In last month’s post (DIY – Natural Soap) here on the Nature’s Fare blog I ended the blog post with a teaser to stay tuned for our next DIY project. Sadly, I will not be sharing that with you today. Truthfully, it’s not that the project didn’t turn out – in fact in turned out great. But after reading all of the uncertainty around making your own sunscreen, I am not 100% confident in the SPF, as well as a few other elements. So, I thought I would take the time to do some more thorough research on this, and perhaps come back well informed for next summer!
Sometimes it’s best to let the experts be experts, and “sun care” is not one of my areas of expertise at the moment. With that being said, I was still in need of some great sun products for my family. So I did my homework – and found and tested some quality products that are working great for my family! Today I am sharing with you ONLY 3 products that my family and I have been loving for Sun Care this Summer so far!
When looking for sunscreens and after care there were a few things I was looking for: non greasy, fragrance free, hypoallergenic (meaning free of substances that may cause allergic reactions), great smell (hard, but possible), and provided moisture. I know, right!
Also, can we talk Non-Nano vs. Nano right now? I know that’s been a hot topic! After doing quite a bit of research on this (and I may be welcoming many comments on this topic as I write this), it would seem that actually determining whether a product is nano or non-nano is almost impossible to accurately measure due to its “nano” size. While one manufacturer can average out on whether this product is nano-free – it would seem it’s essentially impossible to truly verify at this time. However, what was interesting is that even though preliminary, a new report has shown no evidence that zinc or titanium can soak in below the dermal layer. The “German Federal Health Institute concluded zinc that stayed on the skin’s surface was in fact not absorbed. The report noted the zinc could remain on the skin’s surface and accumulate around the hair, but the hair growth had pushed the particles back to the skin’s surface. A study also released in January 2017 from the AUS TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) concluded that zinc does not get absorbed beyond the surface of the skin or the outer dead layer of the skin”.
While this is still up in the air and SUCH a hot topic (after all who wants to be absorbing harmful chemicals?) for now, let’s agree to stick to the safer side of things and stay on the lookout for non-nano products.
So, after sampling lotion after lotion and reading up on the ingredients that I was looking for (or avoiding) – this is what I finally purchased and why.
1 Green Beaver Company, Natural Sunscreen KIDS SPF 40
- Honestly, it’s one of the #1 seller in stores for kids.
- Gluten Free & Organic certified ingredients
- Chemical FREE
- Hypoallegenic
- Fragrance FREE (for the kids)
- Non-Nano
- Non-Silicone Coated
- Waterproof & Sweat Resistant
2 Nature’s Aid™, All Natural Skin Gel
- Truth, didn’t think I was going to like it. “Never judge a book by it’s cover”- I’m obsessed with this and tell everyone about it.
- Light tea tree scent
- Non-Greasy
- Fast Absorbing
- Contains Vitamin E
- Highest quality natural ingredients
- Multiple uses
- Great moisture and skin repair for sun exposure
- Use both on kids and adults
3 Back To Earth, Shady Days Natural Sunscreen
- Truth, the smell SOLD me immediately. Then of course I had to look at the ingredients.
- Contains 98% Organic Ingredients
- Non-greasy
- Goes on great
- Water Resistant
- Non-Nano
- No Harmful Chemicals
- Also great for the family
Wishing you and your family great days at the beach or by the pool! Have any sun products you are loving? Be sure to share them with us below!
Founder + Creative Director at Raising Modern & Boombaloo
Images: Abbie Rose
