Whether at the beach, on the trails or just in your own back yard, basking in the sunshine is one of summer’s greatest pleasures. Sunshine helps our bodies produce vitamin D but it can also cause skin damage, which is why we need sunscreen – ideally a natural sun care product. Natural sun care products are gentle on children’s delicate skin, and a great choice for health-conscious adults, too!
While conventional products contain synthetic chemicals (the long-term health effects of which are unknown), natural products rely on ingredients from nature to protect and hydrate the skin. Zinc oxide and titanium oxide, both natural minerals, are among the frontrunners in natural sunscreen ingredients. These are safe and highly efficient in blocking UV rays.
Other popular ingredients in today’s natural sun care products include: antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, which fight free radical damage caused by overexposure to the sun; natural hydrating ingredients such as vegetable glycerine and aloe vera, which have water-holding properties; and natural oils and butters, which form a barrier to reduce water loss from the skin.
Pure and safe for skin
Apart from their pure ingredients and gentle yet effective approach, natural sun care products are a natural choice for these reasons:
- With advances in technology, they’re getting better and better. For example, zinc oxide and titanium oxide appear in "micronized" form in today’s natural sunscreens, so they no longer leave a visible film on the skin. Fast-absorbing, non-greasy and water-resistant products are the norm.
- The selection of natural sun care products is expanding. In addition to standard sunscreens with a wide range of SPF levels, you’ll find fragrance-free, children’s, facial, tinted, spray-on and other varieties. Also look for lip care products, after sun lotions, self-tanning lotions and sunscreens that contain insect repellents.
- Natural sun care products typically avoid animal testing and are as easy on the environment as they are on your body.
Currently in the spotlight for natural sun care is grape seed extract, which may help to prevent skin cancer by boosting immunity. In a University of Alabama study, hairless mice that received proanthocyanidin-rich extracts from grape seeds and exposed to UVB radiation had 65% fewer skin tumours than mice that did not receive the compounds. Also receiving attention are green tea polyphenols, which "have the potential, when used in combination with traditional sunscreens, to further protect the skin" against skin cancer, other research from the University of Alabama concludes.
Sources: Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2003;11(3):158-62; "Here Comes the Sun" (posted 04/02/2007 on naturalproductsmarketplace.com); "Grape seed extract may protect against skin cancer" (posted 27/03/2007 on nutraingredients.com); Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2007 Feb;23(1):48-56
