Summer is coming therefore everyday our skin is exposed to a greater amount of solar radiation than normally. It’s worth taking care of sun protection even because the sun rays delivered in high dosages are proven to be simply harmful to us.
At the beginning, let me explain the three basic abbreviations many of you might find mysterious:
- SPF – Sun Protection Filter – the indicator showing the level of protection against UVB, which can be low (2-6), high (15-25), very high (30-50), and ultra-high (more than 50).
- UVB – Ultraviolet B – a kind of radiation that works on the skin’s surface, stimulates vitamin D and melanin production, which is the pigment responsible for the effect of tanned skin; it can cause sunburns and development of erythema.
- UVA – Ultraviolet A – a kind of radiation that contributes to skin ageing processes because it penetrates to the deepest skin layers, damages collagen fibres; it can also trigger allergic reactions to the sun (itching, reddening).
Natural oils as a form of sun protection?
As an aficionada of sun tanning I’m going to tell you a secret. The best protection against the sun is provided by natural oils. These are way better for everyday use than the available in drug stores sun protection filters or other products designed for sun tanning. Why is that?
- Vegetable oils provide natural sun protection,
- Can be used individually or be mixed with other oils at will,
- Despite the protection, oils supply skin with the comprehensive care,
- They don’t overburden skin with unnecessary preservatives nor colourants, etc.
The best sun protection oils (when it comes to natural oils) are easy-accessible in, for example, in the eco-shops, the drug stores selling natural products, or in the shops distributing semi-finished cosmetic goods. It’s worth investing in these because we get effective and natural protection in low price. Here is my list of oils which help me enjoy beautiful and, what is the most important, healthy suntan.
Oils containing natural sun protection filters:
- coconut oil (SPF 2-4),
- hazel nut oil (SPF 3-4),
- sesame seed oil (SPF 4),
- avocado oil (SPF 4),
- Shea butter (SPF 3-6),
- sweet almond oil (SPF 5),
- macadamia oil (SPF 6),
- olive oil (SPF 8),
- soy oil (SPF 10),
- wheat oil (SPF 20),
- carrot seed oil (SPF 38-40),
- raspberry seed oil (SPF 28-50).
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