A couple of years ago I myself spent an afternoon studying internet articles on what the best ingredients were for sunscreen and which brand was recommended.
What I found were the following warring factions of "expert" opinions:
- The best ingredient is oxybenzone.
- Beware of putting oxybenzone on large areas of your body. The long-term effects are unknown.
- The best ingredient is microcrystalline zinc.
- Beware of putting microcrystalline zinc on large areas of your body. The long-term effects are unknown.
- All sunscreens are equally good. It doesn't matter which you use.
- All sunscreens are equally ineffective. It doesn't matter which you use.
- Use whatever Consumer Reports recommends (which turned out to be the Walgreens house brand.)