The Lowdown on Sun Protection: A Practical Guide
Firstly, let me pre-face this by saying that the sun has somewhat been demonised in the modern era. Whilst there is of course a very real risk of skin cancer, especially here in the intense Australian sun, we cannot forget that the sun is our most potent source of vitamin D (hormone D- in fact) and that in an effort to reduce skin cancer, we have become a culture that is very much engrained to “slip, slop, slap”, cover up and avoid the sun. Whilst sun protection is important, we need daily sun exposure. Sunscreen blocks vitamin D uptake through our skin (90% of Vitamin D uptake is via the skin). This is of note, particularly as low vitamin D levels have been found to be a risk factor to cancer development and is linked to the development of autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular diseases and bone disorders.
It comes down to being aware of your skin type, how long your skin needs in the sun and taking into account your daily exposure, ensuring you never burn. As a blanket statement, 15-20 minutes of daily sun exposure is recommended, with the best vitamin D absorption occurring in our fattiest tissue (i.e thighs, tummy, arms).
If you know you will be out and about in the sun throughout the day or will be out for longer periods of time, applying sunscreen is recommended. This is where there is a real issue- so many conventionally sold sunscreens contain harmful chemical ingredients that are causing more damage than protection. Just recently there was a major recall on popular brand Banana Boat aerosol sunscreen after it was found to contain carcinogenic levels of Benzene– scary stuff, especially when they are being used by families, on little ones and in schools! I hope this post helps you to understand what you should steer clear of and find some wonderful and effective SPF alternatives- because there are some companies doing great things!
A couple of helpful things to know about UV rays, Types of Sunscreen and SPF…
What is the difference between UVA and UVB rays ?
Simply put, UVA radiation (longer wavelengths) affects the deeper layers of our skin, produces free radicals contributing to DNA damage, aging, and sagging skin. UVB radiation (shorter wavelengths) causes sun burn and is often the cause of melanoma and skin cancers.
The term “broad spectrum” means the sunscreen should block both UVA and UVB rays.
What are the two different types of Sunscreen?
Chemical
Chemical sunscreens are your commercial, commonly used sunscreens that utilise UV filters- which work by absorbing the UV rays. The issue is that after just one use, these chemical filters are absorbed systemically into the body. That means the UV radiation that has been absorbed goes into the body and we don’t know how that affects our cells or what damage this does. Chemical filters can degrade under sun exposure, making them ineffective and unstable.
Note: We are told to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, this is because chemical sunscreens begin to degrade from sunlight after this time- becoming even more harmful.
Oxybenzone, one of the most commonly used filters is also highly allergenic and likely to result in skin reactions. There are also concerns of it being an endocrine disrupter (causes havoc on our hormones).
Common chemical filters: Avobenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, oxybenzone and homosalate.
Physical
Ultimately works by reflecting and scattering UV rays off the skin. The film thickness and particle size will affect how much UV reflection is provided, determining the effectiveness. Whilst small-particles and a thin covering is more appealing in terms of look and feel, this can mean less reflectivity of UV rays. There is also concern that smaller particles can be absorbed into the skin. This is why a non-nano zinc is preferred. Large particles may mean the sunscreen is thicker, but this offers greater reflection of UV rays.
Image from Little Urchin site
Roundup of Favourite Australian Natural Sunscreens
Activity: Broad-spectrum
· Everyday wear- walking from your car into work, under makeup
· Great on the face and body
· Beach days/ out in the garden/ activities outside
Feel: Excellent! Have been using this as a daily face sunscreen, prior to applying everyday skincare/makeup. Sinks into the skin and gives a nice glow- without being white or oily.
Ingredients & Environment: Great ingredients, reef-friendly. Uses a post-consumer waste recycled tube, which are recyclable & comes in a handy calico bag that you can either store it in or re-use as a produce bag. Made in an Australian solar powdered factory.
Price point: The only con is that this tube is dearer than an average sunscreen. Retails at $42 a tube.
Activity: Broad-spectrum
· Everyday wear- walking from your car into work, under makeup
· Great on the face and body
· Beach days/ out in the garden/ activities outside
· Surfing!
Feel: You will be surprised when first using as it is like a thick body butter/moisturiser! Rubs into the skin easily and leaves no white tint. Surprisingly not oily, leaves more of a “tacky” feeling and dewy finish. Would go under makeup too.
Ingredients & Environment: Great all natural ingredients with the addition of added vitamin C derived from Australian Kakadu Plum (providing extra protective antioxidants)
-Very environmentally aware brand that shares lots of info on their social media!
-Comes packaged in infinitely recyclable aluminium (because it is a body butter consistency it won’t spill about in the tin which is good).
-Sun Juju donates 5% to the Climate Foundations marine permaculture project to plant kelp- how cool!
Price point: A tin will cost you $34.99 but again, a little goes a long way.
PEOPLE OF THE EARTH- Sun Butter
* This is for their un-tinted version however they do offer a tinted versions also- I haven’t tested these.
