Which organic sunscreen without chemicals to choose?

Summer is approaching and the sun is ready to gild your skin all season long! It's time to choose your best ally to prevent sunburn: sunscreen. As long as you choose it without chemicals and use it properly.

Note that even though men's skin is thicker than women's, it's vital for men to keep their skin healthy and to wear sunscreen when the sunny days arrive.

What is found in an industrial sunscreen?

Traditional sunscreens contain chemical filters made up of organic molecules that react with UV rays and absorb the sun's rays instead of your skin. These chemical molecules have a disastrous ecological impact, especially on coral tissue. Traditional sunscreens threaten the world's coral reefs by up to 10%!

Here is more precisely the composition of a sun cream:

• from ultraviolet filters: chemical compounds that filter out UV-B rays.
• an emulsion (fatty and aqueous) or oil.
• preservatives
• emulsion stabilizers
• anti-free radicals
• thickeners
• moisturizing agents

UV filters are the most toxic. Indeed, several of them are considered endocrine disruptors, i.e. molecules capable of modifying the functioning of the cells of the human body.

These filters enter the body at high concentrations. Hormonal disruptions have been identified in some studies.

Why should I use an organic sunscreen without nanoparticles?

Organic sun creams use mineral filters that act as a barrier to UV rays. They diffract light. Their only disadvantage is that they are more difficult to spread and can leave white marks on the skin. This is why some brands use nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which may contain nano-sized particles. These molecules help to alleviate this problem.

What are nanoparticles?

They are nanoscale particles that are used in cosmetics, food or even in aeronautics. Nanoparticles are very small in size, which facilitates their passage through the body's cells and thus penetrate internal organs. They accelerate the skin's ageing process. Nanoparticles can have harmful effects on health.

Advantages of choosing an organic sunscreen

• An organic sunscreen contains far fewer chemicals than a traditional sunscreen, if any at all!
  
  
• Its ingredients are natural and/or of natural origin and are much more compatible with your skin. You avoid endocrine disruptors that are suspected of destabilizing the hormonal system and leading to cancer, neurobehavioural disorders and significant damage to the reproductive system.
  
  
• Organic sunscreens do not have a chemical UV filter (ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate) that affects estrogen and thyroid function.
  
  
• Nor do they contain synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that are harmful to your skin and your health.
  
  
• Organic sunscreen is better for the environment. Its components affect much less the water and coral reefs, in which you love to swim in the summer season!
  
  

Which organic and effective sunscreen to choose?

To choose your organic sunscreen effectively, it is important to pay attention to its components and therefore to read the labels carefully. So,

Which organic sunscreen to choose and why? Here is our selection of the best organic and biodegradable sunscreen creams.

Without chemical filters, paraben or silicone, this sun cream respects your skin and your health. A formula rich in anti-oxidant, nourishing and regenerating organic vegetable oils. EQ Love sun cream respects the marine environment. It is water resistant and is available in index 30 or index 50 depending on your skin type.

To know more about

Mineral filters can be harmful to health when they are in powder form. In cream form, mineral filters do not pose any risk.

However, no matter what cream you use, no matter how organic it is, the fat contained in the preparation affects the water tension and therefore the marine fauna.

Mineral filters can have harmful effects on the marine environment. To avoid this as much as possible, we advise you to brush yourself with the cream once you have bathed.

Our homemade sunscreen recipe

Sensitive skins sometimes have difficulty finding what they are looking for when buying sunscreen. If your skin has an allergic tendency, try our homemade sunscreen recipe! À keep all summer, but no more!

- 10 drops of lavender essential oil
- 150 ml of coconut oil
- 25 ml of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of zinc oxide
- 2 tablespoons of shea butter

Put all the ingredients, except the zinc oxide, in a glass jar. Put water in a saucepan and heat it over medium heat.

Place the jar in the pan and mix the ingredients well. Wait for them to melt.

When they melt, add the zinc oxide, mix it all together and place the mixture in the refrigerator.

What are the risks of sun exposure?

Exposure to the sun can cause skin aging. With repeated sun exposure, you may see brown spots or wrinkles appear on your skin.

While it is pleasant to enjoy the sun and good for your health, it is preferable to expose yourself in moderation and incorporate an organic and biodegradable sunscreen into your routine. Some of the risks of sun exposure without sunscreen include :

• Sunburn: an exposure of only 15 minutes can be enough to end up with red and painful areas on your skin. To avoid sunburn, you should apply an organic sunscreen adapted to your skin type and renew every 2 hours. Also make sure you moisturize well because the less water the cells are gorged with, the more likely you are to get a sunburn.

• Sunstroke or heatstroke: intense exposure to the sun can cause heatstroke, which is all the more dangerous for sensitive people.

