Now that the summer months are rolling in, at re-Wild we thought it would be a good time to talk about a hot topic (pun intended): natural sunscreen/sunblock. It can be really difficult to choose a product and understand all the jargon. Our sunblock developed out of the need to use something on my children’s skin that was gentle, nourishing and affective, as well as not impacting the sea creatures and corals in the ocean.
SPF (sun protection factor) needs to be tested against a standard and because natural products are just that, natural and therefore variable, it would be misleading to say that there is an inherent specific sun protection factor attached to any particular natural product. Our sunblock is one of our biggest sellers and, as with all our products, we pride ourselves in transparency with all our products and ingredients as well as how our products are made. Natural sunscreen ingredients are something we absolutely get behind, but we are not claiming any of the ingredients we sell have a specific SPF. On the label it says SPF 20, as these are the calculations made from a variety of resources. I have a feeling it may be higher but we felt confident with the 20 mark!
We want to open up a conversation on the topic of natural sunscreen as it is definitely worthy of discussion. So please feel free to engage and post your thoughts in the comments.
What is the difference between a sunblock and a sunscreen?
Most sunscreens only cover UV-B rays. Sunblock physically blocks the sun’s UV rays from penetrating the skin, acting as a barrier. Sunblocks contain either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and protect the skin against both UV-A and UV-B rays. Our re-Wild sunblock contains non nano zinc and therefore creates a physical barrier. Our gorgeous new Colourburst sunblocks are fun, vibrant sunblocks and have all the same ingredients as our original sunblock, just with added mica powders to give them some colourful vibes!
What Exactly are UV Rays and SPF?
There are a number of natural products that are used in natural sunscreen/sunblock formulations as they can protect against the sun. Some of them include zinc oxide powder, red raspberry seed oil, carrot root extract and sea buckthorn berry oil among others. But before we jump into natural sunscreen ingredients, it is important to understand what exactly sun protection is and what we want to protect from. So here are the fundamentals on sun rays.
Sun light covers a large portion of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum including infrared, visible and ultraviolet light – thankfully much of this radiation is filtered out by the ozone layer and our atmosphere. We see these rays as light during the day, and we can also feel them as warmth on our skin. The most damaging to skin are the ultraviolet or UV rays. UV rays come in three subgroups, UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC rays don’t make it through the earth’s atmosphere but UVA and UVA do.
Most of the light that reaches earth is from UVA rays, which are able to penetrate deeper layers of the skin and are responsible for premature aging, wrinkle formation, formation of free radicals and DNA damage. UVA rays stay constant all year round and are dangerous because they penetrate through clouds and glass. Did you know à UVA rays were once thought to be safe and were used in tanning beds. We now know they can cause premature aging and skin cancer.
UVB rays are responsible for tanning and sunburn, skin damage and certain forms of skin cancer, but are also necessary for Vitamin D production in mammals. The amount of UVB rays increases during the summer and is particularly potent from late-morning to mid-afternoon (which is why it is recommended to stay out of the sun from 11am – 3pm). Fortunately UVB rays can be filtered and do not pass through glass.
So what is Sun Protection Factor? SPF is actually a standard for UVB protection only, and is tested in a laboratory under set conditions to meet the standard. Essentially, the SPF number tells you how long UVB rays would take to redden and burn your skin if you apply the product exactly as directed, compared to the amount of time it would take to burn with no sunscreen applied. Therefore if a sunscreen claims, for example, an SPF of 40, then it will have been tested and proven to take 40 times longer to burn compared to no sunscreen.
UV protection works by absorbing, reflecting or scattering UV rays. In order to achieve this, sunscreens make use of chemical filters that penetrate the skin and absorb the rays, and physical filters which sit on top of our skin and reflect the sun’s rays, protecting our skin.
Organic/Chemical Filters vs Inorganic/Physical Filters
When it comes to sun protection, there are two types of active ingredients: chemical filters and physical filters.
