It’s difficult to decipher the exact amount of sunscreen that’s actually being applied, especially when doing so outdoors, where application can be impacted by wind speeds that “leave people thinking they’re more protected than they are,” says Defne Arikan, founder of Bryhel Cosmetics Lab, a company that specializes in the formulation and manufacturing of beauty products.
And there have been some high-profile recalls of aerosol sprays lately, including Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30, for contamination with benzene, a known carcinogen that has also been found in some other sunscreens and aerosol sprays. A review “showed that unexpected levels of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the [Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30] can,” the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported.
It’s not totally clear how benzene enters some aerosol sprays, but Allure previously reported that some experts believe this occurs during the manufacturing process of the propellant used in aerosol sprays. “Certainly, nobody’s putting it in there on purpose or formulating it as part of a product,” says David Light, the cofounder and CEO of Valisure, a lab that found benzene in aerosol spray-on dry shampoos. It’s another reason to choose non-aerosol, or vaporizer, sprays.
Another potential concern with some sprays is lung health. “The particles produced by aerosol sprays [can] penetrate deep into the lungs, which [can] irritate the lower airways and cause health consequences depending on the [product and] the amount inhaled,” says Arikan.
Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City explains further: “Like the skin, the lungs are in direct contact with the potentially harmful agents in the environment. When we breathe in aerosolized chemicals, this can adversely affect not only pulmonary health, but total body health.”
Before investing in new spray-on beauty products, check the label and packaging to see if you’re purchasing a vaporizer or an aerosol spray. An easy way to spot an aerosol is to check the label for a flammable warning, which all aerosols must have because of their compressed gasses, according to the FDA’s Cosmetics Labeling Requirements.
“If there’s a tester available, you can do a spray test,” suggests Arikan. “If one spray is continuous, it’s an aerosol; whereas a vaporizer spray delivers a specific amount — think most perfume bottles.” This way you can avoid aerosols and instead opt for vaporizers.