Navigating your way down the skincare aisle searching for a sunblock can be a daunting task. Luckily, I did it for you. Your body absorbs what you apply onto your skin, so reading that ingredient list is important! But what do all those chemicals do?  Who cares… You don’t want them on your skin! Some of the common sunblock ingredients have been shown to cause more harm than benefit.

Most sunblocks contain nano particles,  aka ” micronized” , they are so tiny they absorb right into your skin. The best natural sunblocks do NOT have any nano particles- you want a non nano, uncoated zinc oxide in your sunscreen. It safely sits on top of your skin and protects your skin from UVA/UVB rays. Add in some sunflower oil, vitamin E and sea buckthorn oil and you have a skin-loving antioxidant sunblock safe enough for children and one you can feel good about applying. Two of my favorites are Badger Unscented SPF 30 zinc oxide, which can be found at most health food store such as Sprouts and Whole Foods, with 98% natural ingredients and Juice Beauty SPF 30 oil free moisturizer, which can be purchased at Ulta.

If you want to go the homemade route, several oils offer natural sun protection. Like all sun protection, they need to be reapplied regularly. Red raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil and coconut oil combined make a nice sun protection potion.

Still curious? Need a reliable reference or two? This will get you started 🙂

http://www.ewg.org/2014sunscreen/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/06/do-you-know-which-sunscreen-products-to-avoid.aspx

Essential oils are one of the greatest natural blessings! Not many people know about the many benefits they provide, but I feel that as more people grow interested in natural alternatives to chemicals, they will continue to gain popularity. Not all oils are created equally, quality matters! Essential oils are wonderful fixes for many ailments and skin conditions. Some of them are so potent they need to be mixed with a carrier oil such as jojoba or coconut oil.

With high hopes and no results, I have tried some expensive high end products developed by “medical doctors” and skin specialists that still have not helped fade the sunspots andhyperpigmentation I started noticing on my upper cheek area. Tired of applying chemicals to my face, empty promises and fancy packaging, I started making my own lotions and potions. The last few weeks I have been using a concoction of cypress, frankincense and lavender essential oils applying it morning and night to my sunspots. They have almost disappeared! My skin has a radiant glow that doesn’t come from makeup and bronzers.  I am so thrilled about this natural skincare remedy that I had to share. I wish I had found it sooner.  Keep in mind it’s important to  protect your skin from harmful UV rays on a daily basis to prevent further pigmentation using a good, non toxic natural sunblock. They are difficult to find but I have tested several and will report soon with the results!

I am a self- proclaimed organic beauty junkie. You name it, I have probably tried it… As long as it is natural and pure! I have discovered there are many ways to get rid of the harsh chemicals in our beauty products we expose ourselves to daily and replace them with natural alternatives… With better results! Exposure to chemicals over the years makes our bodies have to work harder to remove such toxins. Why not use what Mother Nature provided instead? I want to share some of he tricks I have learned using natural ingredients as well as review some of the natural products I have used. What works, what doesn’t, what is worth the money and what to skip. No harsh ingredients and toxins for this girl!