Recently I bought Sunumbra Kids SPF40 Sunscreen from Faithful-to-Nature. I bought the Kids one and not the regular as it had more positive reviews, so I decided to try it out. First of all, I should say, I am not a fan of sunscreen….there I said it! It is sticky, makes me sweat more, and I am always afraid it damages my clothes. Now before you think I am one of those frying away in the sun, I actually prefer doing my few minutes of Vitamin D every day, and then covering up. But when I am on holiday, I do apply it, albeit reluctantly. Organic sunscreen is a bit more expensive than regular store-bought sunscreens, but if you take a look at the ingredient list of the ones you regularly buy, it is definitely worth it!
The first thing I noticed about Sunumbra is the smell. It does not have that “tropical” smell that all other sunscreens seem to have (you know the type of smell that immediately reminds you of your holiday when you apply it again!), it smells more like a type of clay. It is quite thick when you apply it, but it does not leave white marks at all. I used it when I spent the afternoon in the pool, and no sunburn! So far, I like the product very much! IT is a bit sticky, but not more than the normal sunscreen you are used to.
Sunumbra Sunkids is a dermatologically tested natural sunscreen containing organic ingredients.
5 Star rating (UVA)
SPF40 (UVB)
High protection full spectrum
40 Minute water resistance
Effective, stable, high level protection from free radical damage and atmospheric toxins
Active natural nutrients to reverse the effects of radiation damage
pH balanced; accommodates the higher alkalinity of children’s skin
Blocks UVA exposure to reduce melanoma risk
Maximises UVB, without burning, to maximise vitamin D
Dermatologically tested and approved.
It is currently on special at Faithful-to-Nature: http://www.faithful-to-nature.co.za/Sunumbra-Sunscreen-for-Kids-SPF-40-p-2247.html
Remember that vitamin D is necessary to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Here is how to make sure you get your Sunshine Vitamin!
- The time of day – your skin produces more vitamin D if you expose it during the middle of the day.
- Where you live – the closer to the equator you live, the easier it is for you to produce vitamin D from sunlight all year round.
- The color of your skin – pale skins make vitamin D more quickly than darker skins.
- The amount of skin you expose – the more skin your expose the more vitamin D your body will produce.
- The amount of skin you expose. The more skin you expose, the more vitamin D you can produce.
- How old you are. As you get older, your skin has a harder time producing vitamin D.
- Whether you’re wearing sunscreen. Sunscreen blocks a lot of vitamin D production.
- The altitude you’re at. The sun is more intense on top of a mountain than at the beach. This means you make more vitamin D the higher up you are (at higher altitudes).
- Whether it is cloudy. Less UVB reaches your skin on a cloudy day and your skin makes less vitamin D.
- Air pollution. Polluted air soaks up UVB or reflects it back into space. This means that if you live somewhere where there is lots of pollution, your skin makes less vitamin D.
- Being behind glass. Glass blocks all UVB, so you can’t make vitamin D if you’re in sunlight, but behind glass.
After you have exposed your skin for half the time it takes for you to turn pink, cover up with clothing and go into the shade. Using sunscreen is not as recommended as using shade and clothing to protect your skin, because it hasn’t consistently been shown to prevent all types of skin cancers. But if you do want to use sunscreen, use a sunscreen that blocks both UVA light and UVB light.
More interesting info about Vitamin D:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/how-do-i-get-the-vitamin-d-my-body-needs/
Important note: Just because you applied sunscreen, does not make you safe for the rest of the day. Remember to reapply, and cover up. Like they say on alcohol adverts: Enjoy responsibly!
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