Here Comes the Sun (Block)!
Why switching to natural sunblock is very important for you (and our entire planet)…
This post comes from our dear friend and contributor Carlen Altman….
For most of my life, when it came to buying sunblock, there was only one three-letter word that affected my purchasing decision. Can you guess? No? That word my friend, is SPF. (OK fine, I know SPF is an abbreviation, not technically a word — nobody walks around saying it aloud like “spppppffff” — but you get the point…)
If I bought a sunblock with an SPF of 9, I knew I was destined for an intense tan and/or a burn reminiscent of an angry lobster; similarly, when going out with an SPF 50 and a big straw hat, I knew I could keep my natural pasty goth complexion. When strolling through the sunscreen section at the local drugstore, my simple reasoning led me to purchase whatever the cheapest sunblock with the highest SPF was, slather it on my face and neck, and go about my day…
Well, the times they are a-changin (!) and, as we are discovering more and more, what we put in our bodies (through food and topically, through beauty products) can have a huge impact on our health.
Here are 8 sun-related facts I learned recently about sun and skin protection which have led me to change my sunblock purchasing decisions and avoid drugstore brands in favor of natural suncare solutions… Ignorance is bliss, but when it comes to sun protection, ignorance is bliss(ters)… (Read on so this terrible joke makes a little more sense…)
DID YOU KNOW…?
Our skin is our body’s largest organ and, since it is made up of tiny pores, the majority of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our bodies as if we had eaten it, including beauty products and sunblock.
DID YOU KNOW…?
The word, er, abbreviation “SPF” stands for Sun Protecting Factor and refers to the theoretical amount of time a person can stay in the sun without getting sunburned. For example, an SPF of 45 would allow you to stay in the sun 45 times longer than you could without protection… (Note: I am not sure if this is a “fun fact” so going forward I will let you decide for yourself if it’s fun or not…)
DID YOU KNOW…?
There is no scientific proof that any SPF over 50 actually protects skin significantly better. For example, using an SPF of 100 is not double the protection of an SPF 50, only about 1 percent higher. (Okay, maybe this one is definitely not a fun fact. For the remainder of this article I will let you decide if these facts are fun or not…)
DID YOU KNOW…?
It is important that we humans obtain 20 minutes of sun exposure a day (without sunblock) so our bodies can produce all-too-important Vitamin D3, which is responsible for so many good things like protecting our immune systems, elevating our moods, helping to fight cancer and mental impairment. Over 70% of the population is Vitamin D deficient, which means the majority of us need to spend more time outdoors and potentially take Vitamin D supplements. (Note: Consult with your doctor to make sure you can handle 20 minutes of sunshine a day, especially as this 20-minute guideline varies for peopleof different complexions and is conducive to the time of year…)
DID YOU KNOW…?
Moderate sunshine is wonderful but, if you are going to be outside for more than 20 minutes, it is important to cover up with some form of sun protection so as to avoid the chances of burning and health problems such as skin cancer down the line…
DID YOU KNOW…?
Sunscreens come primarily in 2 forms — chemical sunscreen and mineral sunscreen. Chemical sunscreens absorb directly into the skin, whereas mineral sunscreens, known as “physical blockers,” manage to stay at the skin’s surface. Mineral sunblocks are made using zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.
DID YOU KNOW…?
Chemical sunblocks make up the majority of your local drugstore assortment and, as I’ve learned, contain unnecessarily toxic ingredients like oxybenzone, which has been linked to tumors, hormone disruption and more. (Yikes!)
DID YOU (ALSO) KNOW…?
As if chemical sunscreens weren’t bad enough, any time you wear one and go into the ocean, the oxybenzone and paraben ingredients usually wash off into the water (even if the sunblock claims to be waterproof) and, in turn, poison marine life and bleach our delicate coral reef system. (Yikes again!)
If you love ANY aspect of the ocean (or our planet as a whole), I beg of you — do not wear mainstream chemical sunblock while swimming! The fish beg of you, too! (P.S. Can fish get wrinkles? Sorry, tangent…)
Armed with all these facts, what’s a sun-loving girl to do?!
Luckily, there IS a solution and, out yonder, there exist naturally derived sunblocks that can dependably help protect your skin without harming your body or our planetary body, Mother Earth.
Introducing Free People’s Sun Squad — Juice Beauty, Coola, Suntegrity, Let It Block and EiR!
Whether you’re looking for a tinted facial moisturizer, sports sunblock or lip balm, we have you covered (without jeopardizing your health or the planet’s…). One of our favorite brands, Let It Block, was recently awarded most environmentally friendly sunblock by Surfrider Organization! (I am currently using GOTH BLOCK by Let It Block as I type this, btw.)
Every problem has a solution if you look on the bright side…
+ Which natural sunblock will you be using to enjoy our planet?
Find our complete range of sun protection HERE.