

    • Patricia, I’m so sorry to hear that, how horrible! Have you tried a sunscreen with only titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide? I’m asking because some sunscreens that are labelled for sensitive skin can still contain chemical sunscreen ingredients that can cause allergies. If, however, you’ve tried those sunscreens and they didn’t work, then I’d recommend to have some allergy tests done so you know exactly what it is she is allergic to and you can better avoid it. In the meantime, the only thing I can suggest is to keep her out of the sun as much as possible, and when it isn’t, to make her wear protective clothing and hats.

31. I saw a dermatologist last year and she determined that I am allergic to octotrylene in face creams and sunscreens. She advised me to use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. I have some zinc ointment but it contains petrolatum which I understand the European council considers a carcinogen and restricts its use in skin care products. Are there products that I can look for which do not contain potentially harmful non medicinal ingredients?

    • Maureen, petrolatum in skincare products is safe. Unrefined petrolatum can contain carcinogenic substances it is true, but the type used in cosmetics undergoes a refining process that gets rid of all those impurities. It is the first, unrefined type that is banned in Europe, the second is widely used here (I live in Italy) too. So, use your zinc ointment safely, it won’t harm you.

32. I’m allergic to most sunscreen however I have found that using baby sunblock is fine, you might want to try this? 🙂

    • Sarah, I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you. Baby sunblock usually contains fewer and milder ingredients so they’re less likely to cause allergies.

      And thanks for your comments. I’m sure it will help other people who have the same problem.

33. We make a zinc oxide based range of sunscreens that are non-toxic and non-chemical based with all natural, organic ingredients. We have many requests from people with severe reactions to sunscreens to try our sunumbra products. They also contain a number of botanical ingredients that are extremely healing for the skin, as well as boosting your own natural protection abilities to deal with the harmful effects of the sun.
    I would really love feedback from anyone who tries them, as to whether or not they help?

    • Sue, thanks for your comments. Your line sounds intriguing. I don’t think I have ever seen them here, but I hope someone else who has tried them can give you their feedback.

34. That would be excellent. We are a small producer with our key focus on being non-toxic using zinc-oxide only, with added assistance from nature to boost our internal protection systems. I will gladly send you a sample to try if you would like?

    • Sue, I’d like that, thank you. I live in Italy, though. Is it possible for you to ship here? If so, send me an email at beautifulwithbrains[at]gmail[dot]com.

35. I’m severely allergic to aspirin, so I avoid products with salicylic acid. However, I’ve learned the hard way that there are about a gazillion other products that contain salicylates but with sneaky names (like benzoates). Can you recommend a brand that will be safe for me for daily use?

    • Nichole, I’m sorry to hear about your allergies. It’s so difficult to recommend a brand that’s safe for use for those allergic to salicylates because even brands that claim to be free of them, like Andrea Rose and Cleure, use them in a bunch of their products. Still, you can try those that don’t. Otherwise, instead than a brand, you should look for products with as few ingredients as possible. That way, you’re less likely to get a negative reaction and spotting any salicylates will be easier too if the list isn’t too long.

      • Thanks. It can get frustrating, but my reactions are so severe – tongue and throat swelling – that I have to really be careful. I’ve found some useful sites with lists of foods and ingredients that are unsafe . Thanks again for the suggestion and for having this post up!

        • You’re very welcome and I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

36. Since I am no longer able to find a PABA sunscreen, I just don’t use any sunscreen any more. All of the sunscreens I see are far stronger than necessary to prevent burning. I make sure that I don’t expose my skin to the sun while the sun is high in the sky. If we don’t get sun, where would we get the vitamin D which is necessary for our health. BTW, after the vitamin D is produced on your skin by the sun, make sure you don’t wash it off by taking a shower. The vitamin D is in the natural body oil and the oil has to be absorbed into the skin or else you lose all the vitamin D.

    • Traute, sunscreen isn’t used only to prevent burning. It also prevents cancer, premature wrinkles, brown spots and it’s best to use one with a higher than a lower SPF. As for Vitamin D, there are many foods that contain it. If you eat a healthy, balanced diet, you’ll get all the Vitamin D your body needs without the need to get it from the sun.

37. Hi, I’ve been suffering with an allergic reaction to sun tan lotion for years now but this only occurs on my face, it starts with red blochey rash and then goes to very small white spots. My doctor has suggested trying sunblock in a stick rather than a lotion as he said its the agents that make a lotion runny that normally cause a reaction. However having looked at your list of ingredients that are likely to cause allergies some of the ingredients seem to be in most stick blocks – even kids ones! Although they also include Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide… I’m totally at a loss! Can you recommend a brand that is safe? I live in the UK. Appreciate any help you can give me Thanks

    • Emma, the problem with allergic reactions is that any ingredient used in cosmetics could potentially cause them. Those that I listed here are just the most common culprits, but it is possible that you are reacting to something else entirely. The only way to know for sure is to do a patch test.

      In the meantime, I would suggest you use a physical sunscreen with as few ingredients as possible, so the chances of you reacting badly to it will be greatly reduced. Badger and Blue Lizard are two brands you could try. Hope this helps.

38. Thank you for getting back to me so quickly, I was just about to order a Badger sunblock stick so good to know its one you would suggest. I will also look up Blue Lizard many thanks emma

    • Emma, you’re welcome. I hope the Badger sunblock stick works well for you.

39. thanks for your insightful article.

    I am not sure if I am allergic, irritated or sensitive to chemical sunscreen as i don’t experience rashes, irritation as such, but only causes me to breakout on my cheeks and chin areas. i rarely have breakouts on my t-zone which is weird because i thought those areas are meant to be oily! if you don’t mind, would appreciate if you could clarify the differences 🙂

    I have never had any breakouts in my teenage life until 2 years ago and ever since i started using sunscreen religiously after i migrated to Aus. to be honest, i am not sure what is causing my moderate to severe breakouts because i have had so many changes in my life for the past 2 years – difference in climate (from a tropical country with 90% humidity level to a 4-season country with 20% humidity level)? aging? sunscreen? stress? ahhhhhh

    sorry i digressed 🙂

    anyhow, in terms of sunscreen, i suspect the culprits are these with the following concentration: avobenzone (3%) or oxybenzone (4%). im currently using a zinc oxide + octyl methoxycinnamate combination sunscreen (olay daily defence) which have not to cause any breakouts! i would like to try a physical sunscreen with only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as active ingredients – Elta MD since i’ve heard so many great comments.

    any idea if you think my speculation about oxybenzone and/or avobenzone is correct? appreciate any help and advice. cheers.

    • Stillsearching, I don’t think what you experienced was an allergy or an irritating, but that you were simply using a sunscreen with one or more comedogenic ingredients, which clog the pores and cause skin to breakout.

      I don’t think the culprits are avobenzone or oxybenzone because neither is particularly comedogenic. It’s more likely it was one of the emollients or thickeners (such as the Palmitates, Myristates or Coconut Oil) that was to blame. You can find a list of comedogenic ingredients here: http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2009/06/10/what-ingredients-are-comedogenic/

      Having said that, you can still try a physical sunscreen. Those with Zinc Oxide are particularly good because this ingredient can, on its own, protect against the whole UV spectrum, and doesn’t cause irritations. It can leave a white cast on skin though. Hope this helps.

      • sorry I have been away. Thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

        I finally got around to see a dermatologist, asked him if i could be allergic to sunscreen, he wasn’t too keen about the idea and quite frankly dismissed my suspicion. then i went about telling him all acne treatments i have tried. considering that I have tried minocycline, tretinoin cream (0.1%), salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid etc etc – he decided to put me on roccutane AND mentioned that my implanon (contraceptive) could have caused it! uhhhh magic to my ear! so i’ve decided to remove my implanon and go on roccutane as well because i just cannot cannot deal with this acne ordeal anymore…

        apologies, this may not be related to sunscreen anymore, but i thought i would put my situation out there 🙂 again, thanks for responding.

        • You’re welcome and thank you for sharing your experience with us. I’m sure other women who are going through the same thing will find it helpful. And I hope the new treatment will work well for you. 🙂

40. Over the course of the past few years I’ve gone from being mildly sensititve to various cosmetics to having an allergic reaction to every lotion, make-up, sunscreen and body wash that I’ve tried (probably over 20 different products!) After patch testing at my dermatologist’s office it was determined that I’m allergic to nickel, fragrance mix and products containing ingredients ending in “isothizolinone”. I was put on a nickel free diet (which is very nutritionally poor) but my skin got worse. The doctor gave me a list of products that might work for each of the different allergies, but every product on the individual lists has at least one of my triggers. I’m desperate because the rashes I had in the past caused itching which resulted in permanent red patches and broken capillaries on my cheeks that I can’t cover because of my allergy to make-up. I would be thrilled to find a single product that works but after over a dozen hours of online research I’ve come up short.

    • Karen, I’m so sorry to hear that, it must be so frustrating! I’m not sure what product to suggest as, as you’ve unfortunately discovered, pretty much every product contains something you’re allergic to, but I will do a search too and see if I can come up with something.

41. Hi, My daughter is severely allergic to sunscreen so we us Blue Lizard and find it excellent. She also gets cold sores from the sun and UV rays so we need a lip balm with an SPF but without a chemical sunscreen. Do you know if a good lip balm with a physical block sunscreen in it? Greatly appreciated!!

    • Heather, hi. I’m sorry to hear about your daughter’s allergy. Badger has a lip balm with Zinc Oxide. It’s called SPF15 Lip Balm Sunscreen. It can leave a subtle white tint on the lips, but it should be able to protect them without irritating them. Hope this helps.

42. so What is a name of a sunscreen to use???

    • Vicki, there are a lot of good sunscreens on the market. You just need to identify what it is you’re allergic to and pick a product without the offending ingredient.

43. I am allergic to Nickel, neomcyine, Caine mix, Paraben mix, and MCI/MI Isothiazolinone and methlisothiazolinone. help what line of products can I use? Household, body, etc. ??

    • Vicky, I’m sorry to hear about your allergy. It’s impossible to recommend a line as chances are at least one of the products will have one of these ingredients. Your best bet is to opt for basic products, with only a handful ingredients, which are less likely to contain something that may trigger an allergic reaction.

44. Hello, I am one of those people who have reactions to both mineral sunscreens and chemical sunscreens, especially greater than spf 15 (which really is inadequate for my needs since I do a lot of outdoor exercise and have vary fair skin). Zinc sunscreens, even in a titanium dioxide blend or chemical blend like some Elta prodcuts, make my skin dry up and peel, along with eczema-like rashes, after 2 days of use; titanium dioxide-only sunscreens (spf 20+) seem great the first couple of days, then my skin starts looking scaly (and I do exfoliate regularly), and I get little bumps and some pimples. Chemical sunscreens seem to vary, with some causing my eyes to water all day, some itching, and my forehead to break out in little bumps, but never totally reaction-free (my body below my neck seems to tolerate them OK though). At least Aveeno eczema cream overnight for a couple days makes the bumps go away.

    The only sunscreens that have not given me a reaction are the now discontinued Bobbi Brown Protective face base spf 15 (which was only good for back and forth to work anyway), and Laura Mercier fluid spf 40 (which is very expensive and doesn’t work as well when I travel to dry climates). I am wondering if there is some typical concentration of active ingredients that tends to trigger a reaction, so maybe I can look for something that stays under a certain percentage. Any ideas? My derm is useless since he just keeps telling me to use zinc. I’d rather have a bumpy rash on my forehead than patchy peeling skin all over my face and neck.

