Dear reader!
This summer many of us are going to be headed to the beach, taking a cruise or just hanging out at the backyard, planting flowers and enjoying the sun. Although we are constantly bombarded with the news articles on the dangers of sun exposure and ever increasing cancer rates, they all end with the advice to wear higher and higher level SPF lotions. There is even an SPF 100 now!
Unfortunately, what many of us do not realize is that most sunscreens contain large amounts of silicones. We see the SPF level printed on the bottle and think that we are covered and protected! Yes, we are protected from sunburn, but that’s it! We still receive full radiation exposure, no matter if our skin burns or not. So the risk of skin cancer is not at all diminished.
Unfortunately, because of the use of SPF lotions, we can now stay out in the sun longer and longer and our skin's natural way of letting us know when to take cover is compromised. That is one of the reasons we see an ever increasing number of skin cancer cases--they rise parallel with the use of sunscreens.
The other reason many people are not aware of is that silicones that most sunscreen lotions contain break down under direct sunlight and in heat, i.e. perfect beach conditions. Not only do they degrade, but the result of this degradation is dioxane--cancer causing chemical classified as Class 1--definitely carcinogenic to humans. Essentially you are spreading cancer causing chemical right onto your skin and then baking in the sun for good measure!!!
So with all that said, what are we going to do? We cannot possibly continue putting silicones on ourselves and our children--that's asking for cancer! First off--let's make sure we have a nice big hat for the beach. There are many beautiful hats on the market now. Nothing beats a hat and a loose cotton or linen blouse with long sleeves for sun protection--it worked for our grandmothers, so why can't it work for us?!
Furthermore, if sunburn does occur, all efforts should be made to ensure that inflammation is contained as soon as possible. I cannot recommend our Anti-Inflammatory Body Ointment enough for these cases. It eliminates the results of inflammation caused by sun exposure and soothes the skin. It works fast. It is also a natural sunscreen in itself, about SPF 8. We do not put the SPF factor on it because we really want everyone to use proper protection--umbrella on the beach, or a hat while driving a convertible, but it's there.
The natural oils that make up the base of the product have a way of refracting light when the sun rays hit it on your skin. It is because oils form a layer of micro droplets that act like little prisms, diffusing direct sun light.
We are currently working on a non-chemical sunscreen as well. The formula is ready--we are testing it at this point. If all goes well we will have it out on the market in about a month. It is completely chemical and preservative free, with shelf life of about 2 years. It is highly effective yet perfectly safe.
Please post your questions and comments. We LOVE hearing from you!
P.S. We did receive a few questions about the importance of sun exposure for the formation of vitamin D and wanted to answer those concerns. It only takes 15 minutes of sun exposure per day to get the needed level of vitamin D. I hope this puts everyone's fears at ease.
Yours sincerely,
Golden Phae Cosmetics experts.