More than 59% of sunscreens are HIGH HAZARD or NOT EFFECTIVE or both
LESS THAN 2% are both 'effective' and 'low hazard'
These are just 2 of the findings of the Environmental Working Group's analysis of the ingredients of 1,592 name-brand sunscreens.
You may be one of the few people who know that...
'most sunscreens contain toxins'
...that not only damage your skin but actually make you sicker each and every time you use them.
But most of us don't!
How is that possible?
In a phrase... 'clever marketing' aimed at obscuring the truth and presenting you with the perception you are buying health and safety when in fact you're getting...
We are all told to 'read the label' but when you're on the receiving end of this curve ball... 'Monoethanolamine' (being just one of hundreds) your reaction is probably the same as most of us... huh?
(By the way, that 'M' word up there is a 'pH stabilizer' commonly used in sunscreens. It also happens to form nitrosamines on the skin which are toxic skin irritants and potentially carcinogenic)
But here's the good news...
You are not only about to discover the truth but also how to avoid the 'M' words and find the good ones. In the report that follows you'll discover...
the 16 sunscreen ingredients
to avoid at all costs
Just follow the guidelines you'll read here and you'll discover the simple truth that...
'you don't have to destroy your skin with chemicals
to avoid getting burnt by the sun'
You'll also discover the...
9 questions you should ask before buying a sunscreen
And...
21 common health problems and 1 free solution
Right here I'm going to dispel the myths, misconceptions and lies and show you how to protect and repair damaged skin and help reverse some results of aging using all natural ingredients.... so you can get all the benefits of health giving sunlight and nourish and enrich your skin...
without fear of
UVB induced sunburn
or deep level
UVA induced skin damage
If you take the action I suggest, you will reverse the damage already done and your skin will get younger in the months to come. The fact is...
you need sunlight AND protection from it!
How can that be?
Think of food or even water... too little of each and you die, too much and you get sick!
Even if you read no further always remember these two things...
- avoid the sun at your PERIL
- what NEVER to put on your skin
OK, lets start with why you need the sun and those '21 common health problems and the 1 free solution' I mentioned earlier. You've probably guessed by now what the 1 free solution is...
Why?
Because it is the most important and only really effective source of vitamin D (otherwise known as 'calciferol'). We've all heard of this vital nutrient but did you know that it is more correctly referred to as a hormone?
What health problems can result from a level of vitamin D that has sunk too low?
Here are just 21 of dozens more (if 21 doesn't scare you into ensuring you get enough sunlight then I guess nothing will!)...
- osteoporosis
- osteoarthritis
- high blood pressure
- tuberculosis
- depression (including seasonal affective disorder)
- diabetes
- epilepsy
- migraine headaches
- polycystic ovarian syndrome
- periodontal disease
- low blood calcium levels
- chronic bone, muscle or joint pain
- chronic fatigue
- bowed limbs
- knock-kneed appearance
- cardiovascular disease
- metabolic syndrome
- autoimmune diseases
- breast cancer
- prostate cancer
- colon cancer
...countless research papers from the top research institutions provide irrefutable evidence of this.
Research continues to reveal more and more benefits of this extraordinary free substance. (If the science interests you I'll show you how to get access to these papers a little later).
That's enough on this. It can't be more clear that... we all need sunlight for health and life itself.
So...
Now, what about the 2nd vital thing to remember...
Lets start with the 16 ingredients to avoid at all costs I mentioned earlier. After reading the list that follows I hope it'll make more sense to you when you 'read the label' in the future!...
OCTINOXATE (OCTYL METHOXYCINNAMATE)
The most widely used sunscreen ingredient, has estrogenic effects (gender bending) noted in laboratory animals as well as disruption of thyroid hormone and brain signaling.
OXYBENZONE (BENZOPHENONE-3)
Associated with photo allergic reactions. This chemical absorbs through the skin in significant amounts. It contaminates the bodies of 97% of Americans according to Centers for Disease Control research. Two recent studies highlight widespread exposure to this common sunscreen chemical, and associate concentrations of it in pregnant women to lower birth weight in their daughters (ref. Calafat 2008, Wolff 2008).
AVOBENZONE (BUTYL METHOXYDIBENZOYLMETHANE)
Sunlight causes this unstable ingredient to break down into harmful chemicals, especially in the presence of another active, Octinoxate (see above).
