Suncream Skin Safety
The sun is shining, the bees are buzzing, and summer is definitely upon us. That may mean longer days, trips to the beach and a load of ice cream, but it also means it’s time to slap on the sun cream.
The press has been filled with some very controversial news about sun cream lately. Recent reports have found that some creams have a lower SPF than they advertise, while other news outlets have reported that creams with an SPF above 50 do little more to protect you than those below it.
One thing is for sure – skin safety is a chief concern when having fun in the summer sun. To help demystify sun screen and stop you getting sun burnt, Denie Hiestand, inventor of the revolutionary Electric Body, explains how to best to treat your skin.
He says that sunscreen factor complicates issues for people looking to protect their skin, and Denie believes that different factors actually offer the same level of protection. The news has started to corroborate his theory, and it seems that SPF is just an effective marketing technique.
Instead of looking at SPF, Denie recommends looking closer at what you put on your skin. There are two different types of sun cream: chemical and natural, and which one you choose to use makes all the difference.
The chemical sunscreen traps some of the sun’s radiation so that the skin is not directly affected. However, the radiation becomes dispersed over the skin and body tissue because it is focused into chemical molecules. This means that the radiation’s impact can be intensified. While you might think you’re keeping your skin safe, your sun cream can actually be leading to skin cancer.
The alternative is a natural sun-block. Zinc Oxide is one of the “safest and longest-used natural compounds known” to man.
The zinc oxide reflects radiation harmlessly, which is why the cream is white when you put it on. Some companies add chemicals to the product to make it less white and encourage more people to use it, but making it less white reduces the efficacy and it absorbs more rays.
Instead of paying attention to SPF, Denie recommends checking the content of natural Zinc Oxide on the label to choose what’s best for your skin.
If worst comes to worst and you get sunburnt, Electric Body’s own Body Spray is a brilliant ‘after sun’ treatment. It’s a natural, all-over skin conditioner helps to soothe, protect and repair the skin that’s been exposed to the elements. Our Skin Elixir is a perfect after-treatment too: staying in the sun can increase fine lines and damage skin, but the Skin Elixir is an all-in-one beauty treatment that restores and nourishes skin so that it stays looking its best whatever the weather.
So before venturing out into the sun this season, double-check your protection…it really does make all the difference.
Sources used:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/nanotechnology-world/sunscreens-in-the-nanotechnology-safety-spotlight
http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_103.pdf
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/may/15/healthandwellbeing.health2