☀️When I was younger, I would bake out in the sun for HOURS at a time seeking a dark tan & didn’t use sunscreen. After learning about how many chemicals are in synthetic sunblock, I am not sure if loading up on the sunscreen would have caused more harm than good? ⠀⠀⠀⠀
Now, I have a whole different approach around sunbathing. I allow myself to get sun when I am walking around/in the ocean for about an hour or less & put a natural sunscreen on, or nothing on if I have a base tan. When I am not being “active”, I seek shade and also love using a hat & coverup to cover my chest/shoulders. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀
The sun IS good for us in healthy doses. I am Vitamin D deficient in winter months & it really affects my mood a TON. After being in the ocean/sun, my friends commented on my increased energy levels & overall mood change. There are also many studies that show that Vitamin D is super important for bone health. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀
I really loved @moonandbloom post from the other week. She is a Registered Herbalist. I share the same thoughts as her relating to ☀️. She recommends: “Exposing one’s eyes to the sun (safely in moderation) activates the pineal gland quite markedly, as we know from ancient practice of sun gazing. It’s so good for skin disorders and healing, and cleans & oxygenates the blood.
While the whole synthetic sunblock industry is WAY toxic to humans, animals, and the Earth, there are numerous plant oils with natural SPF. All skin types have their own unique thresholds for sun that can vary with age and genetics. When the sun is really strong, I like a blend of St. Johnswort oil (approx SPF 8), Sea Buckthorn oil (approx spf 30) & coconut oil (approx spf 4-6). Watch the amounts- the Sea Buckthorn & Johnswort will dye your skin orange.” ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀
Face: I used a sunscreen by Naturopathica for my face for the first time & loved it! On the Think Dirty app it is rated as a 1 out of 10 toxicity level.
Body: I used a natural sunscreen I bought in Costa Rica and really like! See below for ingredients.
