Toxic filters in sunscreens.
It's no secret that the sun (in moderate doses) provides all kinds of health benefits, including the production of vital vitamin D. However, with warmer weather during the summer months, many people are looking for the best sunscreens to reduce the risk of overexposure to the sun, sunburn, and possibly skin cancer.
But this is where the problem begins. Most of the sunscreens on the market simply do not offer adequate protection against the sun and even many of the ingredients used in them are actually harmful to our body. In fact it is important to remember that the skin is the largest organ in the body and one of the most complicated. It has many roles in maintaining our health, but it also has many potential problems, with over 3,000 possible skin disorders, many of them caused by the use of toxic chemicals including sun creams.
In addition to a study conducted by the FDA in January 2020, which found that "chemical ingredients in sunscreens are systematically absorbed after one application, and some ingredients can remain in the blood for at least 3 weeks."
The most common sunscreen chemicals in any sunscreen include avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, and octinoxate, and all six active ingredients tested are readily absorbed into the bloodstream of humans in the study, and at concentrations that They pass an important FDA safety threshold.
Beyond health issues there is another important issue:
How many of the sun creams really offer real protection?
The 2020 official report released in May found that nearly 75 percent of sunscreens either don't work and/or contain truly toxic ingredients that are easily absorbed by the body.
Are you using the best sunscreen or the cheapest?
At the moment, lower quality products continue to be the best sellers on the market, despite scientific evidence that they use harmful ingredients and that they are formulated with products that may not adequately protect users from dangerous rays. GRAPE.
The same earlier EWG report cited research by Brian Diffey, PhD in photobiology, at Newcastle University's Institute of Cellular Medicine. It has shown that, on average, the cheapest, low-quality sunscreens allow three times more UVA rays to be transferred through the skin compared to sunscreens made from natural, non-toxic products.
If you want to know more about our 100% Natural chemical-free sun cream, visit the link below, for more information about sunscreens and their components, keep reading our blog.
GRAPE | UVB
This matters because UVA rays are more abundant than UVB rays, and UVA damage is more subtle than sunburns induced primarily by UVB rays. UVA rays can invisibly damage skin by suppressing the immune system and aging skin over time; overexposure to these rays is also linked to the development of melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma.
Now, it is important to note that there is no sunscreen that protects us 100%, especially if we spend many hours in the sun. Many contain harmful chemicals, and even mineral-based ones often contain nanoparticles, tiny ingredients that can cross the blood-brain barrier and are also harmful to the environment and marine life.
That's why it's so important to look for safer sunscreens and recognize that you can't just rely on sunscreens to prevent overexposure to the sun.
Because of this, experts recommend applying thick layers of sun protection, reapplying it every time you get out of the water, and choosing a natural and ecological product are the keys to starting the change. But other methods to avoid overexposure are essential. In fact, sunscreen should be the last line of defense against the sun after taking other, more effective measures. Although it may not seem like it, a good diet without saturated fats and processed products will help our skin to be healthier and have a better response to sun exposure.
A dose of unhealthy hormones; oxybenzone
- Oxybenzone, a common ingredient in sunscreens, penetrates the skin, enters the bloodstream, and acts like estrogen in the body.
- Oxybenzone has been detected in the blood at levels 438 times the recommended exposure rate limit.
- Oxybenzone can remain in the blood for more than three weeks.
- Oxybenzone has been linked to endometriosis in older women and lower birth weights in newborn girls.
Allergic reactions:
Chemical sunscreens often contain methylisothiazolinone, an ingredient that is linked to many allergies.
Skin cancer
Retinyl palmitate is a form of vitamin A.
Government studies show that it could accelerate the development of tumors and skin lesions.
A false sense of security:
SPF above 50 SPF only refers to protection against UVB rays that burn the skin.
UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and are more difficult to block with sunscreen ingredients that contain toxic substances.
Excess exposure to UVA rays:
– Suppresses the immune system.
– Causes the formation of harmful free radicals in the skin.
– Associated with increased risk of developing melanoma
How to avoid these problems
Sunbathing is vital for good health because it helps the body create vitamin D. There are multiple ways to get vitamin D, but it's best to get it by standing in the sun or eating vitamin D-rich foods. In fact, sitting in the Out of the sun for about 10 minutes helps your body create about 10,000 units of natural vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to certain cancers, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, depression, osteoporosis, and many other ailments, so it's important to get enough of it.
Avoid overexposure during peak sunlight hours, wear sunglasses and sun-protective clothing and hats (Solumbra is a good brand). These things reduce the risk of sunburn without sun protection.
Zinc oxide benefits to protect your skin from the sun and burns.
For over 2,000 years, we have turned to zinc to help treat burns and wounds. Today, the benefits of zinc oxide are even more extensive, but if we look back (in the past), records show that zinc itself was first used in a skin lotion to help heal burns naturally. called Pushpanjan. This was first described in ancient Indian medicinal scriptures around 500 BC.