    • Elizabeth, I’m so sorry to hear about your problem. I’m not surprised that your derm recommends zinc as that’s considered to be one of the gentlest sunscreen agents available at the moment. It’s usually what I recommend to people with very sensitive skin like yours. Although in your case, it doesn’t seem to work. Have you had an allergy test done? If not, you should so that you can know for certain to what ingredients you’re allergic to and avoid them. It could be any ingredient, not just sunscreen agents, that trigger a reaction.

      In the meantime, you should look for a sunscreen with Octyl Methoxycinnamate (7.5%), Titanium Dioxide (5%). These are the ingredients used in the Laura Mercier sunscreen that you can use, so something with them shouldn’t irritate your skin. Unfortunately, finding a dupe is not easy. I tried a google search and didn’t find any yet, but then not every brand puts their ingredient lists online, so you may have more luck in store. Another option, if you haven’t tried it already, would be to use a sunscreen with Mexoryl. L’Oreal and La Roche Posay use it and it is considered a gentle ingredient too, so hopefully it won’t trigger a negative reaction.

      • You are so right about other ingredients or combinations of ingredients causing a reaction! I found something that seems to be working right now: Paula’s Choice Moisture Boost SPF 30. Surprisingly it is a chemical sunscreen, but it hardly causes any skin irritation after a full week of daily use, although it makes my eyes water a little when it gets close. It also works great under makeup, although I worry about it being too emollient in the summer when it is regularly 95+ for months. I suppose I can switch back to the Laura Mercier or try the Le Roche Posay you mentioned over or under a lighter moisturizer. I am also finding that California Baby unscented spf 30 works well for when I go running outside since it is fairly water/sweat resistant, but it is a bit heavy for everyday.

        • Elizabeth, I’m glad you found something that works well for you. Thanks you for sharing. I’m sure other people will find your recommendations useful too.

45. Hi there

    With every sunscreen I’ve ever used (as far as I can remember), my eyes start streaming on about day two of my holiday and stay that way until I get home. This makes the skin around my eyes red and sore.

    I always assumed that I was just clumsy and got cream in my eye, but the effect lasts so long that it can’t possibly be that. Especially when my eyes start running as soon as I wake up, before I’ve even applied sunscreen. I’m now wondering if I’m allergic to scents or something. I don’t have any other allergies; do you think a natural, perfume free sunscreen would help this?

    I usually try to get a high factor with 5-star UVA protection, so I’m also wondering if the gentler creams generally have a lower UVA rating?

    Thanks
    Laura

    • Laura, hi. I’m sorry to hear about your problem. Fragrance could be the culprit. If so, though, you should get the same reaction even when you use other skincare products with fragrance. I would suggest you have patch tests done to determine once and for all what it is you are allergic to.

      In the meantime, I would recommend you try a fragrance-free physical sunscreen (ie one with only zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide) as those tend to be gentler. The UVA rating depends on the concentration of UVA filters only, not on the mildness of the whole formula. Zinc Oxide is the best sunscreen agent as it can protect against the entire UVA and UVB range and doesn’t usually cause allergies either. If you choose one which has a large concentration of this ingredient, your skin will be well-protected.

46. I’m allergic to all metals save for gold and titanium. So I go without sunscreen… thankfully I’m prone to tanning, not burning. When I was younger and absolutely needed it (i.e. high intensity sun), I used to grin and bear the constant burning sensation and ruddy completion that followed. Now I go without and enjoy the tan and clear complexion.

    • Sam, I’m sorry to hear about your allergies. But you should still try to find a sunscreen that works for you. A tan may look good, bu it’s a sign that your skin is damaged. And this damage can cause premature aging and even cancer in the long run. 🙁

47. I am from India with darker skin tone and im used to HOT sun (90 F easy) from childhood and never really used sunscreen in India. I moved to the states when I was 22 and since the humidity is too low here compared to India, I started to feel a tingling burn when im outdoors for too long but I ignored it my first summer. I tanned completely after my first whole day out in sun (> 90 F) and the next day I used my friends sun screen and my tanning went from tingling to itchy skin and rashes in few minutes in the sun. By the end of the day I had burnt bloated lips and skin EVERYWHERE I applied the sunscreen especially legs and hands. It was RED, itchy and painful to the point where I can not even touch the skin anymore. It took at least a week to completely recover from it. I went to the doctors and they couldn’t help. They just said my skin is sensitive. It happened twice or thrice when I decided I will just let my skin tan than deal with painful days and nights. Its been four summers and I started to see dark circles around my eyes these days. I don’t want to do permanent damage especially past 25. I don’t want to go out with out sun screen this summer but I just dont know which one to use. and I am scared to try anything coz its painful and takes seconds to react and it spreads at least 1-2 inches around.

    I do use a moisturizer by L’Oreal with spf 15. and has paraben. Its wonderful on my skin and Im not reactive at all. I gave the ingredient list below. I thought might give you an idea of what Im not allergic to. I know Im not so sensitive to sun coz, I am fine without sunscreen at least no reaction. I did try nutrogena 30 spf and banana boat sport 40 spf. Both gave me nightmares. I dont know if they are chemical/physical. (FYI) I noticed I am reactive to most of the lip colors. Not allergic to foundation etc, though I don’t use any when going in sun. I need help!

    LOreal Moisturizer Ingredients
    Active Ingredients: Octocrylene (7%), Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid (2%); Inactive Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Octyldodecanol, Ammonium Polyacryldimethyl Tauramide, Triethanolamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cholesterol, Panthenol (Pro Vitamin B5), Capryloyl Salicylic Acid (Beta Hydroxy Acid), Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Soybean Oil (Glycine Soja), Tocopherol (Pure Vitamin E), Polycaprolactone, Methylparaben,

    Ingredients
    Diazolidinyl Urea, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Butylparaben, Fragrance

    • Abaps12, I’m so sorry to hear about your problem, how awful! First of all, I recommend you have an allergy test done so you can determine once and for all what the culprit is. Otherwise, it’s gonna be hard for me to recommend a sunscreen that won’t cause you problems. Still, I would suggest you look for an organic physical sunscreen (a physical sunscreen is one that contains Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide; all other sunscreen agents are chemical ones). Badger and Sunumbra are two brands you could try for instance. Hope this helps.

48. I went to my dermatologist recently because of an adverse reaction to what I believe was caused by 10% of octocrylene. He gave me some samples of cotz sunscreen with no chemicals. I absoloutly love it, I got the one with a sheer matte finish. You can order it 1-800-332-5536 orwww.cotzskincare.com its about $20.00 a tube and worth every penny. somedays, if i’m just staying home I just wear it instead of putting makeup on.

    good luck

    • Blanche, I’m glad you found something that works so well for you, and thank you for sharing your experience with us!

49. Hello!
    I’m actually a teen and I’ve had allergies with many sunscreens including Banana Boat, and Coppertone. It’s quite odd but Coppertone for children/babies works on me perfectly fine! I’ve been using the children’s version for years now. (: With the adult version I would get rashes.

    • Tiffany, I’m sorry about your allergies but it’s great that you’ve found something that works well for you, thanks for sharing. Sunscreens for babies and children tend to be much gentler than the adult versions. 🙂

50. I can’t seem to find any sun cream without having a very bad reaction swelling of the face,throat ears ,tightness of skin,redness,I burn easily.I tried all the hypo-allergenic types to no avail.I did a patch test years ago the results showed I had a reaction “Buty Methoxydibenzozymethane” The reactions have been so bad in the past that I found it less problematic to just cover up as best I can and not wear any cream however I still get caught as my children have to wear cream and when I come in contact with it my wrists blister badly.The only safe product I can use is vaseline as its paraben free but won’t protect from sun.Would you have any tips or suggestions?

    • Brian, I’m sorry to hear about your problem. Have you tried Vanicream Sensitive Skin Sunscreen? It is a physical sunscreen free of fragrance, PABA and parabens. Hope this helps.

      • Hi, do you know is Vanicream Sensitive skin sunscreen available from any pharmacies in Ireland or could I get a sample somewhere? I tried ordering it online from USA and it cost way too much due to shipping costs.If I was sure it worked I wouldn’t mind the cost but as I haven’t tried it yet.

        • Brian, I didn’t know you were based in Ireland. Unfortunately I don’t know of any store that sells it there. Maybe you could try ebay or amazon UK?

          • Got Vanicream Sensitive Skin Sunscreen last week from U.S.A. midway through the second Heatwave of the Summer in Ireland.I have tried it 4 times and I am really delighted to say that there has been zero reaction on my face and skin.It is the first time I have not had a reaction to sunscreen in over 20 years, you don’t know how good this is as I used always dread the arrival of good Summer weather as I would inevitably get burned or react by getting in an allergy from the kids cream.I was told by doctors that there was nothing that I could do only stay in out of the Sun so I was pretty well resigned after multiple failures over the years to just covering up and avoiding strong sunshine.Thank you so much for the work you are doing God bless you all!

            • Brian, I’m so glad to hear that. It must be such a relief for you! You’re welcome.

51. I am allergic to Methlisothiazolinone. I am trying to find a MAKEUP, A MOISTURIZER, A GOOD ALL OVER LOTION THAT DOES NOT HAVE THIS INGREDIENT IN IT. SUGGESTIONS PLEASE. I am using vanicream lotion, but I need more moisture on my hands and legs. Thanks for suggestions on suntan lotion. I have the vanicream sunscreen and so far so good.

    • Victoria, have you tried Olay moisturizers? They’re effective, affordable and don’t contain that ingredient. Hope this helps.

      And you’re welcome.

      • I am allergic to sunscreen as well. I tried Olay moisturizer with SPF after reading good reviews about it. But that did not help me either 🙁

        • Reny, I’m sorry to hear about your problem. I’m not sure what ingredient you are allergic to, but I would suggest you stick to physical sunscreens (ie those with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide). These ingredients are gentler and shouldn’t cause any problems for your skin.

          • Thanks for your post. I checked the ingredients of my Olay sunscreen and it has many more stuffs than the zinc oxide. So I went to the store and checked out the ingredients of mositurizers with SPF there. I found one from Olay, the similiar one like the one I had but this one says for sensitive skin. (the one I had says for normal skin). The Sunscreen ingredients in it are just Zinc Oxide and just one more thing. (Cant remember the name) I picked that up and have been using it for past 3 days. It looks like its working for me. No problems, so far. Thanks!

            • Reny, you’re welcome. I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you.

        • I actually first broke out (face swelled & itched) after using the Olay moisturizer with SPF. That was when I realized that I was allergic to sunscreen on my face.

          • Kaelyn, I’m sorry you had a negative reaction to the cream. Olay moisturizers usually contain chemical filters. Have you tried a physical sunscreen with Zinc Oxide?

    • Try using Argan oil or coconut oil. Pure ingredients that moisturizer great without any additives.

      • Kathryn, thanks for your comment. These oils are great moisturizers but I wouldn’t use them as a substitute for sunscreen as they have very low SPF. Coconut oil protects only from 20% of UV rays for instance.

52. I love the sun, and usually just use sunscreen with SPF 15 or 30 for my whole body, including my face (never have used a special sunscreen for just my face). Twice now I have went to cancun, and using the same sunscreen or a higher SPF of 50, i have had a horrible allergic reaction. My face never really got sunburned, my eyes just swelled up horribly, especially underneath. The first time was bad. The second time was so bad that I ended up at an urgent care and was given a shot for the reaction. Within a day after the shot, the swelling went down. Afterwards, my face started peeling horribly, especially under the eyes. I was given a hydro-cortisone cream by the doctor to help with the dry, peeling skin. Do you have any idea why This is happening, and only in cancun?