Activity: Broad-spectrum
· Beach days
· Great on the face and body
· Beach days/ out in the garden/ activities outside
Feel: Thicker than MOTHER but goes in well leaving no white tint. Slight sheen when applied, I would find it a bit thick under makeup, but great for beach days. Smells so good! Brilliant ingredients, with added inclusions like chamomile and calendula herbs and Mānuka honey, benefiting acne/breakout prone skin. A note, I did find if it is left for a few months it starts to develop lumps.
Ingredients & Environment: Great all natural ingredients, that they provide sourcing information for- down to where the herbs are organically grown (Australia), the coconut oil from an organic family-run farm in Papua New Guinea & shea butter from women’s cooperatives in Tamale, Northern Ghana!
-Reef friendly
-Comes in a tin
Price point: Good price point and a little goes a long way! Will last a couple of months at least. Two size options: Small 40g ($29.95) or large 80g ($39.95).
Activity: Broad-spectrum
· Beach days
· Great on the face and body and as an everyday face sunscreen
· Beach days/ out in the garden/ activities outside
Feel:
Medium-Tinted: I like this one as a tinted everyday face sunscreen, it absorbs well, smells great and rubs in well. Does leave a bit of a glow in a nice way.
Non-Tinted: Rubs in well, no white cast and non-greasy. Could wear as an everyday face.
Environment: Non- nano zinc, reef-safe !
Price point: Affordable at $24.95 (untinted) and $29.95 (tinted)
Activity: Broad-spectrum
· Beach days
· Great on the face and body
· Beach days/ out in the garden/ activities outside
Feel: Definitely feels a little more oily than some of the others (not sure if I’d wear it as a daily face), but it does rub in really well and doesn’t leave a white cast. Good for sensitive skin (eczema and the like) & have a baby specific one too! *All of their ingredients are rated 2 or lower on EWG.
Environment: Comes in a plastic tube made with 30-40% recycled Australian polyethylene and they advise to recycle just cut open, clean out and put in recycling bin.
-The tubes are manufactured using green energy from solar farms.
-The company offset all their carbon emissions through planting new trees in areas of deforestation (North of Perth) through Carbon Neutral Australia.
Price point: Quite a large tube for $28.99!
WOTNOT FACE SUNSCREENS/BB CREAMS
Activity: Broad-spectrum
· Everyday wear as a BB cream- designed for the face
· Walking to and from work/school etc.
Feel:
United BB Cream: Leaves a slight white, matt finish- designed to be applied under makeup. More of a primer, which it has great reviews as!
Light-Medium Tinted BB Cream: Feels more oily than the untinted version, but does rub in. Says it is designed to use as a stand alone BB cream however doesn’t give a lot of coverage and still stays a little white. Very light which some may like.
Environment: See above for WOTNOT info.
Price point: $26.99 for the untinted & $29.99 for tinted (you don’t need much!)
SUNBUTTER (not to confused with the People of The Earth- Sun Butter)
Activity: Broad-spectrum
· Surfing
· Long beach days, where you need a thicker barrier
· Outdoor activites
Feel:
Non-Tinted: Much thicker and heavier zinc base
Tinted: Can tell you have something on your face, quite thick, but good for a beach day or for surfing!
Ingredients & Environment: Reef friendly, all natural ingredients, vegan formulation.
-Tins are made from reusable and recyclable material and BPA free.
Price Point: Good pricing, a little goes a long way: $29.95 for untinted, $31.95 for tinted.
Better But Not the Best
A note on a couple of other popular sunscreens…Both Feel Good Inc and Standard Procedure sunscreens are popular choices in Australia and importantly, both are reef-friendly. They are both free of PABA, PARABENS, OXYBENZONE AND OXINOXATE.
They still contain however:
· Octocrylene- Absorbs UV light, may break down under sunlight into harmful by-products, may cause allergic skin reactions
· Homosalate- A weak hormone disrupter that when exposed to sun, breaks down into harmful particles
These are still better options than you average Banana Boat, but it’s good to be aware that they aren’t totally natural!
A great resource
EWG’s Skin Deep Database is a brilliant tool to utilise which lets you put in a specific ingredient and it will generate a toxicity rating (low, moderate or high). So next time you want to cross-check an ingredient (perhaps you don’t recognise a word on the back of a product), you can input it into this site.
Don’t skimp on the dietary antioxidants!
· EAT THE RAINBOW. Dietary antioxidants like lycopene (found in tomatoes-increased when cooked, carrots, apricots) and catechins found in green tea/matcha, helps to block UV damage to our skin cells.
References + Resources
- Environemental Working Group (EWG). (2021). The trouble with ingredients in sunscreens. https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/
- Gabros, S., Nessel, T.A., & Zito, P.M. (2020). Sunscreens and Photoprotection. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537164/
- Garland, C. F., Garland, F. C., Gorham, E. D., Lipkin, M., Newmark, H., Mohr, S. B., & Holick, M. F. (2006). The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. American Journal of Public Health, 96(2), 252–261. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2004.045260
Share this with someone who would find this helpful or needs to make a switch!
Also to note, this isn’ a sponsored post- I paid for a lot of these sunscreens & spent all Summer trialling them to give an honest review.