What Is It? Flip over just about any bottle of sunscreen and you’ll notice one reoccurring word: oxybenzone. One of the most common active ingredients in sunscreen, oxybenzone is found in almost 80 percent of all chemical sunscreens on the market. It is also used in skincare products such as moisturizers and lip balms. Why the vast usage? It has the ability to absorb and break apart UV light – as in the kind that causes sunburns and, eventually, skin cancer.

Health Risk: Protects against sunburns and skin cancer: what could go wrong? Well, a lot. Instead of just sitting on our skin and acting as a barrier between us and harm’s way, oxybenzone is actually absorbed into our system via the skin and can stay there indefinitely. Studies have linked oxybenzone to hormone disruption, endometriosis and even cell damage that could possibly lead to (brace yourselves) skin cancer in the long run.

How To Avoid It: Scour the list of active ingredients in your sunscreen and skin care that boasts UV protection. We love oxybenzone-free Badger Broad Spectrum Sunscreen  (in a dreamy lavender scent) for our days in the sun. Check out our favorite sun products here too. Soak in rays, not toxins!