    • Colleen, I’m sorry to hear about your allergy, how awful! It’s weird that it should happen only in Cancun, though. But you can become allergic to things that you used to use without problems, so maybe that’s what happened? Unless the SPF50 sunscreen has a different formulation than the others you use, which means that there could be something in there that causes havoc on your skin. The only other thing I can think of is that maybe your sunscreen had expired. I would suggest you have allergy patch tests done so that you can determine what’s the ingredient in the sunscreen that triggered such a bad reaction.

    • I think I figured out the reason for my reaction…in 2011, sunscreen changed due to the “broad spectrum” requirements. I started having this reaction after this formulation change was implemented. I think I FINALLY figured out what is going on!!

      • Colleen, I’m glad you figured out the cause. The change was done for our good, but isn’t it awful when, after a reformulation, the product doesn’t work for us anymore?

53. Hello I just found your blog because I’m trying to gather as much info as I can to help me find a good sunscreen for my face. For years now I have been allergic to the sun, whenever I come in contact with sunlight, my skin gets a rash and becomes very itchy and has a burning sensation. Yesterday even when I had my SPF 60 Neutrogena sunspray on my face with a cap on, I still had a reaction. No sunscreen seems to work on my face and it is incredibly annoying to deal with. I’m assuming this kind I use is a type of chemical absorber? How exactly do I tell if a sunscreen is a physical blocker (based on the presence titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in the ingredients)? Should I try using baby sunscreen because they contain less chemicals? Do you have any suggestions as to what sunscreen is appropriate for people like me that are prone to sun poisoning?

    Please excuse my load of the questions and thanks for reading!

    • Alissa, I’m so sorry to hear about your problems. Neutrogena sunscreens are generally chemical sunscreens so I guess the one you used was too. A physical sunscreen can contain preservatives, thickeners, emollients etc, but only the sunscreen agents zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. If it contains avonbenzone, mexoryl or any other sunscreen agent, it is a chemical one.

      I would suggest you try a physical sunscreen especially formulated for children as those usually contain fewer, and gentler, ingredients, so the risk of a negative reaction is lower. If that doesn’t work, you may want to consult a dermatologist. Hope this helps.

54. Pingback: Weekly Beauty News | The Makeup Blogger

55. This article was very enlightening. I am African-American and am allergic to any level of SPF, mineral-based make-up, and shea butter–particulary, on my face and mouth. How do I eliminate the other ingredients listed on products to determine if I’m allergic to them? Right now, if I try something new, I carry a tube of hydrocortisone cream. As soon as I start to itch/burn where the product was applied, I clean my face and apply the hydrocortisone cream to countact the reaction as quickly as possible. Do I really need a moisturizer with sun protection in it? Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

    • Sarita, yes, UV rays can cause premature aging and cancer so using sunscreen is a must. I’m sorry your skin doesn’t seem to tolerate it. The best way to determine what it is you are allergic to is to have allergy tests done.

      You can also compare the ingredients in the products that work for you with those in the products that irritate your skin to try and determine what the offender is. Of course, this method isn’t as effective as having allergy tests done, but it’s a start. I would also advise you to consult a dermatologist as he/she will be better able to recommend products that should work well for you. Hope this helps.

56. Yes, this is very helpful. I will look for a dermatologist in my insurance network. Thank you so much for your help.

    • Sarita, you’re welcome. Glad I could help.

57. The only sunscreen that I’m not allergic to is Aveeno. I uses Aveeno:Hydrosport sunblock spray SPF 85! You can either find them online at Aveeno.com or at Walmart/Target

    • D’wayna, I’m glad you’ve found something that works well for you. Thanks for sharing.

58. Ever since I was little I have always been allergic to suncream, soon after applying I get eczema on the inside of my elbow and behind my knees, and if bad sometimes all over my arms and legs, I have tried suncream for sensitive skin factor 90. Which doesn’t help. It’s annoying as it is summer and its a nightmare on holidays. Help me

    • June, I’m so sorry to hear that. It must be very frustrating. Have you tried a sunscreen with only zinc oxide as sunscreen agent, such as Sunumbra Sunkids SPF40? If even that doesn’t work, I don’t know what to suggest, apart from consulting a dermatologist.

59. Hi,

    I think you’ve just explained my problem! Ive always wondered why on earth sun cream is fine on my skin until I go outside. When I expose sunscreen covered skin to the sun I break out in a horrible rash. It’s like lots of tiny blisters which burn and itch, it lasts for days (I’m still suffering today from Thursday’s outing!) and is incredibly uncomfortable.

    I have very light blonde hair, blue eyes and naturally pale skin so I burn very easily, obviously skipping the sunshine isn’t an option! I’ve no idea what to do, my doctor offered no help when I visited. It’s gotten to the point now where I dread summer and can’t book holidays abroad for fear of spending days in pain.

    Please help!

    Poppy x

    • Poppy, I’m so sorry to hear about your problem. How awful and frustrating! And that’s too bad that your doctor couldn’t help! Have you thought about going to another doctor? Maybe someone else will know what to do in this case.

      In the meantime, I’d advise you to wear protective clothes, hats and sunglasses whenever you go outside. Another thing.. have you tried a sunscreen that contains only zinc oxide as sunscreen agent? If it’s the sunlight that causes the allergy, then even zinc oxide may not work, but it’s worth a shot. Maybe apply just a small amount on your arm and expose it to sunlight, so even if you get an allergic reaction, it would affect only a small area of your skin. I wouldn’t know what else to suggest, sorry.

60. Hi, I read on May 6 Victoria was looking for idea’s for a moisturizer, I have started using plain organic virgin coconut oil, 100% pure. I bought it at walmart in the cooking aisle. It was about 6$ for 20 ounces, which is quite inexpensive. It is solid at room tempurature, but when you scoop with your fingertips it softens and is easily applied. My new favorite moisturizer! Smells fun too!! Thanks for all the tips 🙂

    • Sher, thank you for sharing. I’m glad you found a moisturizer that works so well for you.

      And you’re welcome.

61. So I have a very bad reaction to sunscreen lotions twice now one of which put me in the E.R. After talking to a dermatologist and dog some research of my own. (Which I recommend). I came across a all natural sunscreen and found out there was a while line of products that they offer. I have worked outdoors in in the sun for the last 15 years and have been scared to use any sunscreen due to my previous expenses. When I found the Badger line of products it has helped me so much and work greatI use it everyday. For anybody wanting to take a look at the products and do you own research and talking to a dermatologist the website is http://www.badgerbalm.com .

    • Shea, I’m so sorry to hear that! What an awful experience! But I’m glad you’ve finally found something that works well for you. Badger Balm makes some great sunscreens indeed. Thank you for sharing.

62. I have real trouble finding a sun cream. I have a drawer full of creams that claim to be hypoallergenic or dermatologically tested. I get runny eyes, headache,runny nose and shaky and very out of form when I try any of these. Don’t get a rash or blisters. But going to the sun soon. Would be grateful for any help.
    Eithne

63. I have a reaction to most makeup so it seems it is not the sun that affects me but the products that Input on my face. Thanks for any help you can give.
    Eithne

    • Eithne, that’s terrible! I’m very sorry to hear that. Have you consulted a doctor yet? It may be that you are allergic to something and doing some tests to know what the cause is would be helpful. In the meantime, I’d recommend you use a natural sunscreen with very few ingredients. Also, make sure the only sunscreen agents it contains are Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide. Sunumbra and Badgers Balm are two good brands to consider. Hope this helps.

64. many thanks.Ihave just ordered one of the natural suncreams and will also arrange for a test.
    Eithne

    • Eithne, you’re welcome. I hope the sunscreen will work well for you.

65. My skin seems to break out all of the time. Have been to doctors. They say it is contact dermatitis. Seems I am sensitive to many things (dust, pollen, floral scented items, etc). Sun and sunscreen seem to cause a reaction, but I noticed more breakouts on the day after I use it. Does this make a difference in diagnosis or treatment? Any suggestions? Trying many brands, and they ALL cause same problem.

    Things that have helped me….DO NOT scratch. It makes everything worse and secondary infections can ensue. I saw my regular doctor, as well as an ER doc, a dermatologist, and an allergist. Also, I returned to some of them when the first, second appts. did not help. Do your own research online and with trial and error. If I can’t sleep or stop the urge to scratch, I roll a frozen water bottle over affected surface. It helps with the inflammation and itching.

    Also, the spray on sunscreens may as well be called “sunscream” for me. They make the skin rash angry! I am not sure what is in it that I react to?

    • Kay, I’m so sorry to hear that. That’s so awful! I’m sorry the doctors didn’t seem to help. Have you had allergy tests done? That’s the only way to determine for sure what you are reacting to. There are several ingredients in cosmetics that could cause irritations and allergies to very sensitive people, the most common of which is fragrance, so I would recommend you stick to fragrance-free products only. Also, chemical sunscreen agents can irritate skin, so use only sunscreens with physical agents (ie zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide) and as few ingredients as possible so the chance of you reacting badly to them decrease. Badgers Balm and Sunumbra are two good brands to consider, if you haven’t tried them already. Hope this helps.

      • Thanks very much for the referral!
        I loved Kay’s description of the sprays being called sunscream! I can just imagine her contact dermatitis skin’s reaction to the usual ingredients found in sunscreen sprays.
        We are determined to come up with a spray formula that doesn’t have them – the worst offenders being the petrochemical based propellants (mostly propane or butane) and very often alcohol too. Ouch!

        • Sue, you’re welcome.

          And it’d be great if you could come up with a spray formula without alcohol or other irritating propellants. Spray sunscreens are so practical but their formulas aren’t often very gentle.

66. I found this article, but after reading the comments I’m glad my reaction to sunscreen isn’t even worse. “Blistering rash?” – ouch!

    When I use sunscreen, my skin develops an itchy raised rash. The irritation can last for days afterwards. My goal is to find a zinc-based one that, A) works, B) goes on evenly and smoothly (which is hard to find in my limited experience), and C) perhaps has a tint in it so that you don’t look like Caspar the Friendly Ghost.

    Does anyone have a particular brand they like?

    Thanks! Kim

    • Kim, I’m sorry you react badly to sunscreen too. I had the hardest time finding a sunscreen like you described, and then I discovered Sunumbra. It fits all your requirements and even has a tint. I tried two of their sunscreens, you can check out the reviews here http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2013/04/10/product-review-sunumbra-sunkids-spf-40/ and here http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2013/03/06/product-review-sunumbra-sunscreen-spf30/.

67. I just purchased two different sunscreens…sunumbra and badger balm. I am hoping the all-natural ingredients does my skin well. Planning another vacation in September and don’t want to have to deal with puffy eyes from a reaction to sunscreen or a trip to urgent care for a shot due to the reaction.

    • Colleen, I hope they work well for you too. Let me know how it goes.

68. So sad to have reactions to pure and free baby by neutrogena, there are so many ingredients I’m not sure what to look out for and stay away from other brands!

    • Carrie, I’m sorry to hear that. The Neutrogena pure and free baby line is pretty good, but the products have long ingredient lists, so there is a big chance that it’s one of the other ingredients in the formula that’s causing the problem. Try using a physical sunscreen with a very short ingredient list and see how that goes.

69. I developed an allergy to the sun/suntan lotions last year while I was in the Bahamas. I am 62 and never had a reaction before. My reaction is I itch all over where I have applied the sunscreen. It is absolutely horrible. I have spoken to my dermatologist and he told me I was allergic to the sun. A few weeks ago I went to the beach and did not use any sunscreen at all as a test. I had no reaction what so ever. Yesterday I went to the beach and applied CeraVe, which contains zinc oxide and titanium and almost lost my mind last night itching and it is continuing today. Someone suggested I use Waterbabies by Coppertone. Any suggestions? I’m headed back to the Bahamas in two weeks and my level of anxiety is high!

