A team of scientists recently found an environmentally friendly way to make a sunscreen. How? They used cashew nut shells. Now that’s impressive – it’s both sustainable and natural. Now it’s not an approved sunscreen active yet, so you won’t see it in sunscreens replacing UV filters, but maybe in time it will become one. [More]

Wearing sunscreen is one of, if not the most important, things you can do for your skin – especially in the fight against skin cancer, the most common cancer in the US. Unfortunately too many people are not using enough sunscreen. In fact a new study out of the UK found that a vast majority of people are using too little sunscreen. [More]

Zinc oxide can do it all. It protects and fights for your skin. You might know it mainly as a sunscreen ingredient but it can do so much more. Learn why having zinc on your side is a great thing for your skin. [More]

This week let’s answer the common question – should I get a base tan before a vacation to help protect my skin? TLDR - the answer is a big NO… Since it’s July and UV Safety Awareness month, it’s a great time to spread some truths about sun protection and your skin. [More]

Not all mineral sunscreens are created equal. What we mean is that many mineral sunscreens marketed as mineral are not mineral only and do in fact contain chemical sunscreens in them. Yeah, we agree, it can be a little confusing and concerning if you want a mineral only product. But don’t worry we’re here to help you separate fact from marketing when it comes to your sunscreen purchases. [More]

With skin cancer the most common form of cancer in the U.S., detection and prevention are super important. So what do you do? Fortunately, there are places to get free screenings and sun protection measures that can greatly reduce your risk. Read on for the details. [More]

Homemade sunscreens are not safe. You might be thinking that’s convenient, you own a sunscreen company and of course you want us to buy your sunscreen. But that’s not why – DIY sunscreens are not tested (commercial sunscreens are tested) so claims about their level of protection cannot be validated. You can get burned badly. Still don’t believe me? A recent study of over 180 Pinterest DIY sunscreen pins found that a vast majority of them offered insufficient sun protection. [More]

The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently conducted a study around four chemical sunscreen ingredients to determine their safety. The results are complicated and while at Block Island Organics we make mineral only sunscreens – we feel it’s important to keep people up on the latest news in sun protection. It’s part of our mission to educate and keep consumers in the know. [More]

It’s finally May and that means Skin Cancer Awareness month. Yes there is a whole month dedicated to skin cancer. Why? Well unfortunately skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and one in five Americans will develop it in their lifetime. So it’s vital to know skin cancer’s risk factors and how to protect yourself. [More]

Acne is the one skin condition that everyone can relate to. We’ve all dealt with at some point in our life. It’s definitely annoying and sometimes painful. Even in my 40s I still get acne and a lot of times it has to do with a few bad habits. In fact there are common skin care habits that can make acne worse. [More]