Summer is upon us and it’s time to protect your skin from the sun!
In its most crucial role, sunscreen protects your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays – UVA and UVB. UVA rays are most commonly associated with skin aging; these beams cause fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots that make skin look prematurely older. UVB rays are the ones most commonly associated with sunburns. But both UVA and UVB rays can damage the DNA in skin cells, produce genetic defects/mutations, that can lead to skin cancer.
So we should all be utilizing a sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection against both types of rays, right!? But what if I told you most sunscreens contain ingredients that are harmful to your health?
For years, “the FDA has allowed sunscreen makers to sell their products under an assumption that the active ingredients they use are generally recognized as safe and effective, but they had never been proven to be safe. So, in 2019, the FDA decided to take on the question of body absorption of sunscreen ingredients. This testing revealed that
“Four of the most common UV filters in chemical sunscreens – avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and ecamsule – are absorbed by the body in substantial amounts, and can stay there for days.”
And we’re not talking small amounts. “For example, blood concentrations of oxybenzone were more than 180 times the FDA’s level of concern after a single application of sunscreen (and) 500 times the FDA’s level of concern after 4 days of regular use.”
That’s some scary stuff!
“Studies have shown that oxybenzone may affect breast development, infant birth weight, and sperm function. It has also been shown to contribute to the killing of coral reefs in the ocean. As a result, Hawaii has banned the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate starting in 2021.”
“The fact that these chemicals are being found at elevated levels in our blood, combined with evidence that they have been linked to adverse health impacts in other studies, is extremely concerning.”
-Nneka Leiba, vice president of the Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Living Science program.
The Environmental Working Group has been warning consumers for years about the ingredients in chemical sunscreens.
My take away from their 2020 report:
-Avoid all spray and powder sunscreens based on concern for increased risk of inhalation
-Avoid chemicals proven unsafe: PABA, Trolamine Salicylate
-Avoid chemicals under scrutiny: avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, oxybenzone
-Avoid all sunscreens reporting a higher than 50 SPF.
So those are the safety Tips for humans, but there’s also the coral reefs and wildlife in the water to take into consideration:
-Avoid sunscreens containing petrolatum, commonly known as mineral oil, which takes years to biodegrade and is harmful to aquatic life and waterfowl.
-Avoid sunscreens with a high content of Titanium Dioxide. This mineral does not biodegrade and is found to react in warm seawater to form hydrogen peroxide which is harmful to all sea life.
-Avoid sunscreens containing Oxybenzone and octinoxate, as they are believed to cause coral bleaching which severely damages the reef by putting the coral under significant stress and subjects it to increased mortality levels.
https://www.hawaii.com/blog/reef-safe-sunscreen/
So what should you do if you want to protect yourself, your kids, and your environment from the Sun as well as the uncertainties of untested ingredients?
Well, there’s a few things!
Sunscreens are just one component of sun protection.
-UV radiation is at its peak from 11AM-4PM; so, whenever possible, avoid prolonged sun exposure during those hours.
-Wear a hat
-Wear sun glasses (eyes get burnt too!) -Wear clothing that has built-in sun protection, known as a UPF factor.
-Use mineral based sunscreens that protect the skin without the use of harmful or potentially harmful chemicals! Yes, they do exist!
🏖Young Living has a bomb sunscreen that doesn’t contain any of that junk! We can safely use it on our babies and ourselves without worrying about UVA/UVB rays or toxins entering our body when we apply it or harming coral reefs and wildlife!
Some details on YL’s Mineral Sunscreen:
☀Available in SPF 10 and 50 (perfect for all ages and skin types)
☀Blocks UVA and UVB rays
☀Water and sweat-resistant for 80 minutes
☀Smoothes easily onto skin & doesn’t leave a heavy white residue like many Zinc-oxide based products
☀Formulated for those with sensitive skin, even babies!
☀Made with naturally-derived & plant & mineral based ingredients
☀Dermatologist tested & hypoallergenic
☀Free of UV chemical absorbers, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, synthetic preservatives, fragrances and dyes!

🏖TIP: Some people find that Mineral Sunscreen is hard to squeeze out of the bottle or rub in. If that’s the case, all you need to do is warm it up a little bit. If it’s in your pool bag on a hot day, you’ll likely have no problems. If it’s in your bathroom drawer, you’ll want to just hold it between your hands (or sit on it…that’s what I do!) for a short while and it will soften up. I have found that just the smallest amount goes a really long way when it’s applied warm!
Young Living is an amazing natural products company that I have come to love and trust. You can always purchase these products on their website at the retail price at any time, but if you are interested in getting 24% OFF of all their products for life, I would love to help you become a member! To keep your membership all you have to do is order $50 in product per year, and this company has so many great natural products to choose from that is EASY!
Here are some other great Sunscreen choices that meet these requirements that you can find on Amazon:
Badger
https://amzn.to/2A44LV6
Raw Elements
https://amzn.to/36qf69S
ThinkSport SPF 50
https://amzn.to/2ZxxmNg
🏖What if you accidentally do get a burn?! Young Living’s LavaDerm After-Sun Spray is amazing to have on hand all summer long!! This naturally derived after-sun spray offers temporary relief from the pain and itching of sunburns. Using menthol from mint, this spray soothes and cools the skin, providing immediate relief. Plus, its moisturizing qualities—from ingredients such as aloe, Lavender, and Helichrysum essential oil—also help prevent peeling and leave skin feeling soft and smooth instead of tacky or sticky. (You can also use this for relief from insect bites, and minor skin irritations.) It’s a great product to have on hand!
🏖If you’d rather DIY, try this recipe!
Sun-kissed Soothing Skin Spray ☀
In a 2 oz spray bottle, add 3 teaspoons PURE aloe (be very careful to check ingredients on store bought aloe gels), 8 drops Lavender, 4 drops Peppermint, and top it with distilled water. Shake well before each use.
Link to 2oz spray bottle: https://amzn.to/2AUNQET
Link to Pure Aloe: https://amzn.to/2LPXVoy