OCTOCRYLENE
It produces oxygen radicals (cancer causing) when exposed to UV light.
HOMOSALATE
Research indicates it is a hormone disruptor, forms toxic metabolites, and can enhance the penetration of some toxic herbicides.
ENSULIZOLE (PHENYLBENZIMIDAZOLE SULFONIC ACID)
Known to produce free radicals when exposed to sunlight, leading to damage of DNA, this UVB protector may have the potential to cause cancer.
PEG (polyethylene glycol), polysorbates, ethoxylated alcohol
Are all potent carcinogens containing dioxane (one of the most potent toxins known to man).
PROPYLENE GLYCOL
Dermatitis, kidney and liver abnormalities, prevents skin growth, causes irritation.
SODIUM LAUREL, lauryl sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate
When combined with other chemicals, it becomes nitrosamine, a powerful cancer-causing agent; penetrates your skins moisture barrier, thereby allowing in other dangerous chemicals.
PARABENS
These 'endocrine disruptors' are gender-bending chemicals which mimic estrogen, upset hormonal balance, and can cause various reproductive cancers in both men and women.
PADIMATE O (OCTYL DIMETHYL PABA | PABA ESTER)
A derivative of the once-popular PABA sunscreen ingredient, research shows this chemical releases free radicals, damages DNA, has estrogenic activity, and causes allergic reactions in some people. Causes genetic mutation when exposed to sunlight.
TOLUENE
Also called benzoic, benzyl, or butylated hydroxtoluene, it can cause anemia, low blood cell count, liver and kidney damage, birth defects.
PHENOL CARBOLIC ACID
Circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma, death from respiratory failure.
ACRYLAMIDE
Can cause breast cancer.
MINERAL OIL, PARAFIN, PETROLATUM
Coats skin like plastic and clogs pores, trapping in toxins, slows skin cell growth, disrupts normal hormone function, suspected of causing cancer. Robs bones and nervous system of magnesium. Being petrochemicals they can have estrogenic effects. They absorb the oil soluble vitamins A, D, E & K from the body which are then excreted, thereby depleting the body of vital nutrients.
MEXORYL SX
FDA approved use of this UVA-absorbing agent in 2006. 2 hours of sunlight can degrade as much as 40% thereby leaving you without protection.
There are others... Octyl salicyclate, Cinoxate, Dioxybenzone, Sulisobenzone, Menthyl anthranilate, Trolamine salicyclate and more...
But lets leave it there. Just remember to...
But if they are so harmful why are they used?
Good question! Although full answers require too much detail for this letter, if you follow through with my suggestions below you'll get all the detail you could need in the days and weeks ahead.
Now let me give you the short answer... because they are CHEAP!
| A quick primer on Skin Safety...
More than 1 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with non-malignant skin cancer each year and 6% of these develop malignant melanoma according to the NCI.
Approximately 5% of the solar light reaching the Earth consists of UV rays. Most of this light is skin-penetrating UVA radiation. This is what causes the real damage.
However, UVB, the fraction that causes sunburn, makes up just 4% of this UV light. More importantly it is UVB that generates vitamin D which protects against cancer.
A third fraction, UVC, is filtered out by the atmosphere (ref. Diffey 2002).

UV light can break the chemical bonds of skin cells, including bonds in DNA, enzymes, and proteins (ref. Burren 1998; Kielbassa 1997; Kvam 1997; Wenczl 1998; Young 1998). This kills cells directly, causes cancerous cell growth, inhibits the bodies' anti-cancer defenses and does other damage to skin cells (ref. Dalle Carbonare 1992; Herrling 2002; Scharffetter-Kochanek 1997; Vile 1995).
For years the sunscreen industry has focused on UVB, the light that causes sunburn. The SPF test is designed to measure the UVB protection of a sunscreen.
UVA, however, penetrates deeper into the skin than UVB, thereby reaching the fragile subcutaneous tissue, and creates harmful free radicals when it interacts with certain chemicals in the skin.
UVA induced stress leads to immune suppression (ref. Bestak 1995; Damian 1997; Iwai 1999; Moyal 1997). Naturally occurring chemicals have been linked to tumor formation (ref. Le Panse 2003; Bachelor 2004) after interacting with UVA which also increases skin sensitivity for people taking antibiotics, hormonal contraceptives and other pharmaceuticals (ref. Gould 1995; Ferguson 1995).
