Sunscreen Information

Avoid Tanning & Burns---
Avoid Wrinkles & Skin Damage
Use the highest SPF you can, at least 15 SPF but 30 or higher is better. Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before exposure to the sun so it can absorb into your skin properly. Reapply often and especially after swimming or sweating since no sunscreen is water ‘proof’-they are just water ‘resistant’. Most clothing fabric will allow the sun to penetrate through the fibers and expose skin to harmful rays. The denser and thicker the fabric, the better protection it gives. Some fabrics even have sun protection ratings for outdoor activities. When wearing sheer or lightweight fabrics, apply sunscreen on your skin as well. Check the fabric’s coverage by holding up to the sun or a light bulb and seeing how much light it lets pass through. Sunscreens with ingredients of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or avobenzone are considered the best protection. Sesame oil is a natural sunscreen screening out as much as 30% of the sun’s rays-a good alternative if you have sensitivities to the chemical sunscreens. Most people can tolerate zinc oxide without sensitivity since it’s a natural mineral and not a chemical. Tanning beds emit mostly UVA light and is extremely damaging to skin cells and causes wrinkles, especially since the light is only inches away from your skin. The darker your skin, the more melanin you produce and the less susceptible you are to sunburns since melanin absorbs the sun’s UV rays. Darker skin does provide some protection from damage by the sun but dark skin is still at risk for all effects of sun damage--skin spots, freckling, burning, wrinkles, skin cancer. If you do get a sunburn, try soaking in a bath that has a large jar of Nestea added to lukewarm or cool water. My book has lots more tips and remedies for sunburns: Beauty and the Budget at VirtualBookWorm