Coppertone Pure and Simple Suncreen Is ruining my spring break

[georgiegirl]

So I know I'm allergic to avobenzone, the main ingredient in chemical sunscreens. So I've been using physician sunscreens. We decided to just use carry-ons on our trip to Florida, which meant I couldn't pack tons of suncreen. So I just brought a small 3 oz. tube of blue lizard and decided I'd buy more when we got here. I went to the grocery store and they didn't have the Johnson & Johnson one I liked from last year (it comes in 4 ounce tubes, so i couldnt bring it.) The neutrogena one was really expensive, but I saw Coppertone Pure and Simple. It claimed to be free of everything, and I saw that it had lots of zinc in it (or titanium dioxide.) It also listed a couple of active ingredients I wasn't familiar with, but I decided to buy it anyways since it was half the price of the neutrogena one. Well apparently it has chemical suncreen in it too that I'm VERY allergic to. I have the worst rash ever all over my arms, neck, shoulders and legs. I'm so itchy and unhappy. I did buy Benadryl and cortisone cream, but I'm still incredibly itchy. I'm so mad that this evil suncreen marketed itself as being natural but it's not (and I'm mad at myself for not googling those extra ingredients...but I did have a 2 year old with me and had other groceries to buy.)

Now I need to pop more Benadryl so I can sleep.

[DietCokeLover]

So sorry! How miserable!

[DrSally]

Oh yeah, I hear ya. Coppertone pure and simple does have a lot of zinc, but it also has some chemical sunscreens, octinoxate, IIRC (one of the most allergenic sunscreen ingred). I cannot do octinoxate or oxybenzone or octymethylcinnamite. I can do avebenzone, but very few sunscreens have only avebenzone and stabilizers wo/the afore mentioned other ones. Cetaphil spf 15 is one.

I have been in your situation, accidentally put something on w/one of the ingred I'm allergic to. I actually did it on my honeymoon. I've also sprayed the kids rubbed it in, and then touched my face and broken out in a rash. Or, if they rub up against me when they have a chemical sunscreen on, it breaks me out. It's awful. I'd do some oral benadryl.

It really is so worth it to just use the titanium dioxide and or zinc sunscreens. I like Blue Lizard the best. You can order a big bottle at drugstore.com and get more for your money.

[kozachka]

. This sounds aweful.

[georgiegirl]

Oh yeah, I hear ya. Coppertone pure and simple does have a lot of zinc, but it also has some chemical sunscreens, octinoxate, IIRC (one of the most allergenic sunscreen ingred). I cannot do octinoxate or oxybenzone or octymethylcinnamite. I can do avebenzone, but very few sunscreens have only avebenzone and stabilizers wo/the afore mentioned other ones. Cetaphil spf 15 is one.

I have been in your situation, accidentally put something on w/one of the ingred I'm allergic to. I actually did it on my honeymoon. I've also sprayed the kids rubbed it in, and then touched my face and broken out in a rash. Or, if they rub up against me when they have a chemical sunscreen on, it breaks me out. It's awful. I'd do some oral benadryl.

It really is so worth it to just use the titanium dioxide and or zinc sunscreens. I like Blue Lizard the best. You can order a big bottle at drugstore.com and get more for your money.

Thanks! I always try to do just zinc/titanium dioxide sunscreens, but I wasn't really paying attention and I incorrectly assumed that copper tone came out with a natural sunscreen since it seems most companies now do. Live and learn. Glad I'm not alone with this unpleasant allergy. Hopefully I can enjoy our last two days here in Florida.