As the summer season begins, shelves of sunscreen products are hitting the stores. Whether you are planning to spend time at the beach, at amusement parks, or just love being outside during the summer, using sunscreen is essential to protecting your skin. For those who are truly interested in the best anti-aging secret, use a sunscreen as part of your everyday beauty routine – literally all year round!
But the question still remains: How does one choose the best sunscreen product to meet their needs?
Not all sunscreens are the same, so it is important to educate yourself on the different formulas and ingredients that are in these products. It’s important to remember the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), controls the production of sunscreens and therefore these products often contain potentially harmful ingredients or chemicals.
Here are a few basic tips to keep in mind when looking for the best/safest sunscreen for you and your family:
- The SPF (Sun Protection Factor) should be at a minimum of 30, and not over 50.
- There are different types of UV (Ultra Violet) rays from the sun so look for a product that say, “broad spectrum” or “broad spectrum UVA/UVB.”
- Water Resistance does not mean waterproof, rather they will protect only 40-80 minutes of sweat or water sports and need to be reapplied.
How does one choose from all the different products out there? The most important thing to do is read the label. If there are too many ingredients that you don’t recognize this is a red flag – meaning that there are too many chemicals and toxic substances in the product. Don’t forget that your skin, being your largest organ, is a sponge (not a barrier). Anything and everything that you put on it, goes in to your body.
Because most, if not all, mass-market sunscreens such as Aveeno, CVS, Banana Boat, and Neutrogena brands contain toxic chemicals, you are literally better off wearing a hat and a cotton 
With this in mind, we narrowed down the choices between “chemical” sunscreens and “mineral” sunscreens, containing zinc oxides, which have the best safety profile of today’s choices. Mineral sunscreens are ones containing zinc or titanium. These do not breakdown in sunlight, are not usually absorbed (so they do not disrupt the body’s hormones), are non allergenic, and are more effective at blocking UVA rays than non-minerals. These sunscreens are a good choice for children and according to EWG, have the best safety profiles of the choices in the United States.
Two of the most popular brands of sunscreens that are loaded with chemicals – see active ingredients. However there are excellent chemical free products on the market to choose from. The best natural sunscreen product I have found is DeVita’s Solar Protective Moisturizer 30. It’s an all natural sheer, moisturizer/sunscreen that is a deeply moisturizing daytime cream and sun block all in one- no kidding! It’s light enough to wear under make-up, absorbs quickly, and yet leaves the skin nourished and feeling soft and smooth. I have been using it now for two months and love the fact that my skin is getting moisturized while being protected from the sun.
What I love about DeVita Skin Care products is that they are 100 percent Vegan and Paraben Free. They are considered Gluten Sensitive Safe and never contain GMO’s. DeVita also never tests their products on animals.
To top it off, I also had the opportunity to use another fabulous product from DeVita Skin Care – the Solar Body Block Moisturizer SPF30+.
This is a gentle, soothing body lotion and natural sunscreen all in one – no kidding! It’s perfect for sensitive skin as it penetrates deeply giving back your skin the look and feel of it’s elasticity, after just a few applications. Solar Body Block revitalizes, softens and moisturizes skin while leaving it with a satin sheen.
So it’s not just your beautiful face that needs both sun protection and moisture, your body does as well. Get out this summer and enjoy the sunshine – but make sure to protect your entire body from the damaging effects of the sun while maintaining youthful glowing skin at the same time.
