Summer fun means playing outside, which also means reaching for the sunscreen and bug repellant on a regular basis. Because we apply sun and bug products directly to our skin many times within a day throughout the summer season, it is important to choose these products with care. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and advocacy group that specializes in human environmental health issues, is a great resource for researching the safety of consumer products. Here’s what they have to say about safe sunscreen and bug repellant.

Best Practices for Sun Protection

The EWG has developed simple lists of do’s and don’ts to follow when choosing sunscreens that help ensure optimal protection from the sun and minimal exposure to harmful chemicals. The group also provides an extensive list of recommended sunscreens on its website. The Merc recommends and carries the following three sunscreen brands from the EWG’s list: Badger, Alba and Goddess Garden.

Here are the Environmental Working Group’s Sunscreen Don’ts.

• No aerosol sunscreens: They contain tiny particles that are potentially harmful when inhaled.
• No super-high SPFs: They may protect against sunburn but could leave your skin exposed to damaging UVA rays.
• No oxybenzone and other endocrine disrupting chemicals: One study has linked oxybenzone to endometriosis in older women; another found that women with higher levels of oxybenzone during pregnancy had lower birth-weight daughters.
• No retinyl palmitate: Government data show that tumors and lesions develop sooner on skin coated with creams laced with retinyl palmitate.
• No combined sunscreen/bug repellents: Studies suggest that combining sunscreens and repellents leads to increased skin absorption of the repellent ingredients.
• No sunscreen towelettes or powders: These offer dubious sun protection, and inhaling loose powders can cause lung irritation or other harm. The FDA’s sunscreen rules prohibit sunscreen wipes and powders, but some small online retailers still offer them.
• No tanning oils: If they contain sunscreen ingredients at all, they are usual very low.

The Environmental Working Group’s Sunscreen Do’s include these items.

• Do look for active ingredients zinc oxide, avobenzone and mexoryl SX. These protect skin from harmful UVA radiation
• Do wear clothes such as shirts to protect your skin. This is safe and effective for everyone.
• Do find shade. If you can’t find it, make it.

Best Practices for Bug Protection

When it comes to choosing a bug repellant, it may surprise some people that DEET is among the EWG’s top four choices of repellant ingredients. The EWG says that DEET’s safety profile is better than many people assume and that its effectiveness at preventing bites is approached by only a few other repellent ingredients.

“DEET isn’t a perfect choice, nor the only choice,” according to the EWG.  “But weighed against the consequences of Lyme disease and West Nile virus, we believe it is a reasonable one.”

The EWG chose its top-four repellents — Picaridin, IR3535, DEET and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus and its synthetic derivative PMD — because they offer a high level of protection from a variety of biting insects and ticks, have good safety profiles and are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, meaning that they must provide data on both efficacy and toxicity.

The Merc does not carry repellants that contain Picardin, IR3535, DEET or PMD because these ingredients do not align with their product standards. They do recommend and sell All Terrain Herbal Armor Natural Insect Repellent which is DEET-free, uses 6 naturally repelling oils, is GMO-free, cruelty-free, nonirritating and allergy tested. The Merc Wellness Department Manager,Tyra Kalman, says there are a number of essential oils that work for repelling bugs, but their effectiveness varies from person to person.

“It really depends on your body chemistry,” Kalman says. “What works for one person may not work at all for some else.”

Kalman recommends that those wanting to use essential oils as repellants start by trying the following essential oils: rose geranium, citronella, lemon eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint.