Natural is Beautiful

I watched the video above on skin cancer yesterday for the first time. So as many of you are heading off for a vacation in the south or even on the sunny slopes, I'm going to continue to preach about wearing sunscreen. I had no idea that one bad sunburn before the age of eighteen doubles your chances of getting melanoma. Doubles!!! That fact just about knocked me down. When I was sixteen I was full on baby oil and lemon juice baking in the sun! And in my twenties and thirties I frequented the tanning bed, because what better way to get a 'base' before vacay?  Wouldn't want to show up on the beach pale. Well now I think differently. Very differently. 

In the book Goop Clean Beauty by the editors of Gwyneth Paltrow's blog Goop (my new bible), there is a great section on what I'll call 'sun care.' We all know our bodies need the sun because it provides us with necessary vitamin D. But as Dr. Frank Lipman say's in the book 'direct sunlight is important for a lot more than just our Vitamin D levels. Sunlight boosts your mood and helps regulate your circadian rhythm - so getting sun exposure during the day can help us sleep better at night." This does not mean you need to lie out and expose your skin (or your children's) to harmful UV rays.  Applying sunblock (not sunscreen) liberally is key to good protection. Sunblock contains zinc and is the protection you want for your skin.  Stay clear on spray on sunscreen. It's so much better to rub the lotion into your skin for the best results. Sprays wash or sweat off quickly, and they're expensive to use for the amount you need to re-apply. It's much better to buy a high quality sunblock and apply at least twice a day. If you're spending time in the water...apply more often, even if your sunscreen is waterproof.  Look for a sunscreen that is not loaded with toxins (remember clean beauty is available) so hands off if it contains phthalate, fragrance or anything ending in paraben or glycol. Hats, umbrellas and shade are great options tool :)

Be sun safe...and love the skin you're in. 

Here is my pick for one of the best choices in sunscreen:

Any sun care product made by Coola is a great place to start. This is organic mineral based sun care. The whole line is available at The Detox Market in Toronto. They also make a product specifically for the face if you're not keen on putting sunblock for your body on your face.