    • Donna, that’s awful, I’m sorry! It could be that it’s the combination of the sun and the sunscreen that it’s giving you a negative reaction. Does your sunscreen still makes your skin itch when you don’t expose it to the sun? If not, the sunscreen would need the sun to “activate” the allergic reaction, in which case you should see a different dermatologist who, hopefully, will have a better solution.

      As far as I know the Copperton sunscreens contain chemical sunscreen ingredients which tend to be more irritating than physical ones. If you’re determined to try them, do a patch test on a small area. In the meantime, I recommend you wear protective clothes, a hat and sunglasses whenever you go outside.

70. My husband is allergic to any suncreen, we found out maybe 6 years ago, my friend let us used her organic suncreen, I forgot the name of it, and he had a really bad reaction, itchy, and rashes all over, then the following year I bought huggies baby spray suncreen? And sprayed it on my husband lol and it did it again, and the third time he was just holding our sun who I applied some suncreen on and he started to get the rashes again, now every time we go out to go to the beach we never apply anything cause of him, and we don’t have a lot of money and he doesn’t have health insurance to go get check, what should we use? Any brands? My friend said to use coconut oil cause it has natural suncreen in it

    • Chariss, I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s allergy. Have you tried a sunscreen that only contains Zinc Oxide? My favourite is from Sunumbra, because it is tinted and doesn’t leave an unattractive cast behind. Zinc Oxide shouldn’t cause allergies, but if your husband still develops an allergic reaction, then I wouldn’t know what to suggest apart from wearing protective clothing whenever you go outside, although that would defeat the purpose of going to the beach. Coconut oil, or any other oil, is not a good option because oils have very low SPF. Coconut Oil has a SPF of only 7! There are others ingredients, such as Vitamins C and E, that have some protective properties, but these are recommended to be used with sunscreen too.

71. Thanks for all the information and experiences everyone has shared is has been very helpful. My Dad has just had a nightmare weekend due to an itchy, hot, lumpy back chest and neck. We have been trying to figure out the cause and after reading all your information we now know it was the sunsceen. He brought his usual brand but they have changed it and the list of ingrediants is now huge compared to the previous one he was using.
    He will now be checking all the ingrediants on his sunscreen from now on and looking to find one with alot less chemicals.

    • Tracey, I’m glad this post and all the comments left by my readers helped. I’m sorry to hear your father had an allergic reaction to the new formula. It’s awful when a product that worked well for you gets reformulated and now gives you problems. Have you tried Badger’s Balm or Sunumbra? They both make physical sunscreens with short ingredient lists.

72. The only sunscreen I can use is Neutragena for Sensitive Skin. Otherwise I must cover up from head to toe,

    • AnneMarie, I’m glad you’ve found something that works well for you.

73. Hey,
    Over the last few years I’ve developed an allergy to sun creams around my face/neck (not really tried elsewhere). I’ve just tried the Piz Buin allergy sun cream and have come up with a reaction really quick! My oh has suggested the protecting dry oil stuff, so I’m wondering if anyone knows if this is a good option. I’ve got a moisturising lotion from boots with UVA and UVB protection (no idea what SPF) that I will use on my face as I’ve used this before, but need something for elsewhere (though it might be cheaper to use the moisturiser as its only £1.50 for 150ml!)

    • Carys, I’m sorry to hear about your allergy. The best thing would be to have allergy tests done to determine what the culprit is. In the meantime, I’d suggest you take a look at the sunscreen ingredients in the Boots cream and find a sunscreen that has the same actives. Or you can just use the Boots cream all over your body. Just make sure you slather it on liberally or you’ll never reach the level of SPF stated on the bottle.

74. Hi!
    I’m allergic to sunscreen but don’t know what I’m allergic too. I don’t know if its because of the SPF or the brand itself. I know I’ve tried banana boat and I got bumps all over my body. My skin also reacted on a spaying tanning bottle. So I’ve stopped using sunscreen ever since. Now I want to buy some but don’t know where to start. Should I look for the sunscreen for sensitive skin only?

    • Nou, it’s impossible to tell what it is you are allergic to without having allergies tests done, which I recommend you do. In the meantime, I would recommend you stick only to physical sunscreens (those that only contain mineral UV filters Titanium Dioxide and/or Zinc Oxide) as they tend to be much less irritating than chemical ones. Hope this helps.

75. Over the years over discovered finally that titanium dioxide is the problem for me. I found Eminence brand products – their organic sunscreen contains no titanium dioxide and works like a charm! No reaction whatsoever!!

    • Bejou, I’m glad you were able to identify the culprit and found a sunscreen that works well for you. Thanks for sharing.

76. Hi. My 7 year old son was just diagnosed with a Balsam of Peru Allergy. I am having difficulty finding a sunscreen and also any lice prevention products that are safe for his skin/hair. Can you recommend any? Also, I was interested to read one of the earlier comments about having terrible reactions when the person was in Cancun. We go there every other year and his skin is the absolute worst when we are there, using the same products we use here.

    • Kate, I’m sorry to hear about your son’s allergy. Unfortunately, there are so many substances that you have to avoid when you have this allergy. Have you tried Sunumbra Sunkids or Badger’s Balm Organic Sunscreen Base? They contain only a bunch of ingredients and aren’t scented, so hopefully, your son won’t react badly to them.

      I’m not really sure why his skin gets worse in Cancun. A theory may be that there are some plants there, or maybe some pollen in the air, or things like that that aren’t present at home that make his allergy worse.

77. I have just started identifying that I have allergies and ended up in the ER like many-
    I have noticed a zinc sunscreen that goes on clear- any comments?

    Thanks

    • Patty, that’s terrible! I’m so sorry. Zinc Oxide shouldn’t cause any allergic reactions and can, by itself, protect against the entire UV spectrum. But you may want to do a patch test, just in case.

78. Hi, I suffer with Endometriosis stage 2. I can’t use Benzophenone or oxybenzone, bisphenol-A (BPA) and parfumed+ alcohol as I have sensitive skin. I looked at some organic placess here in UK, but all of them have eiter all these ingrediants or some. Is there anything I can use without any of these suplaments. We are going on honeymoon end of August, so need to be ready. Thank you

    • Alenka, I’m sorry to hear about your problem. Is Badger’s Balm Organic Sunscreen Base available in the UK? It is unscented and contains only a handful of ingredients. If you want something tinted as Zinc Oxide can leave a white cast on skin, I recommend Sunumbra, although I think you can only get that online.

      Enjoy your honeymoon!

    • I don’t know if it’s available in the US but I have had good luck with Cleure sunscreen. I have a terrible allergy to salicylic acid and all benzoates cause a very unattractive rash and hives – but I’ve not reacted to the Cleure sunscreen. It’s very expensive, but I have very fair skin and burn terribly without something, so I just grin and bear it (note – some of their products do use benzoates – like their body lotion, so it pays to read the ingredients before buying). I also just bought a tube of Kiss My Face Sunscreen with Hydresia. It does not use benzoates, either. I’m not sure whether either of these products are available in the UK but I feel your pain on the frustration of trying to avoid benzoates in skin products! I hope you find something that will help.

79. Liz Earle (may only be UK) but her products are 100% botanical and pure luxury x

    • Laura, I love Liz Earle. I haven’t tried the sunscreen though and I’ve heard it’s been discontinued while they work on a new and improved version.

80. Im really struggling to find a sun screen. Up until last year I could use any the majority of creams all over my body. I do have eczema so am a little careful. Now if I use cream my face swells esp under my eyes, eyes become itchy/gritty & my eczema plays up.
    I tried so many different brands some for sensitive and some for normal skins. I would be grateful for any advise!!

    • Hannah, I’m really sorry to hear about your problem. I’d recommend either Sunumbra sunscreens, or the physical ones (those with only Zinc Oxide) by Badger’s Balm. They only contain a bunch of natural ingredients so the risk of them causing a negative reaction is very small.

      • Thank you so much! It has been getting me down. My GP wasn’t helpful & gives me antihistamines & steroid tablets each time. Ive ordered a zinc based one called Blue Lizzard so waiting for delivery but in the mean time will try what you have recommended….watch this space!! Thank you again xx

        • Hannah, you’re welcome. Blue Lizzard makes some great sunscreens too, but I prefer Sunumbra and Badger Balm because they have fewer ingredients. I hope it will work well for you.

          • Hannah and Colleen- I too get TERRIBLE puffy eyes and an itch mouth from sunscreen. I have been experimenting with different brands and I am do excited to hear about badger balm and the others. I am going to order them right away! Also, my reaction usually starts the day after and can somewhat be prevented by a full shower as soon as possible with special attention to the face. Anyway, thanks so much for your recommendations! I live in Hawaii so I need a solution!

            • Kate, I’m sorry you are having problems finding a sunscreen that works for you too. I hope Badger Balm worked well, without side effects.

81. I just read Hannah’s comment. Hannah, I have had the same problem the last year and a half. I haven’t seen anyone mention puffy eyes, and seeing your comment made me empathize with you!!! I don’t have skin problems, but for some reason, I suddenly had a bad reaction to sunscreen; I too used to be able to use any kind on my face. I have spent over $100 trying to find the right sunscreen for me. I think I finally found it with badger balm and sunumbra. I have not been able to use it multiple days in a row to see if it really does work for me with no allergic reaction though. I will say one of the recent ones I used, neutropenia sensitive skin, didn’t work for me and made my eyes extremely puffy from one day of use. It is so refreshing to have a blog like this to try and narrow down my problem…I would have never found badger balm!!!

    • Colleen…same as you! Ive nearly spent £100 on different sunscreens that say they are for sensitive skin with no luck & sick days off work!! Ive ordered Badgers Balm, but like the Blue Lizzard brand it will take weeks to get here! Im so glad of the support!!!! xx

    • Colleen, I0m so glad to hear that my blog and my recommendations helped.

82. Just to let you know that I used the Badger Balm sun screen this weekend on my face and….. NO reaction!! Very happy!!! Thank you once again! xx

    • Hannah, I’m so glad to hear that. You’re welcome. 🙂

83. I’m allergic to all kinds of sunscreen and I don’t know what kind of
    Substance I’m allergic to and I get a burning in my face area and I get a rash
    I did a allergies test but it wasn’t for sunscreen.

    • Catherine, I’m sorry to hear that. I’d suggest you get another allergy test done to determine what it is you allergic to. In the meantime, I’d try a physical sunscreen with very few ingredients, such as Sunumbra SPF 30 sunscreen or Badger’s Balm Organic Sunscreen Base, as they are less likely to contain something that may trigger a negative reaction.

84. I find that I’m only allergic to sunscreen on my lips. Since I found this out, I stopped using SPF lip balms. Now I have discovered that even putting face moisturizer containing SPF on my face has caused a reaction to my lips. I’m not sure what to do now.

    • Tess, I’m sorry to hear that. Moisturizers with SPF usually contain chemical sunscreen ingredients. Check if this is the case with yours. If so, switch to a moisturizer without SPF and use it in conjunction with a Zinc Oxide based sunscreen. I’d also recommend you have allergy tests done so you know exactly what ingredients to avoid. I hope this helps.

85. I have been using Clinique even better moisturizer with spf20 and sometimes Olay for sensitive skin spf 30 and usually don’t have a problem, but sometimes I do get a rash or break-outs when I go out into the sun, and I think it may be because I sometimes also use makeup and/or acne medication so I think for me it is the combination of certain products that cause me problems but I can’t figure out what combination is the issue. Do you know if certain sunscreen ingredients interact badly with certain acne ingredients (like sacylic acid)?
    and If I were to move to something like sunumbra, how is that for acne prone skin? do you use it under or over makeup (foundation)? Thanks in advance.

