The active ingredients in mineral sunscreens—titanium dioxide &/or zinc oxide—do an impeccable job screening out harmful UV rays from the sun by creating a physical barrier between the skin and the elements. They can also tend to leave a thick, white residue on the skin, the price you pay for all-natural protection.

Now, a technological advancement allows scientists to reduce the molecules into tiny particles measuring between one and 100 nanometers—roughly half the size of a strand of DNA.

The result is the clarification of the minerals; Sunscreens containing nanoparticles go on much smoother and creamier than non-nano natural sunscreens. The goal is to mimic the texture and spreadability of traditional non-mineral sunscreens (whose active ingredients are chemicals that absorb into your skin).

Great, right? All-natural protection without the white mess.

Perhaps. Nanotechnology in skin & sun care is still controversial. The major concern is that reducing minerals to nano-scale proportions can drastically change their physical properties and inadvertently increase health and environmental risks.

Friends of the Earth, an environmental group that opposes the use of nanoparticles, launched a national campaign last year to raise public awareness of the issue and pressure the federal government to require warning labels on products with nanoparticles.

The group contends nanoparticles pose health risks because they accelerate the transfer of chemicals into the blood stream. They also say environmental risks increase as nanoparticles are shed from bodies and make their way into the water, air, and land.

However, earlier this summer when the FDA proposed more stringent labeling requirements for sunscreens they made no move to mandate warning labels for sunscreens that contain nano-materials.

In the last ten years, out of 15 scientific studies conducted by government, industry and independent researchers none found that nano-particles were absorbed by human skin.

Further, in 2007 the Environmental Working Group, a consumer advocacy organization, released results of a study that endosed nanotech-based sunscreens as among the safest and most effective on the market.

More recently, the Nanodermatology Society, a physician-led advocacy group, released a position paper in April 2011 embracing the safety of nanotechnology.

“Studies of newer sunscreens show that they [nanoparticles] are either coated to minimize reactivity, clump in aggregates, or do not penetrate the skin,” states the report.

Particle size also affects the UV protection of minerals. In a nutshell, the larger the zinc oxide particle the better the UVA coverage, inversely the smaller the titanium dioxide particles the greater the UVB coverage. So we have to balance the two and temper it with a bit of reason. We ask the question “Would I want to put that (ingredient) on my skin or my child’s?”

Given the lack of agreement about the safety of nanoparticles, we’ve chosen not to use nanotechnology in any of our formulas. Instead, using a micronized particle size allows us to offer excellent broad-spectrum protection in a formula that is easy and pleasant to apply.

Mineral Particle Size
Particle Size Pros Cons
Nano – All particles<100nm Excellent UVB protection Controversy/depth of
Smoothest application particle penetration

Micronized – Avg. size Excellent UVA/UVB protection may contain some
100nm-300nm Smooth application nano-particles; range is avg. Reduced whiteness

Non-Nano – All particles Excellent UVA protection Can be thick & leave white
>100mn residue

Beyond Coastal’s Natural SPF 30 & Kid’s Natural SPF 30 have an average particle size of 280NM, which puts them in the top end of the micronized scale and most definitely in the NON-Nano category. Our Natural Clear uses a proprietary ingredient called ZinClear which has an average particle size greater than 100nm, which puts it on the lower end of the micronized scale. The Natural Clear also has a greater concentration of zinc oxide (20%) to bring up the UVA coverage and counter the smaller particle size.

You can trust that Beyond Coastal will continue to follow the debate and analyze the studies as they’re published. Until we’re certain of the proven benefits with no health risks we’ll hold off making changes to our top-rated formulas.

