Wow, we think this is pretty cool. Miami Beach is putting in free sunblock dispensers throughout the city. 50 of the sunscreen stations will go in at public schools, parks and beach access points and the effort is sponsored by Mount Sinai Medical Center. Now, while we wish it was our sunscreen going into these dispensers, that would be huge for us, were just happy to see sun protection taken so seriously. [More]

Back in November Congress passed the Sunscreen Innovation Act. Its aim is to speed up the approval process for new sunscreen ingredients. In particular, it's been 25 years since any new ingredient was approved and eight ingredients have been waiting over 12 years for approval. Many of these eight ingredients are already in use in Europe, Asia and elsewhere. Slam dunk for these new sunblock ingredients, right? [More]

A few weeks ago we began our "Ingredient Truths" series and talked about parabens. In my post on parabens I mentioned that parabens could be hidden within the ingredient "fragrance" (aka "parfum"). This week I wanted to provide more information on this ingredient for you - what is Fragrance, should you be concerned and how do you look out for it. [More]

Let's just say off the bat that we were a little skeptical. How does a smartphone app improve sun protection? This must be a joke I thought...but no, two studies actually bear this out according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMMA). [More]

We believe ingredients matter at Block Island Organics and we want to be open and honest about what goes into our products. We also believe in educating consumers about suncare, sun protection and healthy living in general. As part of our commitment to building a safe brand that you can trust we'll be doing an on-going series on ingredients. We'll break down what these ingredients do, what they mean for you and any concerns. This week we'll be talking about parabens. [More]

Here's some exciting news in the world of sunscreen and a small win for sun protection! Recently President Obama signed the Sunscreen Innovation Act into law after it was approved by the Senate and House of Representatives. The law will allow the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to approve new sunscreen ingredients more quickly. [More]

We love the sun at Block Island Organics but we are all about playing smart and safe in the sun. The sun is powerful, protection from it is important and there are numerous studies proving that sunscreen prevents skin cancer and skin aging. In our latest suncare smarts series we discuss a new study that reveals plants make their own "sunscreen". Yes even plants need protection from the sun just like you and me. [More]

Here at Block Island Organics we are passionate about smart, fun and safe suncare. As part of that we want to spread the word on sun safety to as many people as possible. It's an important topic and recently even the acting U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Boris D. Lushniak, got behind the cause and released "The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent Skin Cancer". The document is a comprehensive 112 pages (don't worry, at the bottom of this article we have links to a few summaries) and as the title says a call to action for increased awareness, policies and research for preventing skin cancer. [More]

Spray sunscreens are popular these days. Just spray it on and go, right? Well not so fast says Consumer Reports. This advice actually echoes what other organizations and people like dermatologists, the Environmental Working Group and even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say. It also dovetails with our article from a few weeks ago "What Sunscreens to Avoid: Sprays and Powders". [More]

Hope you all had a fun 4th of July filled with picnics, barbeques, beach time and sunscreen! I spent my fourth on the beach with a group of friends. Surprisingly I had a fair number of my girlfriend ask how I use and apply my sunscreen everyday and how I use sunscreen with my make-up. So this week I thought I’d share my routine with you. [More]