    • Sammy, I’m sorry to hear about your problem. I have never heard of sunscreen ingredients causing rash or breakouts when used with salicylic acid or other anti acne ingredients. But I know that salicylic acid shouldn’t be used together with alcohol, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide or any other product that’s drying to the skin. Do you use any of those?

      Zinc Oxide is great for people with acne and can be used under makeup. Just choose a product with a lightweight texture. Most sunscreens with Zinc Oxide tend to have a thick consistency which may feel uncomfortable, especially on oily or acne-prone skin. If you want to try Sunumbra, the sunkids version would be more suitable for your skintone because the texture is thinner.

86. I have been googling to see if I can find out why when I now use products containing spf’s my eyes burn and water constantly (my nose runs as well). The two products that I had been using (previously with no reaction at all) were Estee Lauder double wear foundation (I switched to the only one they had that had no spf and it was OK, Invisible Wear ) and neutrogena healthy defence moisturiser. I am always careful not to get anything in my eyes. I want to change to a mineral powder makeup but everything seems to contain some sort of spf. BTW I live in NZ.

    • Rose, I’m sorry to hear about your problem. It sounds like you may have developed an allergic reaction to one or more of the chemical UV filters used in those products. A mineral powder instead uses Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide as sunscreen agents so they are unlikely to cause a negative reaction. I’d also recommend you take a look at the sunscreen agents in the EL foundation and neutrogena moisturizer so you’ll have a better idea of what to avoid in the future. Hope this helps.

87. New to this — your advice is very helpful!

    Because of my rosacea and unexplainable breakouts, I just took the North American Contact Dermatitis Group Standard Series patch test, as well as the Cosmetic Series. Turns out I’m allergic to DMDM Hydantoin, which was in the Olay Complete All Day UV Moisturizer SPF 15 for Sensitive Skin that I’d used every day for five years (and have been off of for a week now). However, in trying to switch to a non-DMDM Hydantoin moisturizer such as Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 (or I was also considering La Roche Posay’s brand for rosacea) this week, I’m suddenly breaking out. Could that be because of the biting cold weather that just swept through my town — or because the Aveeno uses Avobenzone rather than zinc oxide?

    The Standard Series tested for Oxybenzone/Benzophenone-3 (mine was negative), but I can’t find any indication that it also tests for Avobenzone or Octinoxate. Why would that be the case, if people tend to react to them more often than other SPFs?? And if I’m correct about that, might there be a way for me to find a patch test that doesn’t cost another $1800, but just has those two ingredients?

    …And while I’m looking for answers in these patch tests, might you have suggestions of any non-DMDM Hydantoin, non-Avobenzone, non-Octinoxate SPF facial moisturizers — that are also non-comedogenic? I know that’s a lot to ask, but my career (not to mention daily happiness) depends on it…

    Thank you for any advice you can offer!

    • Actor Person, I’m sorry to hear that you are allergic to DMDM Hydantoin, but at least now you know what is causing the problem. Unfortunately, the North American Contact Dermatitis Group Standard Series patch test leaves out many common allergens. If you want to be tested for one that’s not included in that, you’ll have to consult a dermatologist. I’m not sure how much that would cost, though.

      I’m never heard about avobenzone causing breakouts, but it can definitely cause irritations and allergies. Thing is that it is one of the very few ingredients that protects against UVA rays. The other one would be zinc oxide, but it’s not often included in facial moisturizers. So, my advice would be to use a physical sunscreen (my favourite is Sunumbra, which is non-comedogenic) and follow that up with a moisturizer without SPF. Hope that helps.

      • Great to know about avobenzone — perhaps, then, it’s not the cause of the breakout, and the new nighttime coconut oil moisturizer was the culprit instead. I’ll look for a zinc oxide sunscreen anyway, if those tend to be non-comedogenic. Thanks for your advice!

        • Coconut oil is definitely comedogenic, so it’s very likely that was the culprit. But switching to a zinc oxide sunscreen would still be a good idea. Zinc Oxide is gentler than chemical sunscreen agents and, unlike them, it works from the moment you apply it, so you don’t have to wait the usual 20 minutes before heading out the door.

          • I have an allergy to salicylides and react to benzoates, too. I have been told that this is not uncommon in people with salicylate sensitivities, but I had some frustrating trial and error. I use Cleure sunscreen (zinc based, no salicylates or benzoates) and their day and night creams and my skin and overall health are much improved (one warning about Cleure – while all products are salicylate free, some do contain benzoates; thankfully they list the ingredients for everything on their site). It’s expensive but it’s the only solution I’ve found.

            • Nichole, I’m sorry about your allergy. It must be very frustrating for you. I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you, even though it is pricey. And thanks for sharing your experience with us.

88. Hi,
    Can please let me know which Sunumbra sunscreen I should use under my makeup?

    Thank you for this wonderful post.

    Eva

    • Eva, you’re welcome. That depends on your skin type. The SPF30 version has a thicker, more moisturizing version that’s suitable for dry skin, whether those with combination or oily skin would prefer the Sunkids one, which is more lightweight.

89. I’ discovered I was allergic to sunblock/anything with SPF about 20 years ago. Super annoying allergy considering that it’s very hard to avoid other people’s sunblock, especially since they started offering them in spray form. I break out anytime I come in contact with a sunblock residing surface, even if I’m wearing clothes (unless I thoroughly wipe it down beforehand). The only sunblock that has worked for me is the Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby 60 SPF cream. It never fully rubs in, but it’s better than nothing. It also seems to be the sunblock of choice for others I’ve met with same allergy. Hope that helps.

    • Stephanie, thank you so much for sharing your experience and your recommendation. I’m sure other people with your same problem will find it helpful. I’ve googled the sunscreen and found out it is a physical one, which means that the only sunscreen agents it contains are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These weren’t that used 20 years ago, but more and more of them are coming out lately, so if the fact that the Neutrogena sunscreen never fully rubs in annoys you, you can try another zinc oxide based sunscreen. Just makes sure it contains only those two sunscreen agents and always try a sample first, just to be on the safe side. But if that doesn’t bother you, the Neutrogena sunscreen is a good option and the slight residue it leaves on the skin is a small price to pay for its effectivess.

90. I believe I am allergic to Zinc Oxide & possibly titanium oxide. I have tried various sunscreens but I always break out in rashes & that includes make up that contains spf. I have also tried mineral sunscreens that contain just Zinc Oxide & titanium Oxide but I still break out. It seems impossible to find sunscreen without these two ingredients therefore I cannot test my theory for certain.

    • Rini, I’m sorry to hear that. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are two of the gentlest sunscreen agents, so it’s too bad they don’t work for you. Have you tried sunscreen with Mexoryl? The La Roche Posay Anthelios line contains that. I don’t think all their sunscreens contain Titanium Dioxide, so it should be safe for you to use, but you may want to double check the label, just in case. I’d also recommend you visit a doctor to have patch tests done, so you can determine for certain what it is you are allergic to.

91. Hi Gio, Thank you for your reply. I will definitely look into The La Roche Posay Anthelios range. However as to visiting, a doctor, this is something that I have done on many occasions only to be told that they only refer a person to a dermatologist/allergy testing if the allergy is life threatening. I suppose this is just something that I will have to live with. If you can think of any other sunscreen range without Zinc oxide and titanium oxide, please do let me know. I have been looking for a non greasy face sunscreen for a very long time.

    • Rini, that is such a shame. Even when not life-threatening, allergies can still affect the quality of your life, and is therefore important to know what the culprit is. I wonder who makes silly rules like that.

      You’re welcome, and if I can think of any other sunscreens, I will surely let you know.

92. I spent most of childhood in the sun and never had an allergic reaction in the sun until about 7 years ago.
    After enduring hives and blistering allergic reactions, and changing to multiple brand names- I discovered that some chemical allergies can stay in your skin and re-emerge for years. This makes the allergen diagnosis especially difficult.
    From there, I spent some time going without sunscreen and then slowly reintroduced each category of sunscreens. The problem quickly became clear- ANYthing containing the word -benzo or anything that mentions anti-aging (Parsol 1789).
    I’ve been using Neutrogena Sensitive skin with good results and recently discovered Aveda tinted facial moisturizer works great.
    Problem is, the edges of my hands and top knuckles of my fingers continue to blister and my wrists itch. If I apply heavy amounts of hydrocortisone while in the sun that keeps it from stinging. I have assumed this is the result of the sunscreens I used (before identifying the problem) that are still in my system. Would you agree with that assumption?

    • Dawn, I have never heard of sunscreens staying in the body for so long before. As far as I know, you can become allergic to anything at any time and, once that happens, every time you come in contact with that particular substance, a negative reaction occurs. But it’s weird that the same formula should irritate your fingers but not your face. I recommend you consult a dermatologist immediately. He/she will be better able to tell you what’s going on and recommend products that you can safely use.

93. I’m allergic to sunscreen but cannot figure out what it is… It’s one of the worst things to be allergic to in my opinion because I always get sunburnt and there’s a higher chance of getting skin cancer. My sunburn right now is so bad my skin is purple… This has never happened before but the sunburn’s keep getting worse as the years go on… It’s tough but you learn to function!

    • Eilis, oh no! That’s too bad! I’d recommend you visit a doctor to have allergies tests done. That way, you’ll be able to find the culprit and avoid sunscreens that use it. Another thing you can do in the meantime is check the ingredient lists of the sunscreens that didn’t work for you, and see which sunscreen agents they have in common. That way, you’ll have an idea of what to avoid. And, if you haven’t already, try a zinc-oxide based sunscreen like Sunumbra. That usually works even for people who are allergic to most sunscreen agents.

94. I recently went to the beach a week ago and used banana boat kids sunscreen now I have never ever broken out in hives ever. I normally use smaller doses in sunscreens 15,20 but this sunscreen was a 50. I honestly cannot figure out for the life of my why I broke out in hives nor can I figure out what ingredients bothered me since it was kids sunscreen. I have heard of suddenly developing allergies as you get older so maybe it is quite possible? The only problem I am having is trying to figure out which sunscreen to use because the kids sunscreen like I said was gentler and didn’t have any of the chemicals you listed besides Titanium. I am so lost and confused…..

    • Ana, I’m sorry to hear that. I can’t be sure, but it could have been an allergic reaction indeed. To know for certain, you’d have to get tested though. In the meantime, I’d recommend you switch to a Zinc-Oxide based sunscreen. Sunumbra has a few that are really good, and Badger Balm also has one. None of them contain fragrances or preservatives. They’re very gentle.

95. I’m allergic to the following ingredients:
    · Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate

    · The plant family Asteraceae (Compositae) – includes Calendula, chamomile, sunflower, safflower and yarrow

    · Methyl-isothiazolinone/methylchloro-isothiazolinone (also called Kathon, Euxyl K100,Acticide, Algucid CH50, GR856, Grotan TK2, Metatin GT, Mitco CC, Mx323, Parmetol)

    · Chromate

    · Lanolin (wool alcohol, wool wax). Also called Amerchol, Modulan and Lanacol

    · Fragrance

    · PTBP Formaldehyde Resin

    And cant find any sunscreen that im not allergic too

    • Adrian, it must be so frustrating for you! It seems like every product has at least one of these ingredients. Have you tried Nia24 Sun Damage Prevention Broad Spectrum Sunscreen or MyChelle Sun Shield, SPF 28 with ZinClear. They shouldn’t contain anything you’re allergic to, although you may want to double check in case I missed something.

