So it turns out that sunscreen of all things can be really dangerous for us.  Try not to freak out, but some sunscreens contain chemicals that mimic estrogen and potentially increase risk ofbreast cancer.   Another danger is that the ingredients can build up in tissue and organs.  And for you breastfeeding moms, this health risk is found in mother’s milk and can be passed along to your infant.

Enter zinc oxide.  What’s zinc oxide?  Yeah, I didn’t know either.  Think white-nosed lifeguards.  Ah, there we go.  Zinc oxide is a mineral that reflects the sun’s UV rays and is a safe alternative to commercial sunscreens (you know, the ones that get in our blood and may cause cancer).

More bad news, I’m afraid.  There are bad types of zinc oxide.  The cheap versions have unsafe levels ofLEAD.  Good grief, that’s NOT what our kids need!  And those cheap versions have unsafe particle sizeswhich are not safe on kids of any age.

Let’s nerd out for a minute.  I’ve learned there are 2 types of zinc oxide: nano and non-nano.  I feel like I’m on Star Trek.  Bear with me.  Zinc oxide is the only active sunscreen ingredient approved by the FDA for infants because it gives protection from UV/UVB rays and remains stable (most of those chemical sunscreens start breaking down after 60 minutes).

Most zinc oxide is NANO which are smaller particles and found in “non toxic” sunscreens.  Bad news: it gets absorbed into your skin and even blood stream.  It’s so tiny that it just breaks through your skin’s barrier.  We want bigger particle sizes.  Think of a baby around tiny Lego’s…you freak out, right?  You’d be fine if your baby was around a giant stuffed animal though, right?

For those of you who’ve read that Titanium Dioxide is Zinc Oxide’s sweet twin sister, it’s more like an evil twin.  Once it mixes with sun and heat, it can create free radicals that damage DNA and cell membranes.  For crying out loud!  Remember when sugar was good then not good?  Then Equal and Sweet N Low were good then not good?  Then Splenda was good then not good?  It’s like that.

Where is the GOOD NEWS? There is a BEST zinc oxide powder in existence! It’s lead free! It’s the ‘giant stuffed animal’ size so it’s non-toxic and not absorbed through the skin! Raise Them Well created this smart product that can actually be used for sunscreen, acne cream, diaper cream, lip balm, and more!

Raise Them Well provides a free easy-to-follow recipe book for busy moms to make these fun products naturally at home! And they are giving Momsanity fans a freaking awesome coupon code for a few days (if you hate a discount you’re insane)! Starting 8/28/15 at 12:01AM until 9/4/15 at 11:59PM use Coupon Code “MOMSZNOX” here and get $10 off a canister of Zinc Oxide!