Your Guide To SPF & Holistic Sun Care
From A Holistic Esthetician Point Of View.
Are you ready to soak up the sun safely and sustainably? Welcome to Mindful Beauty’s ultimate guide to holistic sun care, where we'll embrace the healing benefits of the sun, while exploring holistic practices to protect and nourish your skin under the sun's rays. In this comprehensive article, we'll delve into the science behind sun exposure, discuss the benefits of holistic skincare approaches, and provide practical tips for incorporating natural sun care products into your daily routine. Whether you're lounging on the beach or enjoying outdoor adventures, you’re invited to embark on a journey to radiant, sun-kissed skin the holistic way.
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SUN FEAR
As an esthetician, I was trained to fear the sun. Phrases like photo damage, pigmentation, and wrinkles are emphasized on social media and in the beauty industry while making the sun public enemy number one. My goal is to help you understand everything you need to know about sun care so you can make informed choices on how to protect your skin and adapt intuitive sun habits without feeding your fears.
Throughout my personal and professional skin journey, I’ve been the kid who gets sun rashes, the sun bed goer, the baby oil using excessive tanner, the fake baker, the sun hater, and on both sides of the conventional vs. holistic skincare community. It has taken me many years to find balance and navigate through all the conflicting information out there, and hopefully everything I have learned will inspire you to form a healthy relationship with your skin and the sun. Keep reading to learn about the healing benefits of the sun, what “SPF” means, what UVA and UVB rays are, chemical vs. mineral sunscreen, and some of my favorite sunscreen options.
HEALING SUN
Sun burns hurt your skin, and should be avoided at all costs. However, the sun is incredibly healing and enhances the absorption and function of every single nutrient in the body and is known as one of the best ways to get vitamin D. I believe the standard Western diet contributes to wrinkles, dark spots, and faster aging more than the sun ever could alone. In a recent Instagram Live, I heard Anthony William say that the sun actually pulls toxins from the body and draws them towards the surface of the skin. I am fascinated by this and how It may explain why some people develop dark spots, and others do not, or why some people seemingly have allergic reactions to the sun like I did growing up. There are multiple factors that contribute to our synergy with the sun, and the way we choose to fuel our bodies can either work for us or against us. Your skin will always reflect what is happening below the surface.
How Our Skin Responds To Sunlight Is A Reflection Of Within.
As a young child I would get "sun rashes". My skin would become inflamed, red and bumpy after only minutes in the sun. I was even told by doctors that I must be "allergic to the sun". But something they never considered was that I was also a McDonalds kid. A standard food pyramid diet kid. I ate microwave dinners, frozen dinners, processed foods, high salt, high fat, oily food, always sick, always on prescription pharmaceuticals or going to the drugstore for more allergy, Tylenol, and cough and cold medicine. Fast forward to today where my diet and lifestyle is full of an abundance of fruits, veggies, and herbs, and I was able to heal many of the chronic symptoms I struggled with for most of my life, not dependent on (entirely free from) medications, prioritizing healing foods and hydration, being considerate of using more natural household products and skincare — and surprise, surprise, I no longer rash in the sun. I went from being the person who always said "I don't tan, I just burn" to someone who can spend healthy amount of time in the sun at ease.
“What we ingest determines how our skin responds to sunlight. Skin cells must be strengthened and nourished internally with real food and water to receive the full blessing of interacting with the sun.” - Nadine Artemis, Author of Beauty Renegade and creator of Living Libations.
”Sunshine is a phenomenal natural healer. It boosts the immune system, alleviates depression, and jump starts your metabolism. It also has the ability to balance hormones in the body, thereby relieving symptoms of menopause, mood swings, and PMS. Sunshine is also a natural antiseptic that kills yeast, viruses, fungi and mold, which helps to clear up skin issues such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and rashes. A good 10-15 minutes of direct sunshine a day will strengthen and energize your body, mind, and soul, it is a simple yet profound source of healing.” - Anthony William, Medical Medium
As mentioned above, you do not need to spend long in the sun to harness the healing benefits, just a few minutes early or late in the day when the sun isn’t at peak strength. I do not recommend tanning or laying out with oil to bake your skin, and I will always be an advocate for safe sunscreen use. Especially today when many of us have compromised skin barriers, or use ingredients in our skincare that may increase photosensitivity. Sun safety is a priority and if you are going to be in prolonged sun exposure please wear sun protective clothing, sunglasses, hats, seek shade, and wear SPF.
WHAT IS SPF?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and measures a sunscreen’s UVB coverage. Most sunscreen available today offers broad spectrum protection and will also block the sun’s UVA rays. Sunscreens with high SPF do not offer significantly more sun protection as you might think. The difference between SPF 30 vs. SPF 50 is about 1%. You always need to reapply your sun protection, no matter the strength.
WHAT ARE UV RAYS?
UVB rays are the ultraviolet rays from the sun that cause the immediate reaction of burning. The strength of UVB rays varies, depending on climate or season. The SPF number on your sun care products measures the level of strength against this type of light.
UVA rays radiate deep within your skin layers, and can even penetrate through windows/glass. These types of rays are said to contribute to signs of aging by destroying your collagen and elastin fibers. Unlike UVB, UVA rays are present all year round, even on cloudy days. You cannot feel or see signs of them right away.
CHEMICAL VS. MINERAL SUNSCREEN
Chemical sunscreen active ingredients are designed to absorb the sun’s UV rays. But there is evidence that in attempts to protect our skin, we could actually be doing more harm than good because some of these ingredients can mess with our hormones by disrupting our endocrine system and impact the environment by ruining the coral reefs. You’ve likely heard conflicting information about sunscreen ingredients, but we do have a safer alternative, so why not use it?
Mineral sunscreen is often called physical sunscreen because it works by sitting on top of the skin to physically shield and reflect the sun’s UV rays. The active ingredient to look for in mineral sunscreen products is Zinc Oxide.
INGREDIENTS TO AVOID IF YOU WISH TO USE ONLY MINERAL SUNSCREEN:
Oxybenzone
Octinoxate (Octyl methoxycinnamate)
Avobenzone
Homosalate
Octisalate
Octocrylene
CRUELTY FREE MINERAL SUNSCREENS:
Sunscreen texture and finish is such a personal preference, and there are so many available, but this should be enough to get you started in the right direction. Remember to always re-apply your sunscreen, and not to forget commonly missed areas like the upper forehead, nose, ears, hands and feet. Your skin is the gift wrap to your soul and it is important to protect it. Daily use of sunscreen will result in younger looking skin later on in life, but so will many other lifestyle factors.
Shop my shelf for even more of my top picks for zinc-based sun care below:
The information provided on this site is for general informational purposes only, to include blog postings and any linked material. The information is not intended to be a substitute for professional health or medical advice or treatment, nor should it be relied upon for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any health consideration. Consult with a licensed health care practitioner before altering or discontinuing any medications, treatment or care, skin care products or starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program. The content of this blog and any linked material does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Mindful Beauty facesbykatey and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.