UVA damage occurs before any visible sunburn and is increasingly being recognized as the major contributor to UV related skin damage and aging.
This shift in our understanding of UV related skin damage points to the complete inadequacy of most sunscreens: some may effectively shield skin from UVB rays, but leave users vulnerable to UVA damage.
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Here are a few other reasons to be concerned about what you put on your skin...
Most people trust that the claims on the bottle will ensure that the product truly protects their health. Nothing could be less certain.
Here's why... Only 15% of the 1,592 products analyzed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) met criteria for safety and effectiveness. Many products lack UVA protection. Many sunscreen ingredients break down in the sun in a matter of minutes or hours, and then let UV radiation through to the skin.
Many high SPF sunscreens provide less than half the protection you need.
When you buy a high-SPF sunscreen before heading for the beach or the mountains you, quite reasonably, assume you've purchased a product that will give you high sun protection. Its true that many high SPF ('Sun Protection Factor') products will protect you from sunburn, caused by the suns' UVB rays, but it's also true that very few of these these products block UVA rays, the more deeply penetrating radiation linked to skin aging and wrinkling, immune system suppression, and possibly skin cancer. The FDA does not require companies to provide UVA protection in sunscreen.
Some sunscreens break down quickly in the sun and become ineffective.
Several of the 17 'active ingredients' the FDA has approved for use as sunscreens in the US break down when they are exposed to sunlight. They lose their ability to absorb the sun's harmful rays, and stop working effectively in as little as 30 minutes. Almost all the 'chemical blockers' (as opposed to the 'physical blockers' zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) work by absorbing the sun's energy and then releasing it by breaking down. In doing so they react with other chemicals in the sunscreen, often producing dangerous free radicals. Manufacturers are not required to produce stable products. The EWG's analysis of 1,592 sunscreens showed that 44% of them contained ingredients known to break down.
Questionable product claims are widespread.
Many products on the market bear claims that are considered 'unacceptable' or misleading under FDA's draft sunscreen safety standards. Claims like "all day protection," "mild as water," and "blocks all harmful rays" are untrue, yet are common.
4 out of 5 sunscreens offer inadequate protection, or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns.
This was the finding of the investigation of 1,592 name-brand sunscreens carried out by the EWG. Leading brands were the worst offenders! The study covered ingredients in more than 42,000 products and utilized 50 toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind. The FDA doesn't require companies to test their own products for safety.
Chemical sunscreens have three primary defects:
- They are powerful free radical generators
- They often have strong estrogenic activity
- They are synthetic chemicals that are alien to the human body and accumulate in body fat stores
The analysis of the ingredients in the name-brand sunscreens showed...
- fewer than 1 in 26 to be both 'effective' and 'low hazard'
- more than 59% to be 'high hazard' or 'ineffective'
Makes you think! Makes me angry!
(for the EWG's research references click here to open a new window).
OK, that's enough of the bad news....
What about the good news I promised earlier?
Is there a way to spend time in the sun to get the full benefits of Vitamin D and get protection from its harmful effects?
Is there a formulation that fulfills these 4 essential requirements...
- high protection from UVA rays
- enough protection from UVB rays to prevent burning but allow vitamin D production
- contains no harmful or dangerous ingredients
- is loaded with antioxidants and other active ingredients that nourish your skin and protect against free radical damage
Before I answer, first an introduction...
Hello,
I'm Sue Ingram and I've lived most of my life in Africa. I have a love of the outdoors, wide open spaces, earth smells, forests, thunderstorms and sunshine.
Africa gets a lot of sunshine!
Family tragedy has alerted me to the vital importance of a healthy lifestyle, and although I'm the first to admit I'm far from perfect when it comes to practicing what I know is best, the true value of things 'natural' and 'organic' in my life is appreciated every day, as is the need to combat the many toxic by-products of modern industry that plague our lives in both obvious and hidden ways.
Despite the 'Information Age' and its flood of data, none of us fully understands the health implications of our exposure to the complex mixtures of industrial compounds and pollutants that surround us.
The evidence that all of us carry in our bodies countless industrial chemicals is overwhelming. This is the result of exposure to contaminants in air, water, and food, but most importantly to ingredients in everyday consumer products.
My dual interests in health and the environment led me to research, in depth, the benefits of natural and organic products.
Because of my love of the outdoors I focused on sun protection.