It has been an awesome summer and its only July. I have just gotten back to Salida, Colorado where the water is still raging and shows no sign of coming down. Just a week ago I was in Plattling, Germany competing in the Worlds for freestyle kayaking. I trained for this event since this time last year and rearranged my life so I could paddle as much as possible before the event. I spent about two weeks in Germany at the worlds feature training and working on my routine before the actual competition began. My routine was to get my huge clean air loop, both huge godzillas, mcnasty, felix and cartwheels. I spent the first week dialing in my loop tricks and spending a ton of time working on my mcnasty. My training revolved around getting on the water before the lines got to long, so getting up and being on the water before 6am was a must.

During all my sessions I had my personal coach and boyfriend Mike Tavares watching my rides and giving me feedback on what was working and what was not. We also used video to help me see how my training was progressing over the weeks. As the competition grew closer I came to the realization that my mcnasties were not enough to count in the competition. As the competition grew closer, I had to change my routine to make sure that all my tricks were going to count.

With just four days out, we started team training. The training sessions were split so each athlete would receive about three minutes per day. The US was one of the largest countries, so we received 75 minutes to train each day. We split into two groups to maximize our time in the eddy and we all focused on our 45 second rides during team practice. I was nervous about team practice, but it turned out to be the most crucital part of my training. It was nice to have other team members helping out and watching each others rides. It was helpful to see how my routine was progressing and I was able to make changes based on what happened in team practice.

The competition was my longest and most stressful one to date. With 45 women competitors, the prelims was a tough and stressful cut down to 20 women. After battling it out in the prelims, I was sitting in 13th place. It was a perfect place for me to be because it allowed me to move on, but motivated me to improve my scores. With fear of rising water at the venue, the semi finals were moved to the following day and the stress of the next round began. After much deliberation, I decided to take some rest time instead of practicing for the next round. I knew the tricks i needed to do and I knew that I needed to be fresh and rested. The next day, the semi finals went off, and I improved my score landing me in a solid 10th place. I was happy to be improving my scores and excited to keep moving on.

Next up was the quarter finals. I knew that i needed to have a bigger score in order to land me in the finals. After throwing some of my best rides in the competition yet, all I could do was wait and see how the rest of the women did. Watching the rest of the heats from shore, tons of thoughts and emotions were running through my mind. The rest of the women were paddling very well and I knew that the scores would be close. Before the scores were posted, I thought that I was sitting in 6th place, but as I saw Kristine Jackson post the scores she gave me the look that I was hoping for. I made it into the finals in 5th place and I could not have been more excited.

Making it into the finals at the Worlds felt like such an honor. I finally felt a payback for all the hard work and training that I have been enduring over the past years. Getting to this point was not an easy task, but I felt like all that weight had been lifted coming into finals. The final round was a tough one. There was a little more pressure and all eyes were watching as we battled it out to try and take a spot on the podium. Over the course of my three rides, I had one ride that I was happy with. I didn’t get all the tricks I was hoping for, but it landed me in a solid 5th place at the Worlds.

After the whole experience I have learned an overwhelming amount about myself and competition. Here is just a few things that I learned of the course of worlds:
• Listen to your body. Rest can be just as important as practice
• Have fun. After all, thats why we started to paddle
• Booty Shaking music makes life better
• Listening to your coach and taking feedback is a good thing
• You can’t always paddle your best during competition
• Be Happy with how you finish

Coming out of Worlds, I feel more prepared for the next competition and I am looking forward for the chance to make it on the US team the next time around. This year has been very successful and I am happy with where it has taken me. I could not have done this without the help of many people including my great list of sponsors.

2011 Results
Alabama Mountain Games:
2nd Women’s Freestyle
4th OC1

Connecticut Triple Crown:
2nd Women’s Freestyle
4th overall

Nantahala Outdoor Shoot out:
2nd Women’s Freestyle

Reno River Fest:
4th Women’s Freestyle
5th Slalom

Green River Fest:
4th Women’s Freestyle

Buena Vista Pro Rodeo:
3rd Women’s Freestyle

Teva Mountain Games:
3rd Women’s Freestyle
7th Downriver sprint

World’s Freestyle Kayaking Competition:
5th Women’s Freestyle