2007 Sugar Awards: Best Beauty Breakthrough

BellaSugar — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 11:00:17 PST

It looks like affordable at-home microdermabrasion kits were the big winners of the beauty breakthrough category for 2007. I am surprised about this one since I thought for sure that Botox and zit-zapping gadgets like Zeno and ThermaClear were far more popular - but the stats don't lie.

I actually just received Nature's Gate Organics Microdermabrasion Skin Refining Kit $38.50 as a gift and you guys have just really pumped me up to try it out. Since at-home microdermabrasion kits have won 26% of you over, can you tell me what your favorite brands are?

Be Wary of Chemicals: The Safest Sunscreens on the Market

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:42:05 PDT

It's hard enough to remember to put on sunscreen when you leave the house, but now you also need to make sure your sunscreen is safe to use. The Environmental Working Group has just released its 2012 Sunscreen Guide, and in order to make the list, a sunscreen must be free of oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, not have an SPF above 50, and must be broad spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB rays).

What's wrong with oxybenzone? Although it does a great job of absorbing ultraviolet rays, some studies show that it can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. The Environmental Working Group and toxicology experts believe this can disrupt hormones, damage cells, and potentially lead to skin cancer. Other experts disagree, like the American Academy of Dermatology, and oxybenzone has been FDA-approved since 1978 for use in children older than 6 months.

Keep reading to find out what else you need to consider when buying sunscreen, and for a list of the safest sunscreens on the market.