96. Hi guys, thanks for sharing.
    So I’m 15 years old, Ghanaian (African) and was diagnosed with atopic dermatitic – photosensitive/phototoxic dermatitis a few months ago.
    My derma advised that i ditch my sunscreen, Queen Elizabeth Cocoa Butter, and use my 100% pure Shea Butter instead( he said I can heat in some lemon leaves if i want to get rid of the shea smell).
    The thing is dmy skin actually hurts when ever i go out in the sun if its just bare. I’ve been tryinf to find a different sunscreen besides my Up and Up SPF 50 sunscreen. But noone sells sunscreen in this country ! really I ‘ve searched everywhere ! Any natural alternatives ? I don’t want the shea to darken me.

    So I went back to my Up and Up cause of frustration and and now I have rash and blisters everywhere and swollen lips ! Gah.
    Can I use my corticosteroid (mometasone furoate 0.1%) over my shea butter to protect my skin ?

    I’m so sorry this is so long.):

    • Samantha, sorry to hear about your problem. Unfortunately, there really isn’t a natural substitute for sunscreen. Some plants have some UV protective properties, but they are really low, like the equivalent of SPF4, when doctors recommend you use at least SPF15. It’s awful that sunscreens aren’t available in your country, but maybe you can buy them on the internet? Sunumbra makes some great sunscreens. They are zinc oxide based, so they shouldn’t cause any problems for your skin, and very effective.

      I’m not a doctor, so I can’t really prescribe medication or give any professional advice. Personally, I don’t think it is a good thing to use corticosteroid daily, but you may want to check that with your doctor.

      • Thanks for the recommendation again Gio. I really feel for Samantha as I so love being in the sun. I want to encourage her to use at least an SPF30 when in the sun, but MOST importantly, to use HIGH protection against UVA rays.
        The other thing I discovered is that the Up & Up sunscreen has a whole variety of chemical sunscreens, one of which is Oxybenzone. People suffering from phototoxic dermatitis are especially advised to avoid this chemical sunscreen ingredient.
        We do ship our sunscreens all over the world but I am unsure if any have been sent to Ghana to date. I would like to encourage Samantha to try Sunumbra and order over the internet. Alternately she can make contact and we can organise to send her some?

        • Sue, I’m pleasure. I hope she will. Wearing a high SPF sunscreen is so important to keep your skin safe and healthy.

97. Hello,
    Whenever i do apply suncreen or any other cosmetic on forehead or above eyebrows, its gives me eye pain, sleepy eyes and my eyes looks horrible, in a bad shape..Is there any remedy to stop it,without stop using of sunscreen..
    Pls help me out.pls
    I am facing this problem since last 6 years.

    • Ajax, I’m sorry to hear about your problem. Have you tried using sunscreens with zinc oxide? They tend to adhere better to the skin so there is less chance they’ll end up in your eyes.

      • I’ll surly try suncreen with zinc oxide…

        can i try pure zinc oxide as sunscreen during the sunlight.??

        is it less harmful..??

        • Ajay, you can use pure zinc oxide, but I don’t recommend it. It is very thick, easy to spread, and leaves a white cast behind. Best to buy a sunscreen with zinc oxide. It’s a lot more pleasant to use.

98. My daughter is mixed 3/4 white 1/4 black, her skin is pretty fair like mine so she need sunscreen. My hubby, her dad, Is allergic to sunscreen and chapsticks that have SPF in them. He only receives a reaction when he gets in contact with the sunscreen but touching myself or our daughter. He has gotten tested but on his back, and it didn’t show much. Do you know of any sunscreen that may help so when we are out and about he doesn’t have to avoid touching us or risk getting a break out/

    • Nicole, I’m sorry to hear about your husband allergy. Have you tried a zinc oxide based sunscreen? Zinc oxide is gentle and, usually, does not cause any allergic reactions. Sunumbra has a whole range of zinc oxide based sunscreens. Badger Organic Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide is another great option too. Hope this helps.

99. I’m wondering if you or anyone know of a mineral/physical sunblock with an spf of 8? I do realize it’s best to use spf 30 or 15, but I have darker skin that tans easily and I’m also severely Vitamin D deficient. I live in a rainy state in the north with very little direct sunlight throughout much of the year. As I head on a week-long vacation into the sun, I’d like to boost my Vitamin D and go with a lower SPF while on my trip. I’ve recently figured out that I have an allergy to sunscreen and am awaiting results of my skin patch test, but these won’t be back before I leave on my trip. I’ve used zinc oixide in the past on another trip and had zero reaction, so I’m pretty certain I’m going to be okay with a physical sun block. I just can’t seem to find anything out there with an spf lower than 15. Any chance you happen to know of one? Thanks so much!

    • Stacie, unfortunately I don’t know of any sunscreens with a SPF that low. But you could buy one with high SPF and apply less than the recommended amount. If you apply only half of it, then you are going to get only the square root of the SPF. So, for example, a half application of an SPF 30 sunscreen only provides an effective SPF of 5.5.

      Or, better yet, you could take Vitamin D supplements. That way, you’ll be able to up your intake without damaging your skin at all. Although, I do recommend you talk to your physician about it first. Hope this helps.

      • Thanks for the ideas and suggestions! I appreciate it. I’ll try using less of the SPF 30 and go with that option. I do take prescription Vitamin D since I’m at extraordinarily low levels, but they only boost my levels a minimal amount. Ah the joys of auto immune diseases…

        • Stacie, my pleasure. I usually don’t recommend applying less sunscreen than necessary, but I believe in this case, it’s worth it. Boosting your Vitamin D levels is definitely a priority. Sorry to hear the supplements aren’t helping much. Hopefully, this will work.

100. Good post. I had a sunscreen allergy „before it was cool“ which basically meant, that I did get a reaction every year for like 10 years, not knowing what the cause was. Every summer vacation with parents I knew that I would eventually swell up. My dermatologist didn’t help either – she advised me a cream intended for sensitive skin, which unfortunately lead to even more severe reaction due to its higher SPF. But that lead me to the idea I am allergic to something in the sunscreen and so I started comparing the ingredients and found that 4 ot of 5 had Ethylhexyl Methixycinnamate in them. Since then I avoided this, but I still wasn’t reaction free (but it got milder and I could use the cream for like 4 or 5 days in a row and then get the milder version of eczema and swelling). That meant spending my days under a tent, with a hoodie over swimsuit and a hat, so that I could avoid the sunscreen.
     Luckily four years ago I researched this on the internet and found out, that there are mineral and chemical filters… Which lead me to a pharmacy, then another one….. in the fifth one I found a cream from Avene, that had only mineral filters. Hooray! It was expensive, I look like zombie on the beach, but finally! I can enjoy playing on the beach too!

     • Jiturka, thank you for sharing your story with us. It must have been really frustrating not being able to use sunscreen and enjoy the sun for so long. Glad you’ve found something that works now.

101. I’m reacting to the seamed sunscreen I tried and am having eczema and more pimples my face isn’t smooth anymore please What do I do

     • Olive, sounds like you are using a sunscreen that is too heavy for you. Try switching to a more lightweight formula. To get rid of the pimples, try an exfoliant with salicylic acid. That should do the trick. Hope this helps.

       • I bought this lotus 3 in 1 matte look daily sunblock to achieve a matte look because i have oily skin, at first few days i dont have any reaction to he product, then one day tiny bumps appeared all over my face which looks like folliculitis upto my neck, nape and ears where i usually applied the sunblock. At first i didnt think that this caused my irritation until i discovered that oxybenzone in sunblock can cause contact dermatitis, hair follicle in flammation and r skin rashes which is present in the product i bought. These tiny bumps are accompanied by itchiness and its very unpleasant and emabarassing.

         • Marnie, thanks for sharing your experience and sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately, oxybenzone can do that. Try switching a physical sunscreen with zinc oxide.

102. Hi, we live in the UK and I was just researching sunscreen allergy as my son who is almost 5 years old is allergic to the chemical reaction in sunscreen and allergic to the sun also. But the reaction to the chemical reaction in the sun screen is worse than the reaction to the sun on its own. But of course he can’t just go without sun protection. The NHS have been amazing here, possibly because he is the only child in our county with this allergy… The consultants love it. (Medical novilty!) anyway he was prescribed some tayside visible light which is basically a zinc oxide based tube of sun reflector but it costs the NHS £200 per 50g tube.
     On the positive side it goes on like foundation, and gives him complete protection. It come in three colours which they gave us a couple to mix to get skin colour for him but beige is perfect on its own so nice and easy for child carers.

     My only question is do you know if this is something that might be out grown? He has had it since he was born when he was 8 months old when I put sun cream on him for the first time he came out in hives head to toe and his face swelled up so much that he couldn’t even open his eyes.

     • Hi Kay, I’m sorry to hear about your son’s problem, but glad the NHS has been wonderful to you all and able to help.

       Unfortunately, I don’t think he’ll ever outgrow his allergy. Once you get it, you can only keep it under control by avoiding the trigger, not cure it once and for all.

103. What can I do to help the rash or clear it up hydrocortisone is not helping

     • A, I’m sorry cortisone is not helping. Unfortunately, I don’t what else to suggest. You should consult a doctor.

       • I am also allergic to sunscreen and Chapstick brand Chapstick. I developed this allergy when I was around 21 or 22. what can really help for sunscreen is neutrogena’s baby sunscreen, it’s a physical sunscreen and is the only cream that I don’t react negatively to. I hope that could work for others too. I recently had a pretty bad allergic reaction to a new makeup product, when I realized that my skin was starting to react, I washed my face, took an allergy pill and spread on Benadryl cream all over my face. It’s really important though to keep your skin clean and moist, because those blisters will cause painful chapping all over. I end up smoothing a hypoallergenic night cream all over my face several times a day and continue taking allergy meds. There is a really great did green tea face cream that could help this painful chapping on Pinterest. It will still take a few days to clear up but it will help. My dermatologist walked me through this a few years ago and it helps a lot. Though I do my very best to avoid products as best I can.

         • Kristi, sorry to hear about your allergy, and thank you for sharing your experience with us. I’m sure others will find your tips very useful.

     • try sudo cream. use thin layer on your rash. it should sooth and clear up within couple of days.:)

       • Trish, thanks for the recommendation.

104. I’ve been using the same sunscreen from Nuetrogena (helioplex) for years and recently (within the past year), I can no longer use it. The first day, I’m fine. The next day, I breakout in hives , but only where I apply the sunscreen – not all over. The only difference I can connect this to is a medication I was on for a year (Cellcept). I have now been off of it for about three months. I have gone to the dermatologist who has said this can be a combination of hormonal changes/autoimmunity disorders that have flared up within the past two years – another way of the Doctor saying “I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you…” The dermatologist did say it could be a change in one of the ingredients that is used and Neutrogena will not publicize this information. I other words, they continue to use the same ingredients, but maybe started using different chemical compounds that are sometimes cheaper, in order to make the product more profitable.

     • Tati, I’m sorry to hear about your experience. Unfortunately, you can become allergic to something at any time. But there can be other reasons as well. Like you said, maybe they changed the formulation… So frustrating! I hope you found something else that works well for you.

105. Can the effect of allergy be nullified if sunblock is used along with a good moisturiser ?
     What if I mix both of these and apply onto my skin ?
     Does the sunblock will still be effective then ?

     • Aksa, not really. If you’re allergic to something, there is nothing you can do about it, apart from avoiding the offender. And, by mixing the two, you would only be diluting the sunscreen, so it’ll be less effective.