According to the official publication of the International Association of Astronomers, today zinc oxide is a key active ingredient in many diaper rash creams, calamine lotions, mineral sunscreens (including some of the best sunscreens), supplements vitamins and acne treatments sold in pharmacies or prescribed by doctors.
What is zinc oxide?
Zinc oxide is made from zinc, a type of metallic element found in nature. Like other elemental metals, including iron or electrolytes such as magnesium, zinc is capable of carrying a certain electrical charge that provides it with special benefits within the body. Zinc benefits affect different systems in the body, including the immune system, digestive tract, brain, and skin – where it is used as a type of important “building block” for protein synthesis, enzyme creation, and metabolic processes
While zinc itself can be found in nature, zinc oxide does not occur naturally, but rather is created when zinc is chemically heated and combined with oxygen molecules. The two elements vaporize, condense and form a fine, white, crystallized powder that settles on the skin providing a protective layer. (3)
Recent advances in zinc oxide particle size have led to a significant increase in zinc oxide cream and zinc oxide sunscreen. Starting in 2008, researchers created nanometer-sized zinc oxide particles, sparking a "revolution in sun care and skin care." An advanced zinc oxide formula is now capable of being applied to the skin without leaving a thick white film, thus opening the door to a much wider acceptance of natural sun protection products.
Zinc oxide has been proven to have the following uses and benefits
- Helps reduce skin inflammation associated with rashes, allergies, or irritation (including diaper rash)
- Provides broad-spectrum sun protection that prevents burns (even on photosensitive skin)
- Provide protection against skin cancer/neoplasms (basal cell carcinoma)
- Improves wound healing and prevents bacterial infections
- Assist in the recovery of burns and damaged tissue
- Help treat acne breakouts
- reduces dandruff
- Helps treat warts
- Treatment of pigmentary disorders (melasma)
- Prevents skin aging
- Improve collagen synthesis and the formation of new connective tissue
The problem with most sun creams is that the individual chemicals often work by blocking either UVA or UVB rays, but not both. This means that manufacturers of chemical sunscreens need to combine several different formulas/solutions in one product to prevent burns from occurring. The more chemicals added, the more potential there is for negative reactions, allergies, and irritation.
Our clients think
Highlighting sun cream and facial stick are an excellent option to avoid sunburn and at the same time not contaminate seawater with parabens!
Maria Betnaza Montero
The ideal solution; zinc oxide formula with natural products
That is why at Bionobo we have committed ourselves to helping solve this problem and have designed a highly waterproof sun cream and facial stick that works with organic natural products without any harmful toxins.
For this we have used, among others, Zinc Oxide that offers protection against “broad-spectrum ultraviolet rays” (UVA/UVB), which does not always happen with chemical sunscreens that only block one type of UV light.
In the past, zinc oxide sunscreens got a bad rap for causing noticeable white streaks on the skin, a sign that the zinc wasn't fully absorbed. However, in recent years skin care technology has come a long way, and our cream has a micro-fine formula. Once again, these tiny particles are considered safe.
How reliably and strongly a product prevents burns will depend on the amount of zinc oxide used in the formula. Zinc oxide percentages vary widely, and the final percentage will determine the “SPF” level of the specified products.
In sunscreens, zinc oxide percentages are usually between 25 and 35 percent.
The less zinc oxide used, the shorter the window when it comes to protection. Therefore, SPF 15 will last less time than SPF 30, which contains more zinc. That is why we wanted to create a protector for all those people who want to take care of themselves both outside and inside. Remember that our skin is the largest organ in our body and it absorbs everything we put on it, including sunscreen.
Why the use of avocado oil?
The use of avocados dates back to 5000 BC. The Aztecs, Incas and Mayans spread the pulp of the fruit on their skin to use it in cosmetic applications. The Mayans of Guatemala used the avocado to prevent intestinal parasites and worms, and to promote healthy hair growth. They obviously knew they were doing something right!
In a cosmetic use, avocado oil has many therapeutic properties such as anti-aging, detoxifying and regenerative. In the medicinal aspect, it has antibacterial qualities. When you think of the regenerative properties of avocado this is an ideal oil for anyone suffering from sunburn, eczema, dryness and rashes. We can see that there are many fabulous properties that make avocado oil worth using.
Another important fact about avocado oil is that it has a natural SPF. Does that mean you should layer on guacamole and spend a whole day in the sun? Uhm… No! By itself, you wouldn't want to use avocado oil as a sunscreen, but when used in conjunction with other ingredients, avocado oil adds significant value to sunscreen products. Avocado oil can also treat damaged skin thanks to its PFA (polyhydric fatty alcohols). Studies have shown that they can repair skin cells already damaged by UV rays.
We use avocado oil in our Sun cream and in our Zinc stick. Not only do they protect the skin from the sun's harmful rays, but they work very well to soothe sunburned skin.
For more information about our products visit the following link.
For shipments within Spain the cost is €4.23 (Iberian Peninsula) with free shipping from €35. For shipments to the Canary Islands the cost is €10 and free shipments from €100.
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