• Acne flare-ups: although teenagers love to bask in the sun because it can dry out pimples and make them disappear, it works over a short period of time. There is a "rebound" effect that often appears a few weeks after exposure.

• Skin cancers: they have been appearing more and more over the last 30 years as a result of excessive and prolonged exposure without sun protection. Carcinomas and melanomas are the most common types of cancer.

• Melasma: it mainly affects pregnant women but not only. Men can also be affected by these spots, which are often located on the face, neck and décolleté.

When to use sunscreen?

Sun cream should be reserved in situations of prolonged exposure and particularly at times of the day when the sun is at its peak, i.e. between 12 noon and 4 pm.

To prepare your skin, you can expose yourself gradually to the sun. Indeed, the skin will prepare itself and gently trigger the production of melanin and will serve as protection against allergic reactions and burns.

You can sunbathe between 12h and 16h but for a short period of time, depending on your skin type. Beyond 10 to 30 minutes, you should put on sunscreen and avoid staying in the sun for too long.

Forget about monoi or tanning oils as they accelerate skin ageing. Oils attract the sun's rays and without protection, your skin may burn more quickly.

After 4pm, you can more easily discover yourself and enjoy the sun without cream to stimulate the production of melanocytes, responsible for tanning. Your prepared skin will protect itself better and better from sunstrokes and burns of all types.

However, beware of the heat in certain countries or in the event of a heat wave, after 4pm it is sometimes necessary to continue to apply organic sun protection.

Remember to protect yourself with fine, long, white clothing to limit the use of sun cream as much as possible and protect your head with a hat. After each exposure to the sun, don't forget to pamper your skin!

• Opt for a facial moisturizing gel perfect to use as an after-sun.
  A cocktail of natural ingredients that bring you purifying and anti-oxidant virtues. Nothing better to bring a touch of freshness after a good sunbath.
  
  
• Moisturize your body after taking a good shower to get rid of your sunscreen and the sand accumulated on the beach! This donkey milk moisturizing body lotion organicThis ultra-gentle formula with coconut oil and evening primrose oil will deeply moisturize your body.

The less you make the pancake in the sun, the less you will need to spread cream on your body!

If you're not a fan of sunscreen at the beach, consider taking your parasol.

Bonus
Take care of your hair. UV rays attack the hair and can dehydrate it. Use a beach hair spray This repairing serum protects and strengthens the hair fibre against external aggressions (UV, heat, salt).

Can sunscreen expire?

Many of you ask yourself this question when the sunny days come. Is it possible to reuse my sunscreen from last summer? In the case of conventional cosmetic sunscreens, they only last for one summer (and may last until winter eventually).

The reason for this is that UV filters degrade over time. Unlike synthetic sunscreens, organic sunscreens can be reused the following year because the natural mineral filters do not move. On the other hand, some vegetable oils can be oxidized.

Which sun protection factor should I use?

The SPF (Sunburn Protection Factor), IP (Index of Protection) and SPF (Sun Protection Factor) indicated on sun creams mean index of protection. The protection indices exist from 8 to 90, but most often we find the indices 30 and 50.

Between 0 and 30, the protection increases considerably. A sun cream with an index 30 will protect you much more than a sun cream with an index 15. From 30 to 90, protection increases but less than between 0 and 30. The difference between a 30 and 50 sun cream is small.

However, sensitive skin must imperatively choose a 50 cream. Even if the difference is minimal, it is better to opt for a high index organic sun protection in order to minimise the risk of cancer and premature skin ageing.

Dermatologists recommend applying an organic sunscreen every time you go outside for more than 20 minutes, even when the sky is shady or overcast. UV rays are capable of causing damage to the skin in just a few minutes of exposure!

ÉObviously, you do what you can according to your skin type and the most important thing is to protect yourself on sunny days and during your tanning sessions at the beach or in your garden.

How do I apply sunscreen?

The application of your organic sunscreen is just as important as the choice of protection factor. If you don't apply it correctly, the sunscreen will probably not have the results you expect! There are several types of sun creams.

• Sprays are more suitable for hairy areas
• Creams are best suited to dry skin.
• Alcohol- or gel-based sunscreens are suitable for oily skin.
  
  

For an effective application it is preferable to put your cream on before going out. The substances in the sunscreen may take a little time to settle on your skin and provide optimal protection. At best, apply it 30 minutes before exposure to the sun. If you opt for a sun lip stick, it should be applied 45 to 60 minutes before exposure.

Remember to apply enough of it. Many people tend to take too small amounts that do not provide long-term protection. Adults should apply an amount of sunscreen equivalent to a handful, or a small glass full of sunscreen.