106. My daughter age11, has reacted to sunscreen on her face since she was a toddler.
     Literally a an hour or two after application her face goes bright red – as if she has been sun burnt. No blisters or rash just red. It then takes about 7 days to pass.
     We found one brand that was ok – sun sense – but then a couple of years ago they changed their formula and no more.
     (I stocked up on the old formula but I am on our last bottle now)
     IT also seems the higher the SPF factor the worst the reaction.
     She is better with factor 15 and 30 than 50 for instance.
     It is very difficult to find a factor 15 sunscreen that is not embedded in a moisturiser.
     Any brand suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!

     • Mia, I’m sorry to hear about your daughter. Must be very frustrating for you both. Have you tried Sunumbra daily? It’s formulated with only zinc oxide and a bunch of natural extracts, so it shouldn’t cause any problems. SPF 15 too. You can check out my review here: http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2014/09/03/review-sunumbra-daily-spf-15/

     • Hi Mia…
       With my 2 year old sun we are going through this now!! The last 2 times I’ve applied sunscreen using different brands( one being mineral based) he ends up with a really red face that looks like a sunburn. It even got so bad the next morning his face was completely swollen. I’m trying to figure out what he’s exactly allergic to. The sun? Sunscreen? Or a combo. It’s so frustrating!

       • Jessica, I’m sorry you and your son are going through this too. If even a mineral sunscreen (do you remember which one was it, by the way?) causes him such a bad reaction, then he’s probably allergic either to the sun or a combination of sunscreen and sun. I think you should take him to a doctor to know for sure.

107. People with sunscreen allergies also need to be aware of the fact that they can pick up other people’s sunscreen. If someone applies a chemical sunscreen then sits in a chair some of their sunscreen can stay behind. I have dealt with this allergy since 1985 and can still have outbreaks from picking up chemicals from those around me. My hope is the world switches to physical blockers…hey, one can dream 😉

     • Karen, that’s so true. Thanks for the remainder, and sorry you have to deal with this. It must be so frustrating. Physical blockers are becoming more popular, and, I believe, as scientists come up with ways to reduce the thickness and white cast they leave behind, they’ll become even more widespread. I will certainly do my bit to get people to make the switch. 🙂

     • I thought I was the only one who had this problem! What doctors and other people don’t seem to understand is that I don’t put the sunscreen on. It is everywhere. Wherever someone sits, touches, etc. with sunscreen on then it gets on me and within 24-48 hours, I am broken out severely. (Even a telephone that someone has used with sunscreen in their makeup.)
       I have been dealing with this since around 1984.
       If you come up with a solution, please let me know! 🙂

       • Tammie, so sorry to hear that, must be so frustrating!

         Unfortunateluy I’m not sure what you can do, as you can’t control what strangers wear. But, if you can tell your loved ones to switch to ,mineral sunscreens, or just wear no sunscreen at all when you’re around, it should help.

108. While I discovered back in the 1980’s that I am allergic to chemical sunscreens, and quit using them back then, I also have an allergy to physical sunscreens. I have swelling of the underlying skin tissues as well as hard small fluid-filled pustules that burn and itch on the skin’s surface where-ever I have applied physical sunscreen. (I wear long-sleeved shirts at the beach, and long fishing pants, and only apply sunscreen to the backs of my hands, tops of my feet, face, throat and sometimes collar area.) Where I apply the sunscreen the thickest, I have the worst reaction, and where I apply it the thinnest, I have the least reaction, but always a reaction where it is applied. Incidental sun exposure when I do not wear sunscreen does not seem to cause any problem. I also get a very small amount of the allergy problem on my inside elbow and extending from that several inches both ways, even though no sunscreen was applied there. The mineral sunscreens are always very, very thick, but even when I apply them scantily, I get this problem. although to a lesser severity. Could it be their thickness, could it be I am allergic to one of the ingredients in the pphysical sunscreen, could an ingredient be contaminated with an allergen, or could this be a problem I have with the sun? I have all my life had the symptoms consistent with various autoimmune diseases but without a diagnosis.

     • An addendum to my post above: I only used the physical sunscreen once (one application) last week, and my hands are so swollen I cannot flatten them out and to use them typing here or use them at all is very uncomfortable It took two or three weeks for my face to clear up last year after going to the beach, and probably will again, even though I applied the sunscreen very scantily there. I think I might rather have the sunburn.

       • Toni, I’m sorry to hear about your problem. My best guess is that it’s a combination of the sunscreen and the sun together that’s causing the problem. Have you seen a doctor about this? Hope you’re better now.

109. My daughter is 8 if she goes out without sunscreen she does not burn but if we use sunscreen she burns can anybody help

     • Richard, I’m sorry to hear this. It’s so weird, I have never heard it happen to anyone else before. Unless, because she’s wearing sunscreen, she’s spending more time in the sun than usual without regular reapplication?

110. I had patch testing done a few years back and I discovered I was allergic to Metals. Lately my face has been getting red peeling scaling rash from sunscreen and I’m wondering if it’s the titanium or iron in the sunscreen that is causing this.

     • Nancy, sorry to hear about your problem. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell without doing more tests. You could try using a product with only titanium and one with only iron and see which one causes the problem. Personally, though, I’d avoid them both.

111. I never used to break out in a rash but lately after trying Neutragena 60 spf for sensitive skin, my neck only has been breaking out in a rash and hives! My arms and face are both unaffected but my neck burns/itches/gets bumpy. I am going to try NOT applying it to my neck at all and see what happens! The dermatoligist looked at it and said it might be something I am eating in combination with the sun…. It is very painful and frustrating but at least my arms will be safe!

     • Jenny, it is very strange that it causes problems only on your neck. Are you doing anything to it you don’t do to your face?

     • Jenny, I’ve recently tried Neutrogena sensitive skin 60spf too and have exactly the same thing. Dreadful red, swelling patches on my neck and chest, but not on my arms or legs. I’ve only just connected the rash to the sunscreen, and will stop using, but did you find any answers as to why?

112. There is something about aerosol sunscreen that my body can’t handle. Fortunately I’m still able to use any type of sunscreen lotion, however if I’m ever in the vicinity of the spray, or even if I sit on a chair after someone who has sprayed it, I break out in terrible hives anywhere that it has made contact with my skin. Has anybody else had this problem?

     I’m totally okay with it, since the lotion is generally cheaper and you’re not wasting a ton everytime you apply it, it just takes a little more work to get it all applied. Friends have been way more respectful, but I just had to put the foot down with the family over the holiday weekend (they thought 5 feet away was a safe enough range, but never thought to consider when I was downwind).

     • Jenn, I’m sorry to hear about your problem. Does it happen only with spray sunscreens or any other type of spray products? I’m thinking that maybe you’re allergic to some of the ingredients that allow spray products to function, or maybe the particular combo of them with sunscreen actives. Is that possible?

113. Hello.
     I can’t use anything on face. Not even make up.
     Every winter my skin goes berserk and one side looks like it’s been blow torched.
     I’ve got blackheads and anything I’ve tried makes the whole face worse too.
     Help.

     • Belinda, I’m sorry to hear about your problem.I’d love to help, but your question is very generic. What do you mean you can;t use anything on your face? Are there any ingredients in particular that are causing problems? Is it just products with SPF or other products too? What are you doing now to take care of your skin?

       • Hello. I’m seeing a dermatologist to see what they say it is but I have lupus.
         I wear a hat always and I use oil when outside.
         Sweet almond oil has a sunscreen of 6 and I also make a cleanser from wax and distilled water and vitamin e oil .no fragrances . That’s all until I see what’s causing the problem

         • I’m glad to see you’re seeing a dermatologist. SPF 6 is not really enough but I guess it is better than nothing and I think it’s great that you’re still looking for ways to protect your skin from the sun. Do let me know how it goes with the doctor and if there’s anything I can do to help. Hope you’ll be able to figure out what causes the problem soon.

       • Hey I have a problem I don’t know what to do I’m allergic to ocybenzone and it’s in half of my moisturizer s i had one reaction to it yesterday and now I’m breaking out all over where I put it is there a treatment for it please help I’m only eleven

         • Anonymous, so sorry to hear that. First of all, stop using anything with oxybenzone straight away. Then, you can check out my post about what to do when you have an allergic reaction to something: http://www.beautifulwithbrains.com/help-ive-had-an-allergic-reaction-from-a-cosmetic-product/

           Hope this helps.

114. I knew something was up! I am medium/deep complexioned and never burn, so I almost never wear sunscreen. When I use spf on my face, it is always very natural. This last time I was out in the sun, I decided to try some sunscreen on my shoulders to avoid skin cancer… there comes the burn and blisters, then peeling. I then remembered that this had happened one other time before. No more of that stuff for me. I thought for sure the internet was going to tell me I was crazy, just like my whole family did, but I decided to research it anyways. Ha!

     • Asia, you’re most certainly not crazy, and I’m sorry you have to deal with this allergy. But don’t give up on sunscreen entirely! Even if you have a medium/deep complexion, you will still suffer from sun damage, including wrinkles, dark spots, and cancer. Try using a mineral sunscreen. There are so many on the market now and they don’t cause any allergies.

115. Thanks for the support. It might cost 200 aud but I will have peace of mind.

     • Belinda, you’re welcome.

116. my skin gets oily and two tone darker after sometime after applying sunscreen and at times lead to acne. i dont get a rash or swelled skin, just oily and dark skin. but I have large pores and a patchy skin so sun damages my skin a lot, is a remedy available or can i still hope to find a sunscreen which suits my skin?

     • Saba, I’m sure you’re struggling so much with finding the perfect sunscreen. But, please don’t stop looking! You can find my fave sunscreens for oily skin here: http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2014/08/19/best-anti-aging-ingredients/

117. I have a sunscreen allergy too! Mine has started and worsened over the last few years but only affects the palms of my hands and my fingers. I break out in red itchy blister like lumps. It makes it difficult to use my hands properly. Some types of paint and glue also affect me like this. I currently use a barrier sunscreen which makes me look like a ghost and wash my hands thoroughly after applying it. I’ve had some odd situations before finding my current suncream such as the holiday where my previously tried and tested technique of using a once only application sunscreen failed on the first day and I started blistering which was when I had to get my sister to apply my sunscreen to me for the entire holiday!

     • Sarah, oh no! What a nightmare! I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you now. Thanks for sharing your story.

       • what do i do if i just used a sunscreen and have an allergic reaction to it and i only gt it on my hands, and also, it has not showed up yet

         • Trex, I’m not a doctor but if you get an allergic reaction, I would wash off the sunscreen immediately and, if needed, apply cortisone.

118. I too am allergic to sunscreen, living in the UK not too much of a problem, but when visiting my sister who lives in NZ, this does become an issue. I just shelter under an umbrella. I never knew I had an allergy because historically (hey, I’m 54) I didn’t use sun protection. However, my husband is very hot on using sun screen so about 15 years ago, on a holiday to Spain, urged me to slather up. Oh dear. I rather ballooned. I ended up in A&E back home covered in incredibly itchy red welts. It was awful. I eventually, put two and two together (NHS no help in my case) and realised it was sun screen. Trouble is, the blasted stuff also works its way into makeup, so I have big trouble wearing that. Luckily I’m happy to go make up free, but would love to know which of the ingredients causes me a problem. I can wear eye makeup ok, but any base creams/foundations will cause my face to start bubbling up in tiny red blisters – not the look I was intending! Thanks for your site, very useful. I’m going to do some comparisons on what’s in my make up and what can cause allergies in the sun screen.

     • Carol, thanks for sharing your experience. How awful. Yes, comparing the ingredients would definitely help. Here’s a list of the UV filters in sunscreens and makeup products: http://www.beautifulwithbrains.com/active-ingredients-in-sunscreen-products/

       I’d just stick to titanium dioxide and zinc oxide and steer well clear of anything else. Hope this helps.

