Sunscreen

Yes! we do need to expose ourselves to the sun. Our skin makes vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight. Sunlight also helps to establish our circadian rhythm, which affects sleep, energy, and hormones.
However, overexposure to UV light can damage the skin, leading to photo aging and cancer. Once we hit our own unique sun exposure threshold, we then need to seek out a physical barrier (shade, clothing/hate and sunscreen) to protect our skin from the sun.
👌There are two types of sunscreen: mineral & chemical.
👉MINERAL SUNSCREEN: It uses minerals (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) that sit on top of the skin and act as a physical barrier to the sun, therefore blocking ALL of the sun’s rays. These minerals are not absorbed into the bloodstream.
👉CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN: it uses chemical UV filters to keep out some of the sun’s rays. These sunscreens also include ingredients to help the product adhere to skin, which increases absorption into the body. Oxybenzone is a common active chemical used, and it is found in 70% of chemical sunscreens. The chemicals used in these sunscreens contribute to skin allergies and hormone disruption, which can negatively impact every system in your entire body. Higher SPF contains a higher concentration of harmful, hormone-disrupting chemicals.
Retinyl palmitate is a form of Vitamin A added to skincare products—including sunscreen—for skin enhancing effects (like slower skin aging). However, it may speed the growth of skin tumors when applied to skin in the presence of sunlight.
These harmful chemicals do get into our bodies—they are found in blood, urine and breastmilk. Additonally, oxybenzone leaches nutrients and bleaches coral reefs, negatively impacting fish and other wildlife.
🧴The Safest Sunscreens to Use
Active ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are good mineral ingredients for susncreens. These minerals sit on top of the skin and deflect UV rays.
👉some examples of safe sunscreens:
– Blue Lizard Sensitive SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
– Badger Active Mineral Sunscreen Cream