While shopping for a new sunscreen this summer my cousin highly recommended me Alba Botantica‘s line of  mineral sunscreens, which she has chosen as her favorite sunscreen to date because it ranks high on the EWG list of the best sunscreens on the market.

Who exactly is the EWG and why do I trust going to them to find out what the top sunscreens out there are? The EWG is the Environmental Watch Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to informing all of us on public health and the environment. They chose sunscreens with the fewest hazardous chemical ingredients, especially those that are potential hormone disruptors which include Vitamin A and oxybenzone.

Not only ranking as a top EWG sunscreen because of it’s UVA formula and chemical free formula, it also ranks among the top most affordable safe sunscreens as calculated per ounce, which is an added bonus! My cousin loves how the sunscreen really is fragrance free (for those of you that don’t like added fragrances), and how it’s not greasy at all (for those of you that dread putting on sticky sunscreen like me!) Most importantly though, she swears it’s super effective and she hasn’t been sunburned since switching. The only cons she claims are how small the tube might be for those that need a lot of constant coverage, and that you might not be able to find it at your local supermarket. But I have been seeing more and more Alba products at my local CVS, as well as specialty health stores like Whole Foods so check a drugstore near you or try Amazon.com for great options as well.

Click here to see the full list of the 2011 EWG Top Sunscreens and keep your skin safe this summer and beyond!