119. Since I turned 15, I have had issues with sunscreen and it has only worsened over the years. Initially, I would burn after applying sunscreen. Less than an hour in the sun and I would look like a lobster. Without sunscreen and hours in the sun, I have no indication that I have ever been in the sun. A couple years ago, I visited a water park and came into contact with sunscreen that was on an inner tube. Immediately I washed my skin but failed to wash the swimsuit. I ended up with severe burns under the swimsuit. Unfortunately my daughter and nephew also have the exact same problem. We have tried various types of sunscreens and have gotten severe burns no matter the type we use. It has gotten to the point that testing a new product causes so much pain that I hesitate to try anything else. People used to raise eyebrows when I said “no sunscreen for me” but I see it is becoming a more common issue. I do wish people would be more considerate when applying the sprays as those travel easily and cause us burns.

     Thank you for putting the article out to help spread awareness.

     • Rhonda, thanks for sharing your story and sorry to hear about your allergy, Unfortunately, more and more people are becoming allergic to chemical filters, which is a shame. Have you ever tried a sunscreen with only mineral sunscreen actives, ie only zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide? These usually shouldn’t cause any allergies, although often they’re used with chemical filters so you always have to double check the label and be super careful. It doesn’t help that chemical filters have very long and complicated names that make them difficult to spot on the ingredient list.

120. This articel has been super helpful. I always have a allergic reaction when using sunscreen this problem has occured over the last 10 years. My son is starting to get the same reactions when using sunscreen. He is having an allergy test done next month. I stop using sunscreen about 6 years ago and try to stay out the sun. I will be trying the physical sun blockers to see if that will help. Is it safe to use the physical blocker sunscreen on my son as well?

     • Jessica, yes, physical blockers are recommended over chemical sunscreens for children. But I’d still do a patch test first to make sure it won’t cause any allergic reactions. The sunscreen ingredients in sun blockers are usually fine, but there can be something else in there, like a fragrance, that may irritate sensitive skin.

121. Hi, I have a slight problem with the information that you have given in this article. You stated that Zinc Oxide does not cause contact dermatitis. However, I am very allergic to zinc oxide and get contact dermatitis (redness, itching, swelling, and in some cases welts).
     You may want to update this to say that in some people allergies to zinc oxide do occur although it is not common.

     • Kaitlin, thank you for your comment. This is truly the first time I hear someone is allergic to zinc oxide. I’m sorry to hear it doesn’t agree with your skin. I will update the article accordingly.

       • I’m allergic to both types of sunblock, My doctor tried several types, then gave me antihistamines to try with the sunblock, nothing worked. I have severe allergies to zinc and titanium, can’t even wear jewelry with titanium in it. Most foundations, face creams and bronzer have some form of spf, which also brings me out in welts. If i don’t use anything on my skin, I don’t burn or come out in hives, unless exposed to sunblock. The sun seems to cause my skin less damage than any of the creams and sunblocks. When I was a child sunblock wasn’t a thing, so didn’t know how allergic I was to sunblock until my first holiday abroad. I was always allergic to zinc, titanium,nickel and other costume jewelry, as well as most makeup.

         • Debi, oh no, that is awful. Sometimes the sun can be the lesser evil indeed.

122. Ahhh! So, after doing tons of research before our vacation this year, I bought only physical sunscreens. Alba Botanica very emollient mineral sunblock, and Trukid Sport. Both have concentrations on 20% zinc oxide in them. ALL 3 of my boys broke out in an itchy, red, swollen rash wherever I put the sunscreen! They’re MISERABLE. I am stumped because I was trying to AVOID bad reactions by avoiding chemical sunscreens!! I ended up buying them their old Banana Boat Baby (with lower concentration of zinc oxide) because they’ve never reacted to that one. However , I know that one has some questionable ingredients and questionable UVA protection.
     I am afraid to try another high concentration of the zinc oxide tho…
     Any suggestions at all??

     • Joann May, oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that! Did you try both sunscreens on your boys? High concentrations of zinc oxide may clog pores but I’ve never heard of it giving such a bad rash before. That’s not to say it can’t happen, but I’m wondering if there’s something else in the formula that’s causing the problem?

123. My 5 year old daughter used to be fine with badger baby camomile and calendula sunscreen, but three days ago she used it on a very sunny day and her face swell up for three days. It’s been horrendous. I just came across a post on another website from someone working for badgerbalm who said that a reaction to zinc oxide can occur and might be more common with their product because it’s non nano and not coated with silicon.
     I might try another physical block cream. ..

     • Julie, sorry to hear that! Sadly, it’s so difficult to find nano zinc oxide in sunscreens. I think Skinceuticals is one of the few brands that use it.

124. Hello,

     Thank you so much for posting this. I have a pretty bad allergy to chemical-based sunscreens and after noticing rashes from non-sunscreen products, I started reading ingredients more closely. People should note that the active ingredients in chemical-based sunscreens are also used as regular (inactive) ingredients in non-sunscreen products. For example, I have noticed that ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate is used in makeup, perfumes/fragrances, hair products, etc. that do not put SPF in the product name; some of the products are NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Illuminator, Victoria Secret’s Fragrance Mist, L’Oreal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Moisture Conditioner. Hair products and makeup may also include benzophenone; be cautious if the hair product mentions “UV Filters” but do not say SPF or does not list active sunscreen ingredients. Overall, people should just read ingredients for anything that may end up on your skin and not just sunscreen.

     For sunscreen, I, of course, use physical-based/mineral-based sunscreens only but I am still allergic to some, probably to a preservative as mentioned in the article. So far, my favorite sunscreens are:
     – Verdure Matte Mineral Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30 (I currently work for Verdure and helped to test the product for skin allergy while the it was in development)
     – Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby

     Hope my post helps!

     • Correction: Verdure Matte Moisturizing Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

     • Thu, thanks so much for your comment and your remainder. You’re right, you can never be too safe. Reading ingredient list is a great habit to pick up to ensure nothing bad happens to your skin.

       • Hi Gio,

         No problem! Thank you for approving my post and sorry for the typos!

         • Thu, my pleasure and no worries. 🙂

125. Gio,
     Thanks for the list of problematic ingredients in sunscreen, it’s good to know the common culprits. I have developed irritant contact dermatitis after 25 years of using the same sunscreen — no rash or redness, just a constant itch and burning tingle. Tested 3 or 4 of EWG’s top-rated organic zinc oxide physical sunscreens (with only ingredients I know I am okay with) at first on my arms, but I immediately felt a burning sensation, my skin turned red, and even though I got the stuff off my skin quickly, my skin eventually flaked and peeled in those areas. I’m guessing I am one of the fortunate few who cannot tolerate either zinc in any concentration, or zinc at 18-20%.

     FWIW, I have read dermatologists’ recommendations to patch test on the skin below the earlobe and behind the lower jaw, as it is thinner and more closely resembles facial skin. I find this location gives a more accurate reaction for products that pass a 3-day patch test on inner wrist or forearm.

     Thanks again for your informative research and for encouraging discussion.

     • Anita, so sorry to hear that even zinc oxide is giving you problems. Mmm, have you explored Asian sunscreens? They use a new generation of chemical UV filters that tend to be gentler and more effective than traditional ones.

       Thank you for the tip. I had never thought of patch testing below the earlobe but it makes sense. 🙂

126. My problem is with the invisible vapors created by sunscreen. They go into my eyes and feel like large grains of sand. It’s worse when we are in the car, usually on the ride home. It’s so bad that I can’t open my eyes. When I was a kid, I was told that I was getting the sunscreen in my eyes. But as an adult, I cover up my body as much as possible and am careful not to go out in the sun for too long. But during those times when we go on trips to sunny areas, I’ve tried different sunscreens and different methods of applying sunscreen to make sure it doesn’t go into my eyes. For instance, I would have someone else apply it to only areas below my head. I still felt like I was getting sunscreen in my eyes. My eyes would still hurt. Then, the other day, I was on a shuttle and someone was wearing a load of sunscreen. It happened then too. So I’m thinking there could be an ingredient in sunscreen that is causing this reaction. If so, what ingredient(s) could it be?

     • Joy, I’m sorry this is happening to you. Unfortunately, it’s hard to pinpoint which ingredient is doing this without proper testing. I’ve never heard of sunscreen vapours before. Makes me think that’s something else that could be causing it, like a spray agent in spray sunscreens? Or maybe the alcohol?

127. I had never had a problem until about 3 years ago. I suddenly started waking up a with red, swollen itchy face. it took some time, but then I figured out it was my new make-up. I stopped the make-up of course. then on a trip up north it happened again! I finally realized it was sunscreen (it was in my new make-up which was a CC cream). I tried several sunscreens and nothing worked until I bought Clinique’s mineral based facial sunscreen. I also have to buy make-up without sunscreen or else I can only wear make-up 1-2x/week. the higher the SPF the faster the reaction and the more often I wear it the more of a reaction. It’s hard these days to find make-up without SPF. Anyway, my question is why does my face react to traditional sunscreens, but my body does not???
     Brandi

     • Brandi, unfortunately, allergies can happen at any time. 🙁 to answer your question, there may be a couple of explanations.

       1. the part of the body that reacts more intensely (in this case, the face) is the one that experienced the higher level of sunscreen causing the allergy.
       2. when you first experience a bad reaction, some immune cells remain in the area so they respond more promptly when you use sunscreen again.

       Hope this helps.

128. I have had sensitive skin my whole life(exzema starting when I was about 2 years old), but overall have not had issues with facial products. Starting about 5 years ago, I would get random reactions to products, lipstick would cause a rash around my mouth, certain mascaras would cause a rash around my eyes, etc. So, I have remained almost makeup free since then except on special occasions. Have only used Aquaphor on my lips for years, in fact I have to have it on all day or my lips ache, but everything was “tolerable”. About a year ago everything got worse. Constant rashes, inflammation, burning, itching in multiple places on my face. Have been to the derm multiple times, did a “face diet” from her recommendation, which consisted of only using Vanicream products for 6 weeks. All was going well until I used the Vanicream sunscreen, once again, reaction. Derm said, ” I don’t know what to do anymore”. Just had patch testing done by another derm that was recommended by first derm and found out I’m allergic to fragrance. That explains a lot of what has been going on, but not the fact that all sunscreens irritate my face even if they are fragrance free. New derm is planning further patch testing to figure out which fragrances affect me but also doing photo sensitive testing because the sunscreen seems to have worse reaction on my face when the sun hits it. Also, I only have these issues on my face, no where else on the body. With the new fragrance allergy, trying to cut out all fragrances, laundry detergent, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, EVERYTHING has fragrance. This blog has been very informative, I am going to try the physical sunscreens and see what happens. Also, can you tell me more about the Asian sunscreens that you mentioned earlier? It will be interesting to see what happens with the photo sensitive testing. Thank You!

     • KK, sorry to hear your skin is so sensitive. I wish fragrance weren’t everywhere. It literally has no place in skincare and most everything else. *sighs* I hope the products mentioned here help. Unfortunately, sometimes, it’s the combination of sunscreen + sun that causes the allergy and that can be hard to detect and treat. Fragrance-free, zinc oxide sunscreens are your best bet here. They can be quite thick and greasy but offer excellent protection and are super gentle. Asian sunscreens use chemical filters like Tinosorb and Mexoryl that usually don’t cause allergies and irritations. They’re also very lightweight and aesthetically pleasing so don’t have the unpleasant textures of most zinc oxide sunscreens. It’s like the best of both worlds. But they’re really hard to get a hold of in the US. You’ll probably have to buy from an Asian website.

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