Recently there's been a bunch of news about the hashtag #sunburnart popping up on social media. The hashtag is exactly what it sounds like - people creating artwork on their skin by selective applying sunscreen and getting sunburned elsewhere. I'm not going to sugar coat it; sunburn art is not art - it's dangerous, unhealthy and extremely painful. [More]

Previously we learned plants make their own sunblock but what about animals? Why don't they get sunburn? Sure some have fur covering their bodies, some live underground and others are nocturnal but what about the rest? What about the alligator or turtle bathing in the sun? Is it their leathery skin? Maybe the dark complexion? Maybe they go online and buy our sunscreen? Well scientists now know. [More]

Hope you are all enjoying the summer and getting in some fun at the beach and in the sun. Of course I also hope you are wearing sunscreen. I'm sure you are because you all are frequent readers of our suncare smarts education series! Lately a number of people have asked me how sunscreens work and specifically the difference between mineral and chemical sunscreens. I'm here to answer this question for you all and add to our suncare smarts series... [More]

We all want a miracle drug that can completely reverse the signs of aging and make our skin look 10 years younger. And there are a lot of beauty and cosmetic products out there that market to that desire. But we've all heard the line that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck. This week in our Ingredient Truths series I'm going to give some real talk about how these companies maybe making you over-pay for many false promises and how the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is getting involved. [More]

Yes it pained me to write that title especially as it's Skin Cancer Awareness month, skin cancer is on the rise and even more so because it has been proven that there is a direct connection between sunscreen and the prevention of skin damage and premature skin aging. But it's sadly the truth that most Americans don't wear sunscreen. There's even a discussion lately on the internet about sunscreen shaming. I was so surprised that people were actually being criticized for wearing sunscreen. [More]

With Memorial Day around the corner and our great sale (ok I had to plug it) the official start of summer is here. Summer means warm weather, vacation, beaches and lots of sunshine. Of course at Block Island Organics summer also means sunblock (really it's year-round for us) and playing safe and smart in the sun. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention seems to agree. They've designated Friday, May 22nd as "Don't Fry Day" to encourage sun safety awareness as we head into summer. [More]

In honor of Skin Cancer Awareness month - this month we'll be featuring posts on interesting suncare news, suncare protection information and sales. This piece of fascinating news landed on our desk this morning and we'd thought we'd share. The Oregon Senate unanimously voted to allow sunscreen in schools. [More]

It's Earth Day today, April 22nd, 2015. Today is also the 45th anniversary of Earth Day. At Block Island Organics we are passionate about the outdoors so we care about the state of our environment. So in celebration we'd like to highlight some history, fun news and special offers around this important day. Additionally, we have our own special offer for Earth Day - use the code "earthday2015" from April 22-28th, 2015 to save 20% on our new Purifying Facial Cleanser and Revitalizing Night Cream. [More]

You are probably confused by my title. I was too when I first heard about sunscreen helping to save vineyards and ultimately wine in Australia. It's true, see even grapes need some sunblock and sun protection. Of course the idea of sunscreen showing up in my wine doesn't sound tasty but I'll explain more about how it all goes down and how you still end up with great wine. [More]

Hugh Jackman has had a number of surgeries to remove skin cancer. Four surgeries to be exact so he's no stranger to sun damage. In fact, we've covered Hugh's outspoken thoughts on the subject previously. Well, it turns out he's not done campaigning for our favorite little protector - sunscreen! [More]