Comments on: Non-Toxic Sunscreen For Kids – Badger, California Baby, Blue Lizard, TruKid, Alba Botanica?

By: Leila

Leila — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:39:15 +0000

This is a follow-up to my comment posted on July 4th (see #30 above). After doing further research into why these products are not readily available in Canada I came across information that confirms what I had previously stated:
“Health Canada regulates the safety, effectiveness, and quality of sunscreens in Canada. Sunscreen products are classified as drugs and must meet the requirements set out in Canada’s Food and Drugs Act before they may be imported, advertised, or sold in this country.” (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/life-vie/sun_soleil-eng.php). Now, the information contained in the above link was last updated in 2006 so that statement is no longer entirely true.
Since the introduction of the Natural Health Products Regulations – which include provisions on 1) product licensing, 2) site licensing, 3) good manufacturing practices, 4) adverse reaction reporting, 5)clinical trials, 6) labelling, and 7) provisions for a full range of health claims that will be supported by evidence – many active ingredients that were once considered drugs are now considered natural health products and as such require a Natural Product Number or NPN (the natural product equivalent to a DIN) rather than a DIN. Hence, whether a specific sunscreen product is classified as a natural product or a drug depends on which active ingredient(s) it contains. Sunscreens that contain titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide are classified as natural health products. Chemical sunscreens (i.e. oxybenzone, avobenzone, etc…) are considered drugs (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodnatur/applications/licen-prod/monograph/mono_sunprotect_ecransolaire-eng.php). A natural sunscreen product would only be granted a license and an NPN by Health Canada after reviewing data regarding its medicinal ingredients, source, potency, non-medicinal ingredients and recommended use(s).
For those of you unfamiliar with it, Health Canada has a Licensed Natural Health Products Database (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodnatur/applications/licen-prod/lnhpd-bdpsnh-eng.php) which lists products that have been evaluated by Health Canada and found to be safe, effective and of high quality and as such have received a license and an NPN. Of the five sunscreen products you list in your blog, currently only 2 are listed in the database, Badger and Blue Lizard. Crown Laboratories, the license holder for Blue Lizard Sunscreens, has a statement on their website that reads as follows: “Due to the overwhelming demand, superior rating and press that BLUE LIZARD Australian Sunscreen SPF 30+ is receiving, we are temporarily out of stock for many of our sunscreens.” (http://www.crownlaboratories.com/bluelizard/). As far as Badger ‘s availability goes, I e-mailed the company yesterday and they replied today referring me to their Canadian distributors, whom I am yet to contact but for whatever is worth they didn’t say anything about being out of stock or backordered.
Sorry for the lengthy post but I felt it was important to shed some light on the whole “labelling” issue that was being discussed in earlier posts.

By: christine

christine — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:51:15 +0000

They sell Badger sunscreen at Capers in Kitsilano if your near there.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:42:32 +0000

well.ca has sold out Badger Sunscreen but I have come across a site based out of Vancouver that sells Badger SPF30 sunscreen.

http://www.greenbumbum.com/?page_id=1204

By: Leila

Leila — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 01:00:48 +0000

For whatever is worth I am both a new mom to a most “delicious” baby boy and a pharmacist : )
Needles to say I want to do what is best and safest for him. I landed on your website when searching for Canadian retailers that carry California Baby products, in particular their sunscreens. I share your frustration about the unavailability of such products in the Canadian market and I do agree that too often bureaucracy gets in the way of things, however I felt compelled to share with you a possible explanation of why the aforementioned products are not available in Canada, at least yet. Sunscreens in Canada have to have a DIN (Drug Identification Number) just like any drug – prescription or over the counter – is assigned a DIN after receiving a Notice of Compliance from Health Canada. I don’t know this for a fact but based on the above statement I imagine the labeling issue with the products is not just a simple English/French issue, it likely has to do with the fact that the manufacturing company has to submit the required data to Health Canada for evaluation and approval before receiving a Notice of Compliance, getting a DIN assigned and being allowed into the Canadian market. So rather than assuming Health Canada is not concerned with your safety and simply getting caught up in technicalities, consider that perhaps they do make your safety a priority.

By: Anne Wordsworth

Anne Wordsworth — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:48:16 +0000

I am looking for safe(r) sunscreens to update the Guide to Less Toxic Products (www.lesstoxicguide.ca), and I found all these comments very helpful. I wondered if anyone had checked out a Canadian product, Heiko, which advertises itself as “no chemicals” and no synthetic fragrances. My other concern is whether these products which sometimes say “micronized” are titanium dioxide or zinc oxide in their nano forms.

By: christine

christine — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 23:39:54 +0000

Today I bought some Trukid SPF sunscreen in St. Johns NL at Coo Chi Coo. They also have the Badger sunscreen cost for both is pretty similar at $22 a 100ml or 87ml for Badger. The only thing I aint too happy with is that Tru kid does have a nice fruity smell which I’m hoping wont attract bees and flies. Badger was odorless. Hope this helps.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:21:04 +0000

http://www.pinkyblue.ca carries Badger and thinkbaby sunscreen.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:09:18 +0000

Check out http://www.well.ca!! They carry all of Badger’s lines of products and it’s free shipping to anywhere in Canada. I’m surprised no one has checked there.

By: Kristy

Kristy — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 17:04:30 +0000

I am a retailer of TruKid products in Canada. I stock them in my store: http://www.rockymountainkid.com

Love the products and use them on my 2 baby girls.

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:39:23 +0000

I just came across this site who sells the Badger brand as well as Nature’s Gate.

http://gaudaur.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?Search=Yes&sppp=10