Sunbathing beautifully and safely: recipes for natural skin care

The benefits and harms of sunlight

Summer, sun, beach... Everyone dreams of entering autumn with a beautiful chocolate skin tone and keeping it as long as possible. But what do we know about skin? About the impact of UV rays on human health? About the impact of cosmetic sunscreens on our body and the environment?

Exposure to the sun in moderation is good for skin and health: ultraviolet radiation strengthens the skin's immunity, activates metabolism, the synthesis of vitamin D, which is necessary for muscles and bones, the prevention of the formation of malignant tumors, heart, kidney and liver health, as well as hormonal balance. When the sun's rays hit the retina of the eyes, they help the body produce a natural antidepressant - melatonin, which is important for a good mood, high performance, and restorative sleep.

But if you overdo it with being under the sun, you can get the opposite effect. The most dangerous of the entire range of ultraviolet radiation are UV-A rays, which penetrate into the deep layer of the dermis, can cause photoaging, pigmentation, melanoma and skin cancer. Even if the visible effects do not appear immediately, with prolonged exposure to the irritant, the effects may be irreversible.

So, moderate exposure to the sun is good, but you should also take care of protecting your skin. At the moment, the market is oversaturated with all kinds of cosmetic products with different levels of protection. But, unfortunately, the vast majority of these products are not at all useful either for the condition of our skin or for the body as a whole. Industrial sunscreens containing not only chemical UV filters, but fragrances and dyes, increase the risk of skin cancer, lowering its anti-cancer immunity (nitric oxide content), as they penetrate the skin into the bloodstream and can accumulate in the body. Lotions with an SPF factor above 40 are considered especially dangerous, as they contain chemical filters that, with prolonged exposure to sunlight, are destroyed and release free radicals, provoking skin aging. Some substances of chemical UV filters, when released into the ocean, can change the hormonal background and the development of the genital organs in its inhabitants (the impact on the human genital area has not yet been proven). In addition to these factors, their production and disposal in nature cause great damage to the environment.

How to protect yourself from UV radiation

But you can’t deny yourself the pleasure of swimming in the sun! To do this, you need to follow simple recommendations:

you need to add more foods with antioxidants to your daily diet - raw vegetables, berries, fruits with a lot of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene (green onions, parsley, dill, nettles, carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin, melon, watermelon, bell peppers, apples , blackcurrant, oranges, grapefruits, sea buckthorn, apricots, dried apricots, spinach);
in the first days, start out in the sun for 5-10 minutes, gradually increasing the time. This will avoid skin stress, since the formation of free radicals under the influence of the sun in the body occurs very quickly and it is necessary to give it the opportunity to accumulate melanin and antioxidants;
do not go out under the scorching rays of the sun during the hours of its peak activity - from 11 to 4 in the afternoon;
if you are taking antibiotics, antihistamines or other drugs, read the instructions carefully, as some of them may increase skin photosensitivity;
drink plenty of water;
cover the body and head the rest of the time to avoid overheating and getting sunstroke;
use natural remedies that have a natural SPF factor.

If nature has endowed you with dark skin, it means that there is enough melanin in it and you can get by with less protective equipment, or even without them at all. If you have fair skin, you should reduce sun exposure and increase sun protection.

Natural and harmless sunscreens

To ensure a beautiful and safe tan and do not harm your health, use natural products that have the ability to reflect UV rays instead of cosmetic industrial sunscreens. To do this, you can use almost any unrefined cold-pressed vegetable oil, which naturally has the ability to protect from sunlight. However, some of them have more activity - we will consider them:

the leader in protection is raspberry oil, which is obtained by cold pressing from raspberry seeds and, according to various estimates, has a protection factor from 28 to 50. Due to its rarity and high cost, it is often used in mixtures with other oils;
next in strength are wheat germ oil (SPF around 10-20) and hazelnut oil (SPF around 10). Both are excellent moisturizers and absorb fairly well, and are also commercially available. Wheat germ oil is used to treat psoriasis, eczema, and burns;
soybean oil has a protection factor of 10;
coconut oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter have SPF 5-10. They perfectly moisturize the skin, help heal wounds, as well as remove excess fluid and preserve youthful skin;
olive oil with SPF 6-8 perfectly nourishes, softens the skin, protects it from the sun and, thanks to its high content of antioxidants, helps to heal burns. But this oil leaves yellow marks on the skin and clothes, and also has a specific strong aroma;
avocado, sesame, hemp, flax and macadamia oils also have good protective and nourishing properties;
carrot seed oil contains vitamin A and carotene, which have a beneficial effect on the skin. It will help you get a beautiful bronze tan;
oil or aloe extract perfectly cools and nourishes the skin after sun exposure.

The oil must be applied to clean, slightly moistened skin of the body and face with a thin layer shortly before going outside and repeat the procedure approximately every 2 hours. Oil residue that has not been absorbed into the skin can be soaked with a paper towel or towel.

If you want to diversify your remedies and create your own natural lotion, you can add the following essential oils with protective and nourishing properties to the above oils: carrot, rose, immortelle, iris, lavender, geranium, cypress, sandalwood, mint, basil, patchouli, myrrh, rosewood, tea tree. To create protective mixtures, add 15-30 drops of essential oils to 100 ml of base oil (or several base oils). Before applying the mixture, it is necessary to let it brew for at least 3 days in a cool, dry place protected from sunlight, shaking occasionally to better connect the components. It can be applied to the skin with a spray bottle or with rubbing movements of the palms.

If you use only base oil for protection, you can use it until the indicated expiration date. If you have prepared a mixture, then you need to use it for 3 weeks, after that, replace the essential oil with another with similar properties. Before using a new essential oil, be sure to test your skin's reaction to it on a small area.

If you want to prepare a protective cream, you will need:

25 gr cocoa butter;
60 grams of shea butter (shea butter);
10 gr coconut oil;
5 gr beeswax;
15 g of carrot essential oil.

Melt the solid ingredients in a stainless steel or enamel bowl over a water bath. After that, cool the mixture to 40 degrees and add the essential oil drop by drop, stirring the mixture thoroughly. After that, put in the refrigerator and store no more than 2 months. Apply (the cream will melt on the skin) before sun exposure for 5-20 minutes.

Second option:

1 cup shea butter (SPF 5-10)
2/3 cup coconut oil (SPF 5-10)
20 drops of myrrh essential oil (SPF 15);
30 drops of Carrot Seed Essential Oil (SPF 28.

Beat the shea butter and coconut oil in a mixing bowl with a mixer for about 2-3 minutes until a soft, uniform consistency is obtained. Then gradually add essential oils and beat again for about 35-45 seconds. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.

Here we are ready for the sunny season! Nature took care of us, providing all the necessary components for the health and protection of our body! Sunbathe for the benefit and be prudent! 🙂

See also anekdotig: