The sun has many benefits, so you should not overuse sunscreen. One of the benefits, which most have heard of, is that when the sun's rays hit the skin, the important substance vitamin D is produced in the body. So if you want to increase the amount of vitamin D in your body, you should spend at least 15 minutes a day outdoors in spring, summer, and autumn without sun protection.
If you use sunscreen with SPF 8 and above, vitamin D is not produced in the skin. But on the other hand, too much sunlight can be harmful to the skin. This is a matter of common sense.
What is the best sunscreen?
We usually say:
1. Hat/cap and thin clothes on the most exposed areas.
2. To spend a moderate amount of time in the sun.
3. To supply plenty of antioxidants through food, supplements, superfoods, and herbs.
4. Natural sunscreens (so-called physical filters) when spending a long time in the sun.
Can you get natural sun protection from the inside?
Absolutely. We can strengthen our skin so it is not harmed by the sun or free radicals. How do you do that? Well, the most important thing is what we eat and drink; to eat and supply vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients (the compounds that make fruit, berries, and vegetables colorful).
The skin's protection and quality improve significantly through a nutritious diet. So indulge in vegetables, sprouts, algae, fruit, and berries. Take supplements, herbs, and superfoods with antioxidants and phytonutrients.
Antioxidants
All antioxidants or substances with antioxidant functions such as vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, zinc, beta-carotene, and astaxanthin have a positive impact on the skin.
Beta-carotene provides extra protection against the sun's harmful rays, can inhibit the development of sun rash, and contributes to a faster and more even tan. Beta-carotene is found in, for example, parsley, sprouts, carrots, spinach, kale, dill, papaya, spirulina, and other algae, but especially in the algae Dunaliella salina, which you find in our product Biosuperfood; it also contains the powerful antioxidant Astaxanthin. You can find astaxanthin here.
Essential fatty acids like Omega-3 also have a beneficial effect on the skin and its ability to handle the sun's rays.
Many use Chaga as a dietary supplement to support the skin since the mushroom is extremely rich in antioxidants.
Should I not use sunscreen at all?
Of course, it is not good to get sunburned. If needed, you must choose a sun protection that works. If you need sunscreen to stay in the sun for a longer time, we recommend natural sunscreens with physical filters.
However, keep in mind that it is not always the sunscreen with the highest SPF that provides the best effect. Several studies show that the quality of the cream is just as crucial.
So what is the difference between chemical and physical sun filters?
There are sunscreens with physical filters or chemical filters.
Physical filters act as a total barrier against UV radiation. Physical filters are applied to the skin and reflect sunlight. In cream form, these mineral-based filters (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) provide invisible protection that prevents UV radiation from reaching the deepest living cells in the skin.
As soon as the cream is applied, the filters start working immediately until they are washed or sweated off. The only downside to physical filters may be that they can make the skin look whiter.
We have tips on how to handle this; read this blog article by Anna about it.
Chemical filters transform UV light into a less harmful form of radiation such as infrared (heat). To do this, the chemical filter must change structure, and in this process, they gradually lose their ability to block sunlight. In other words, they get used up.
That is why it is important to apply sunscreen with chemical filters half an hour before going out in the sun and then regularly reapply while you are in the sun. Chemical filters are applied to the skin and absorb the sunlight.
The problem with these chemical filters is that they are toxic to both humans and nature. Not least the ocean (and corals) is affected by this, as millions of sun lovers swim with these chemicals on their skin every year. And no one really wants that.
So what should I choose?
Physical filters are an obvious choice, in our opinion. To create an effective natural sunscreen with as few harmful ingredients as possible, either the mineral titanium dioxide or the mineral zinc oxide is used.
The sunscreens we have chosen to sell contain so-called nano-free zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. We believe this is the best choice for people seeking good UVA and UVB protection without harmful chemicals (which have been shown to be hormone-disrupting) or synthetic preservatives.
Besides the basic protection from titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide, these natural sunscreens often contain nourishing oils such as olive oil, shea butter, macadamia oil, sunflower oil, cocoa butter, and no harmful preservatives, synthetic fragrances, or other health hazards. However, they should still be used in moderation when sun protection is needed.
Zinc oxide is considered a relatively harmless metal compound from a health perspective because it is not stored in the body. There has been much discussion about zinc oxide possibly containing so-called nano-particles, which are very harmful and believed to cause DNA damage and, in combination with UV light exposure, can lead to the formation of free radicals.
The size of these particles plays a crucial role. Therefore, it is important to mention the difference between micro- and nano-particles. Nano-particles are smaller than 100 nm, while micro-particles are larger than 100 nm. There is thus non-nano zinc oxide made from micro-particles used in most organic, natural sunscreens. This also significantly reduces the ingredient list.
If you don’t want zinc or titanium oxide, you have to choose a sunscreen with chemical filters and accept that they always contain at least one chemical classified as an endocrine disruptor, along with many synthetic preservatives and substances toxic to aquatic organisms.
Summary
- Consume nutritious, colorful foods and antioxidant supplements. Plants rich in phytonutrients are powerful allies for your skin.
- Apply nourishing, organic oils to your skin.
- Be in the sun in moderation without sunscreen to produce vitamin D.
- At other times, use physical filters or cover your body with thin clothing and avoid the sun when it is strongest.
- Avoid chemical filters for both your own sake and for nature/the ocean.
List of substances in chemical sunscreens that you are best to avoid
- Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane is persistent, accumulates in living organisms, and is likely highly toxic to aquatic organisms. It causes allergies when broken down by UV light.
- Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate & 4-methylbenzylidenecamphor (4-MBC) accumulate in living organisms, are highly toxic to algae and invertebrate aquatic animals. These substances are endocrine disruptors.
- Octocrylene accumulates in living organisms and is toxic to aquatic organisms.
- Cyclopentasiloxane is persistent, accumulates in living organisms, and is toxic to aquatic organisms. The substance is suspected to have carcinogenic properties. It has been found in fish, indicating that the substance can spread on a large scale.
- Cyclohexasiloxane is very persistent and highly toxic to aquatic organisms. The substance is also believed to accumulate in living organisms.
- Oxybenzone and Octyl methoxycinnamate: There are reports suggesting that this chemical filter mimics hormones in the body with various health risks as a result, especially children and sick people are vulnerable groups.
- Vitamin A, i.e. retinol and retinyl palmitate, are suspected of increasing the spread and production of malignant cancer cells according to a report from the Environmental Working Group in the USA (a non-profit group in Washington).
- Two types of so-called siloxanes, substances that can be used as softeners and to increase the sun protection factor, are persistent, toxic, and can accumulate in very high concentrations in living organisms.
- Other very harmful substances in chemical sunscreens:
3-benzylidene camphor, benzophenone-3, Avobenzone, Cinoxate, Dioxybenzone, Homosalate, Menthyl anthranilate, Octocrylene, Octyl methoxycinnamate, Octylsalicylate, Padimate O, Phenylbenzimidazole, Sulisobenzone and Homosalate (Eusolex / HMS).
Here you can read about which SPF you should use.
Now you know a little more and can choose for yourself. Sunny greetings from all of us at Glimja.se