Chemical sunscreen filters are also called organic filters but they have nothing to do with organic farming and organically sourced ingredients. The term organic here refers to organic chemistry, basically anything containing the element carbon, and the opposite of inorganic chemistry. Chemical filters penetrate the skin and absorb the incoming rays of the sun. This penetrating action of chemical filters is also the root of problems in conventional sunscreens, as it can reach deep into our bodies. Studies have found sunscreen elements in breast milk and urine and they can be linked to instances of endocrine disruption.
Physical or inorganic filters are often also called mineral filters as the minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the most common ingredients. Physical filters reflect and scatter the sun’s rays. The minerals zinc and titanium come in non-nano particles sizes and nano sizes. Non nano are obviously not on the nano size scale (which are microscopically small at 1×10−9 m), and therefore are not absorbed by the skin, but rather sit on top of the skin, performing the job of reflecting the sun’s rays. They may leave a white residue so many consider them unattractive to use (with the exception of cricket players and surfers) but they can provide excellent protection. Our re-wild sunblock contains non nano zinc. Nano sized particles are much smaller and are transparent when applied, but are manufactured in laboratory conditions so are seen as less natural and because of their minute size, can potentially absorb into the skin.
Common conventional sunscreen ingredients such as octyl methoxycinnamate and oxybenzone (and pretty much any other listed ingredient with a very long, complicated name) are chemical-slash-organic while an ingredient such as zinc oxide (ZnO) is an inorganic ingredient and a mineral filter. Essentially, the liquid spray-on sunscreens will be chemical, while the cream sunscreens, also known as sunblock lotion, will be mineral based, or more commonly, contain a combination of chemical and mineral ingredients. Mineral sunscreens are considered less irritating to the skin and safer than chemical sunscreens.
Don’t be confused when a sunscreen is promoted as ‘organic’ or when the term is loosely thrown around; it might simply mean that it is an organic chemical based formula. If you want a certified natural or organic sunscreen, the trick is to know your ingredients. Look for products that contain only mineral filters such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide on the label, and most importantly, have a listed SPF as well as a certification body or symbol. You will also want to look for ‘broad spectrum protection’ which means they will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. A truly organic product will not contain chemical filters as most of these are not permitted in organic and natural certification standards.
We have tried and tested our sunblock over many years – my family being the guinea pigs. I started making my own sunblock for my family many years ago when me children were little and I did not want to put harsh chemicals onto their skin. We are a farming family and so are all outdoors busy with farming activities. As the children got older they became more involved with sports like surfing and enduro motorbike riding which meant hours under the harsh African sun. Our sunblock has been created to be smooth and easy to apply, and most importantly, to prevent harsh effects of the sun’s rays. Another important quality of the sunblock had to be for the sunblock not to run into one’s eyes! So we have tested it out in the water, on harsh enduro rides – not on the face but on arms, and my sister, a professional tennis coach who spends hours in the sun, has found that our product works well. Not only does it protect against the sun but it has many ingredients which are added not only for their SPF factor but also that they are moisturising and nourishing. It must be noted that as with all sunblocks, they do need to be reapplied and of course one always needs to be savvy about the time of day one is exposed to the sun. Midday is always a time of day, regardless of what product you are using, to be cautious. Shade at midday is a good choice – a siesta perhaps as they do in Mediterranean countries!
See our fun Colourburst range – limited edition in multiple colours. These are fun and vibrant to use in stripes or patterns on your face or body. We have used Mica powders which are safe to use on the skin and near eyes and lips, to give them their lovely colours. You can also use them as a blusher, lip-stick and eyeshadow!
My new favourite product is our from this new range and I use it as a BB cream, foundation. I personally use Sunqueen while my daughter uses Sandy Shores. There are a variety of different tomes o suit your skin tone. It not only is a natural and nourishing and protects my skin from the sun, but it also smoothes my complexion and hides blemishes. I hope you enjoy these new products.
Natural Ingredients With SPF
We have specifically selected ingredients which maximise SPF in our re-Wild sunblock and Colourburst range.
These are our ingredients:
Cold pressed organic olive oil
Coconut oil
Non nano zinc
Organic Cocoa powder
Organic Cocoa butter
Beeswax
Raspberry Seed Essential Oil
Carrot Seed Essential Oil