The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Most sunscreens contain possible harmful ingredients or don’t protect well from the sun, consumer group analysis shows

Researchers from the Environmental Working Group found that two-thirds of sunscreen products it analyzed offer inferior sun protection or contain worrisome ingredients, such as oxybenzone.

On Wednesday, the EWG released its 13th Annual Guide to Sunscreens, which rates the safety and effectiveness of more than 1,300 SPF products, including sunscreens, daily moisturizers, and lip balms with SPF values. SPF means sun protection factor.

In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a proposal for updated sunscreen regulations. It’s a big step toward cleaning up a poorly regulated industry, with much-needed reforms that would better protect public health, said Nneka Leiba, director of the EWG’s Healthy Living Science program. Only 40 percent of the products on the EWG’s list contain active ingredients that the FDA has proposed are safe and effective, based on the agency’s new draft rules, according to the EWG’s assessment.

How government regulations help consumers

Conservatives rail against government regulations, and the Trump administration is doing its best every day to cut government regulations that corporations hate.

However, government regulations help consumers. A report by the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards lists 10 worker, health, safety, and transportation standards that could help consumers this summer.

“Summer is supposed to be when we take time off from work to spend with family and friends, enjoy picnics, barbeques and cookouts, lay out by the pool, head to the beach, take road trips across the country or fly to far-flung places,” the report says. “But what happens if you’ve been deprived of the wages needed to take time off or travel, if road trips, flights and tour boats are potentially dangerous, if it’s way too hot to work or play outside, and there’s a good chance the food and water may be hazardous to your health? Suddenly, summertime looks less like a dreamy vacation and more like a scorching hot nightmare.”

The regulations discussed in the report are:

FDA decides not to ban breast implants

Like other Trump agencies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it listened “carefully” to problems, then decided to side with industry anyway.

Regulatory agencies around the world have been considering banning breast implants because of an increased risk of developing breast implant associated-anaplastic large cell lymphoma or BIA-ALCL especially with textured implants.

Textured breast implants, covered by a grained outer shell, are designed to stay in the same position over time and prevent scar tissue forming around the implant.

The rare BIA-ALCL isn’t a breast cancer, but is a lymphoma that develops in scar tissue.

As of Sept. 30, 2018, the FDA had received 457 medical device reports of BIA-ALCL, including the death of nine patients. Of those, 310 were caused by textured breast implants.

Rather than banning textured breast implants like France, the FDA said it will consider stronger warnings about the breast implants and require improved reporting on problems with implants.

Claire pulls kids’ makeup containing asbestos from shelves after FDA tests

Claire, a mall chain store, is removing from shelves three talc-based products — eye shadows, compact powder, and contour powder — that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said earlier this week contain asbestos. Claire’s said it’s doing this "out of an abundance of caution."

FDA test results confirmed the findings of a U.S. PIRG Education Fund study last year that discovered asbestos in Claire’s compact and contour powders. Talc is a substance that sometimes contains naturally-occurring asbestos, and Claire’s said it was "also removing any remaining talc based cosmetic products."

"While we are relieved that children will no longer be able to buy three asbestos-containing cosmetics at Claire's, we urge Claire's to take stronger action with these products,” said Kara Cook-Schultz, toxics program director for U.S. PIRG Education Fund. “Many consumers still have these dangerous products on their shelves at home. Parents and kids should be informed about the problems with the makeup they purchased."

The FDA is advising consumers not to use these products.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

The best and worst super bowl ads of 2019

For years, I’ve written about the Super Bowl ads because they get so much attention. Since so many of them have been violent, ageist, and sexist, I think it’s something that consumers need to know about.

However, this year, before I evaluate the ads, I need to comment on the NFL’s attempts to smooth over its botch response to black athletes kneeling when the national anthem is played to protest police brutality and racism.

Dr. Bernice A. King, the youngest child of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, came out on the field before Super Bowl LIII for the coin toss. Two civil rights leaders, Ambassador Andrew Young and U.S. Representative John Lewis, joined by her.

Facts and figures for the 2018 holidays

It’s that time of year. The holidays are upon us. Hanukkah has been celebrated and today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the least daylight and the longest night. Christmas is approaching rapidly as is Kwanzaa, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

Celebrants

Nine-in-ten Americans — and 95 percent of Christians — say they celebrate Christmas, according to a Pew Research Center survey. These figures have generally held steady in recent years. Today, 46 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas as primarily a religious rather than cultural holiday.

Top 10 stores for Cyber Monday shopping

Cyber Monday isn't just for Black Friday leftovers. Some of the year's best sales will take place on Monday, Nov. 26. So, you may want to save part of your holiday shopping budget for Cyber Monday deals.

Which stores will be offering the best savings? DealNews.com offers 10 suggestions, based on the best sales last year from Cyber Monday and the Sunday before.

1. Amazon

Best for: Gaming, toys, home, and almost anything else you can buy online

While plenty of other retailers offer Cyber Monday sales, none of them match Amazon's. Last year, DealNews.com saw three times as many Cyber Monday deals at Amazon as the next highest retailer.

Beauty, personal care, and cleaning products contain secret fragrance chemicals linked to cancer, report shows

Companies don’t put all chemical ingredients on the label, the “Right to Know: Exposing Toxic Fragrance Chemicals in Beauty, Personal Care and Cleaning Products,” a report by the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners or BCPP says.

In addition, companies often don’t tell consumers about fragrance chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive harm, and respiratory problems.

“BCPP’s report reveals that when we use common beauty and personal care products, we are exposed to a shocking number of unlabeled, unregulated toxic fragrance chemicals without our knowledge or consent,” said Janet Nudelman, director of program and policy at BCPP and director of BCPP's Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Allure hair dryers recalled by Xtava due to fire, burn, and electrical shock hazards

Xtava is recalling about 235,000 Allure and Allure Pro hair dryers.

The hair dryer and power cord can overheat and catch on fire, posing fire, burn, and electrical shock hazards.

The company has received 193 reports of the hair dryers or power cords overheating, melting, exploding, or catching fire, including 18 reports of burns and two reports of a minor electrical shock. Four of the reported burn incidents resulted in a blister to the hand, wrist, or finger. One consumer reported a severe burn.

Watch out for online nanny and caregiving job scams

Finding a new job can be a challenge. Websites can help you find work, but scammers also use these sites to find people to rip off.

Do you look for work on caregiver/nanny job sites? Sometimes scammers will offer a job but say you need to buy supplies or other equipment, said Carol Kando-Pineda, attorney for the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Consumer and Business Education. They pressure you to act quickly, before you have time to think. They send you a check and tell you to deposit it and transfer money to their vendor to buy the supplies.

Don’t do it — scammers post fake job listings for nannies and caregivers, then make up elaborate stories to get your money, Kando-Pineda said. The positions seem real, but they’re not — it’s a scam. The check will bounce. So, the money you sent is actually your own — and it’s gone.