What are the best natural sunscreens?

It’s a question that comes up again and again from my readers, so today I have a list for you of the best natural sunscreens in Australia.

I am sure you are aware that regular sunscreen is in fact, full of toxic ingredients that are detrimental to your health and the environment. I won’t bore you with the science but if you want to read up on the studies, two great resources are Dr Peter Dingle and Nicole Bijlsma who explain it really well to us non-scientists!

“Despite the fact that more people use sunscreen than ever before, the rate of skin cancer continues to rise. Research conducted by the Environmental Working Group in 2011, revealed that the great majority of sunscreens do not protect against both UVA and UVB rays and in addition, may contain chemicals that affect our hormones, damage the skin and in some cases, actually increase the rate of skin cancer.” Nicole Bijlsma

I have some qualms about using any sunscreen at all, considering that even the natural ones can contain nanoparticles. Then we have the new research telling us that sunscreen interferes with our Vitamin D absorption. It’s really quite confusing!

It’s probably a good idea to do your own research and read up a little more to decide what is best for your family. These are some things we do to balance the risk of sunburn with the beneficial effects of the sun.

♥ Avoid the sun in the hottest part of the day. Living in Queensland, it’s sunny most of the year round, so it’s really easy to get burnt quickly. If possible, we do our outside stuff before 10am or after 4pm.

♥ Cover up. Hats, t-shirts, longer-sleeve shirts, rash vests, sunglasses and umbrellas all come out if we have to go out in the hottest part of the day. Finding shade is also a good idea!

♥ Use coconut oil. It has a natural SPF of about 7, so use it with care. According to Bruce Fife “one of the oldest uses for coconut oil is as a sun screen / suntan lotion. Islanders have been using coconut oil for this purpose for thousands of years. In the tropics where the climate is hot, islanders traditionally wore little clothing so that they could keep themselves cool. To protect themselves from the burning rays of the hot tropical sun they applied a thin layer of coconut oil over their entire body. This would protect them from sunburn, improve skin tone and help keep annoying insects away.” Carrot Seed oil also has an SPF factor, but it is a little smelly!

♥ Use natural sunscreens. Sometimes we just need extra protection for things like all day sports events and a good natural sunscreen provide that additional coverage.

This is the list of some of the best natural sunscreens in Australia.

Like skincare, sunscreen is a personal thing and depends on a lot on your skin type. So, try out a few until you get one that is just right for you!