Well, hi.
Just in time for summer, this post is all about the sun and your skin. This is a topic that I have researched extensively – it is a topic of one of my early days’ blog posts too – circa 2009.
Right now there are two camps when it comes to sun care and skincare: 1. those who will tell you to slather yourself in SPF at all times, even if you’re not going outside. 2. those who tell you that the more unprotected sun exposure, the better. AKA mainstream and not mainstream advice, respectively.
Here’s the moral of the story (tldr): how much unprotected sun exposure you should be exposed to on the daily totally depends on your skin type and geography (where you live).
I have naturally fair skin and I do burn easily, so I can speak to my personal experience. When I stopped wearing sunscreen everyday a few years ago, I noticed an improvement in my skin’s texture and overall brightness. I never intentionally overdo it in the sun, and know my limit with being outside.
If you’re just dipping your toe in the water with ditching the daily use of sunscreen if you’re not going to be outside for long periods of time, my biggest tip is to go outside first thing in the morning without sunscreen on for 5-15 minutes. Not only is it the best time to not burn, the sun also loads your body with beneficial vitamins and hormones. You can’t see it happening, but you can totally feel it. You know when you’re on vacation, and you go outside and just FEEL light and happy? It’s like getting a warm hug – sunlight releases serotonin (the happiness hormone) in your brain, boosts your bone health, and actually might help treat several skin conditions.
This is where I can also chime in from personal experience: since not wearing sunscreen during my daily short walks outside in the morning, my rosacea, keratosis pilaris, and scalp psoriasis have improved significantly. I didn’t know it was due in part to this lifestyle change of getting sun exposure daily, first thing in the morning, until I read the research. UV radiation exposure can treat things like psoriasis, acne, jaundice, and eczema.
Vitamin D is another health benefit given to us by the sun. Vitamin D plays a big role in bone health. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus from food and assists bone development.
Ok, so how much time should you be spending in the sun? The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 5 to 15 minutes of sun exposure 2 to 3 times a week. Personally I do 5-10 minutes of sun exposure in the morning because my skin responds best to that amount of time given that I have fair skin.
Here’s what I do before going out in the sun in the morning:
♡ eat breakfast and drink an espresso
♡ slather on moisturizer (love Paula’s Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer)
♡ take MitoLife Vitamin E supplement (take $ off your order with code LYNN)
Vitamin E works miraculously for protecting your skin from the inside out. It is a fat soluble vitamin that has so many benefits, but when it comes to protecting your skin, it acts as a buffer against the damaging effects of free radicals.
So what about going outside for longer than 15 minutes or at a peak time? That is a totally different story than everything outlined above, because too much UV exposure can be bad news for your skin.
Moving on to sunscreen…
There are two types of sunscreen: chemical and physical. Chemical sunscreen contains chemicals to prevent burning etc. and physical sunscreens are just that – a physical barrier so that the UV rays bounce right off of your skin.
Evidence has shown that some chemical sunscreen ingredients are systemically absorbed and may be contributing to environmental damage {source}. Chemical sunscreens employ a potent combination of chemicals like oxybenzone, octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate), homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, and avobenzone, many of which are endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disrupters aren’t great for anyone, but they’re especially nasty for little ones. You bet your bottom dollar I am never putting a chemical sunscreen on my baby!
Anyway. I am all about physical sunscreens, and like many beauty products, I have tried 920405 physical sunscreens and I believe I found THE ONE. If you haven’t found one you like yet, keep testing. Some are chalky, some are hard to blend, some are dry, and everyone is different.
My favorite physical sunscreen is Juice Beauty’s Sport Sunscreen with an SPF of 30. If I am going to be out for more than 15 minutes in peak sunlight hours, I slather it all over my body and on my face. I’ll give you a huge tip on applying it to your face: use a beauty sponge. It glides on so effortlessly with a damp Beauty Blender/sponge. And do not forget your eyelids! They are the thinnest part of your skin on your face and no one wants sagging eyelids – am I right?
So…the moral of the story is to get a little bit of sun exposure without protection at least a couple of days per week for a limited amount of time. And if you’re going to be out in the sun, especially during peak hours, please wear a chemical sunscreen and don’t forget your eye lids!
xo
Lynn
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