How to naturally and safely cover up to avoid sun over exposure:
Have fun, enjoy the outdoors, please don't get burned. Use clothing (cover ups and hats), spend some time in the shade (tree line, porches, umbrellas). For longer periods of time outdoors and when near the water where there is more reflected sun or no shade, wear sunglasses and use non-toxic sunscreen as well.
Your skin is your largest organ. You absorb what goes on it, please choose the good stuff!
What's in my Sunscreen?
Ingredients in the Badger Sunscreen we use: Uncoated Clear Zinc Oxide 18.75%, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Beeswax, Sunflower Vitamin E, Organic Seabuckthorn Extract.
What's your sunscreen?
I hope it's clean. Here are the ingredients from a reputable skin care company I would have used in the past. Dermatologist recommended and formulated with out dyes, oils, oxybenzone, parabens and phthalates (Sounds good, right?):
Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (13.5%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (10%), Water, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Caprylyl Methicone, Aluminum Starch, Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone, Polyurethane-62, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Crosspolymer, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Chlorphenesin, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Fragrance, Disodium EDTA, Trideceth-6, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Sodium Hydroxide
Chemical sun screens have many toxins that are not proven to protect from sun burn. Some allow for some harmful rays while preventing sunburn that would let you know you are getting too much sun exposure. Many of these chemicals are hormone-disrupting, penetrate your skin and have been found in blood, urine and even breast milk. They are also bad for the health of the environment, damaging reefs and aquatic life. EWG has more info here.
EWG.org has a sunscreen guide for cleaner, better and safer products. Non-nanoparticle titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the only ingredients recognized by the FDA as having adequate evidence for safety and efficacy. Even these should never be sprayed on as inhalation increases absorption. So, skip the chemicals! Please look up your sun block.
Some better non-toxic sunscreen lines include: ATTITUDE, Badger, and California Baby Super Sensitive Products. When I checked at our office, I found out that Meri Jo, Melissa and I all use Badger sun care products and we are all really happy with them. We now have them available for purchase in our office! We carry SPF 30, 40, kids 40 and a stick in SPF 35.
For more natural health in the sun information, check out part 1 if you haven't already, and don't forget to check out part 3 as well!