Safeguarding Your Skin and the Seas: The Power of Natural Sunscreen
On the quest for healthier skin, it’s important to understand how a natural sunscreen differs from that dollar store one you’ve been using. Your conventional sunscreen works by absorbing the sun’s UV rays with chemicals. That’s right, these chemicals are actually reacting with UV rays right on your skin’s surface, and are turned into heat that is then released from your skin. This can spell bad news for those of you with sensitive skin. The chemical reaction and heat release caused by chemical sunscreen can irritate skin and trigger the formation of dark spots. What’s more terrifying are the chemicals that are used in conventional sunscreens: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, octinoxate. These chemicals have been linked to hormone disruption and skin allergies with prolonged use. Research has suggested that for nursing mothers, these chemicals can be especially dangerous. Since chemicals in sunscreens applied to skin can be absorbed into the body, they can b