Sunscreen Allergies? Episencial is our Solution

Last month I got this email -

Can you believe summer is almost here? It's time to start thinking about summer skincare, and we think all-natural is the way to go!

Our Sunny Sunscreen is featured in an amazing limited edition Fun Summer Skincare value kit available exclusively at diapers.com.  It features three top selling Episencial skincare essentials - Sunny Sunscreen, Soothing Cream and Protective Face Balm, plus a cute Hungry Caterpillar art project for your child - all for $19.99. (30% savings!) Check it out here -  http://bit.ly/bm8BxZ. (And get an additional $10 off coupon on our Facebook page - tab "Coupon!") We think this is something you and your readers will really enjoy. 

Need a little more sunny-inspiration? Episencial Sunny Sunscreen offers the safety of a chemical-free formula plus the added health benefits of top-quality skincare. According to the Environmental Working Group database of ingredients for personal care products (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com), our all-natural formulas have among the highest safety ratings for ingredients that target sun damage and prevent sun-induced heat rash.  For battling sun exposed skin, dehydration and oil-dry symptoms, Episencial Sunny Sunscreen (SPF 35) is the best defense for babies’ tender skin. 

Plus it melts into your skin - leaving no thick white residue or greasy feeling. We are confident you and your children will fall in love! Let me know if you are interested in trying Episencial Sunny Sunscreen.

Honestly, I passed because I had already stocked up on Coppertone for kids and Coppertone for Babies. I thought I was all set until this happened...

This photo was taken in a panic with my cell phone. It doesn't do the situation justice because it was much worse than this and all over his body. I sent it to my friend Emily who quickly began helping me research what was going on. Our little guy has given me plenty of panic moments: his malrotation surgery, nut allergy, egg allergy, asthma and now this! It happened before but I never connected it to the sunscreen until now. Most of us don't put the sunscreen on early enough before they get into the water and it washes off. This is why it took so long to catch this and he attends a swimming camp and they don't let it dry on either otherwise this would have happened before.


On this day the backyard was being mowed so the kids couldn't go out in the backyard to play with their water toys. I slathered sunscreen on all of them while they waited and this time the sunscreen had time to dry. As it dried he began to break out all over his body. It was AWFUL and I immediately gave him Benadryl which eventually worked it's way through his system. Meanwhile, I phoned his allergy doctor and spoke with a pharmacist. Each told me to try different brands and do a spot test. Sounded simple enough right?

Emily told me to check the active ingredients because she found a lot of research on chemical reactions and told me to stay away from anything with "Octi" in the active ingredients list. Seems simple enough right? I also tried Neutrogena but the same thing happened, he broke out in hives. Aveeno, Banana Boat, Coppertone, Equate and Neutrogena have the same active ingredients. Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, Oxybenzone but vary in percentages used. Rather than spot test different brands and put him through this over and over again I searched for that email from Episencial. I remembered it was organic and when I checked the active ingredients the list was Titanium Dioxide (Sunscreen) 10%, Zinc Oxide (Sunscreen) 4%.

I immediately contacted them for a sample of this sunscreen! After all we are in the early months of summer and he has camps, swim lessons and will be spending plenty of time in the sun. Lucky for me they were nice enough to send it my way. I was holding my breath! My poor little guy....

Whoo Hoo! We have a solution. He was happy and I am ecstatic to share this story with all the Moms on Twitter and Facebook. We were all tweeting and messaging back and forth links and research and I got a lot of different brands of what their friends tried. I'm relieved we have solution. Going organic is more expensive but obviously necessary in our case. I hope that our story will help other parents who are looking for a solution of their own. Thank you Episencial for providing a product that helps our son stay protected from the sun while allowing him to play out doors in comfort!

Episencial did not provide any cash payment for this post only the Sunny Sunscreen. Before you go, don't forget to link up! I'm sure we are in some of the same circles. Have a look around the side bars and don't forget to check the "Add Me" tab.