Let me tell you what we've been doing for the past 2+ years (I say 'we' as I haven't been working alone but with 5 independent laboratories, 3 biochemists, 2 photo biologists, and several technical and field researchers)...
This statement encapsulates the principles that have guided my research...
'To produce a sunscreen that provides...
- effective, stable, high level protection against both UVA and UVB light
- protection against free radical damage and atmospheric toxins
- active natural nutrients to reverse the effects of damage and ensure against future damage, and
- ensures that every ingredient provides a clear and direct benefit and is not merely a 'filler' or included to 'look good' in the ingredients list
Number 2 is a favorite of mine! Here's why...
The cutaneous antioxidant system is complex, interlinked and operates as a network. Because of this, an enhanced photo protective effect can be obtained by applying appropriate combinations of antioxidants. These combinations act synergistically. This has been a prime focus of our research...
...to find natural ingredients that are also effective.
It has been the discovery of a unique combination of such ingredients that is one of the key 'hidden secrets' to being able to substitute botanical extracts for the harmful chemical filters found in almost all sunscreens sold today.
What you've just read in the paragraph above is what makes this brand new sunscreen formula truly unique.
We decided to call it...
...which is another way of saying 'sun shade'.
The first of what will become a small and exclusive range of products focused on sun protection will be...
- 5 Star rated (UVA)
- SPF30+ (UVB)
- high protection full spectrum
- water resistant
I'll be giving you more detail about the synergistic action described above later together with a complete disclosure of the magical natural ingredients our 2 years of research have lead us to, such as...
- the 2 completely grease free oils
- the unique PEG-free organic emulsifier from Olive oil
- the aloe extract that is like aloe vera on steroids
- the unique antioxidant aspalathin
- a tea extract recently discovered to be 'natures alternative to sunscreen'
- superoxide dismutase called by biochemists 'the enzyme of life'
- astaxanthin with over 100 times the antioxidant capacity of vitamin E
...and many more. Good enough to eat? Maybe. It also contains...
- no chemical filters
- no dangerous preservatives
- no mineral oils
- no colorants
- no added fragrance
- no titanium dioxide
- and is pH balanced
Oh, and did I tell you that the ratios used throughout the formulation have been guided by a magic number variously called the 'golden mean' and 'divine proportion' or more succinctly 'phi' after the architect Phidias who designed the Parthenon?
What has this got to do with formulating a sunscreen?
Well, in keeping with my core philosophy of 'keeping it natural'... the natural world is loaded with formations governed by this magic number... ferns, broccoli, river networks, blood vessels, coastlines and you, to name a few.
None of us fully understand its power. Best to respect it.
The fact is it has worked to produce a uniquely effective product.
Now, you may be asking...
'Why not just show me the BUY NOW button?'
Well, there are 2 good reasons...
The first is that the formulation is undergoing final certification and laboratory 'challenge testing' so it's not yet available. This process will only be concluded in late March (2010!)
The second is that we are currently analysing the results of a comprehensive online survey we conducted aimed at establishing a price that will enable us to deliver the best value to you.
It's very important to me to offer sunumbra at the best possible value to you.
I'd really appreciate you following through with the actions detailed below. As you'll see I've pulled out all the stops to make it worth your while.
Many thanks for reading and... get out in the sun, but with the right protection!

Here's what to do now...
Please join the 'first to know' list by entering your email address here...
If you've already done so then there's nothing more to do but wait for a notification message telling you that sunumbra is available online.
To thank you I've arranged two bonuses for you.
The first is...
If you decide to try sunumbra when it is ready to ship then you'll qualify for...
...a $10 coupon for each and every tube
you order till the end of the year
Now that didn't seem like enough to me so I set one of our team the task of coming up with something better. I think he succeeded...
The second is...
We've worked out a special deal with the people at Designer Brands Warehouse for you to get these highly rated name brand sunglasses at supplier's cost - that's more than a $60 value to you!
The 'Eagle Eye 'UltraLite Stainless' Sunglasses' sell at a Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price of $99.95 - click here to see, but don't buy now! After ordering your discounted sunumbra you the have the opportunity to order these sunglasses. Just use the coupon code we'll be sending you and $60 will be wiped off the total!
But what if I don't want the sunglasses?
Great question and we have a great answer...
...a coupon giving a full 30% off any of the 1000's of name brand products at Designer Brands Warehouse and affiliated websites!
sunumbra
'organic solar power'

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