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Turns out cooking sunscreen's chemicals into your skin can be as dangerous as too much sun exposure. Here's an alternate approach to sun protection
Slip-slop-slap – it was the slogan that became known as the sun-protection trifecta in the ’80s, when protecting the skin from sun damage became serious business.
Slipping on a shirt and slapping on a hat are still sound advice when it comes to skin protection, but slopping on sunscreen has come under fire as skin cancer rates have soared despite shelves filled with sunscreen options and decades of expert advice on the importance of SPF.
Turns out that cooking a lethal mix of toxic chemicals into your skin can be as bad – if not worse – than the harmful effects of getting a sunburn. And although a little vitamin D is critical to good health, the reality remains that UVA and UVB rays contribute to aging the skin and can lead to various skin cancers.
Natural solutions to protecting yourself go beyond wearing a hat, avoiding mid-day rays and seeking shade whenever possible. Here’s how to concoct your own effective sunscreen and avoid the toxic chemicals that are doing your body more harm than good.
Many oils naturally contain SPF, and can be applied for a minimal level of protection if you have to be in the sun.
It’s easy to make your own sunscreen for protection that’s healthy and safe. This recipe will give you an SPF of around 20; add more zinc oxide to increase the SPF if desired.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
If you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own sunscreen, there are a few products that are as natural as you can get off a shelf.
The most important thing when choosing sunscreens that are zinc based is to find ones that do not contain nano zinc oxide. Nano zinc oxide is composed of particles so small they can be absorbed into your skin, which isn’t healthy.
The Environmental Working Group provides a list of safe sunscreens every year.
If you decide to purchase commercial-brand sunscreens, veer away from those that contain these harmful, no-good-for-you ingredients:
For more info on skin safety and chemicals, take a look at the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.
It’s amazing how much diet can have an effect on your skin health. Not only will eating a diet rich in antioxidant superfoods improve the skin’s anti-aging qualities and acne, it can also help build a tolerance to the sun’s rays from the inside.
Ditch the processed food for raw foods to increase your natural protection.
Natural Sunscreen