Skin, sunlight, sunscreens, moisturizers, coloration, etc.

[iwuvmydoggy]

Hi there!

Well.. I'm naturally very fair (and I like it).. I was wondering what your guys' opinions on healthy amounts of sun... as well as tanning.. I have heard you need at least 10 minutes a day (which is no problem, of course lol i don't live under a rock!).. But I do prefer to keep my natural fairness... If I am out in the sun too long, I start to freckle & I hate that. I would however like to have some more color, though.. Just not "tan"... Do you know what I mean?... The natural glow & vibrancy. Well anyway... Please let me know what you guys do in regards to the sun & caring for your skin, as well as how much time a day you spend in the sun.. And are there any natural/organic/raw sun screens/moisturizers/etc? Links/books/etc would be great!

Thank you!

[juliew]

Aubrey's Organics makes a sunscreen lotion. Also, a lot of mineral makeups have naturally occurring SPF from the minerals. Avoid tradiotional sunscreen because it mutates the cells! Yikes! Hope that helps :)

[RaeVynn]

5 to 10 minutes, middle of the day sun, 3 times a week.
This will get you all the vitamin D you need. :p

You can rotate the exposure to minimize freckling (though, I don't know why, freckles are sexy!). Like, one day, have no sleeves. A couple of days later, go out in shorts (with long sleeves). Always wear a floppy hat to minimize exposure to your scalp and face.

Head on over to NaturalNews.com and do a search on vitamin D or sun exposure for more information :)

[cara4art]

Since you are very fair, you're wise to limit your sun exposure to short ones, just to protect your skin from burning. And too much exposure for one's own level of pigmentation in one's skin is never good because it does lead to real sun damage. However, those short exposures are beneficial for one's health. Everyone else's suggestions are good. I'll add that for general skin care, stuff like unrefined shea butter and extra-virgin coconut oil are fabulous and are way better than slathering toxic stuff all over. Keep rolling with raw, that does detoxify from the inside, and the anti-oxidants will affect the skin positively. There are some people who swear that after they went raw awhile, they were able to tolerate more sun than formerly. Still, be careful. If you freckle now, you will likely sun-spot later in life(I know from personal experience here, at 61). Shea butter has a mild sun protection factor of about 4 or 6 I think. In the meantime, get that stylin' broad-brimmed hat, a comfy long-sleeved shirt for when you need to cover up, and some thin cotton yoga pants or something when you need to cover up your legs and still not be too hot. Also, let your body tell you too - if you're getting the vibes that the sun is too much for you on a given day, it likely is. Hope this helps.

[circle]

just be careful.

i wish i had the answer.

i have very fair skin, and starting to get sun damage on my face and legs. i can actually see it, and i'm only 23 yrs old. =(((((((((((( :(

coconut oil seems to help though. make sure you get the best quality raw coco oil you can find. usually the kinds with the hippy looking themed packaging on them are better for some reason. i don't know why, that has just been my experience.

[Aleesha Sattva]

this isn't about keeping your natural non-tanned look but... if you drink or eat a lot of tomatoes... you will not burn. that's what i do... it's natural sunscreen from the inside!!! i drink tomato juice (a litre) for dinner every night... and i can stay in the sun for hours and not burn. i never wear sunscreen.

i love coconut oil on my skin as well... makes it so lovely. of course, skin brushing is great for skin too.

[iwuvmydoggy]

thanks for all of the information, folks!

i don't usually wear makeup, because i have sensitive skin.. but i do wear it occasionally, so i'll keep an eye out for those mineral makeups that have natural SPF in them. :) that's a good idea!

i don't really like tomatoes, but i will eat them. i guess i'll have to start drinking more tomato juice, even though i can't stand the stuff... maybe it'll be different when i have heirloom tomatoes.. i hear they taste different than ones from the store. lol :)

i don't ever wear anything sleeveless (heavy scarring on the arms) & the last time i showed my legs, my mother poked fun at me & asked if i lived near a nuclear power plant... :rolleyes: LOL but i guess i'll start trying to reveal more skin & hang out in the sun a little more often. (but not too often or for too long!)

i never really thought about covering up my head, but that seems like a good idea, because that's where my brain is located afterall (regardless of what some people believe.. TEEHEE!)

i love shea butter & coconut oil, so i'll start investing in more of that as well.

thank you all so much! :D have a great day!!!

[RawKnitster]

I have fair, sensitive skin, too. I think eating lots of greens (natural chlorophyll) helps. Mineral make-up is the only foundation I have ever been able to tolerate, and I still don't like to wear it, but it does work for a sunscreen. I like to use coconut oil and shea butter on my body, but they cause my face to break out.

In Spring I start by exposing my skin to sun DURING NON-PEAK HOURS for 5 minutes, then gradually increase 5 minutes a day. Using this method I can eventually tolerate an hour of sun a day. Sun between the hours of 11:00am and 2:00pm is a NO-NO for me. At peak hours I cover up with a long sleeved shirt and a hat.

[shakti17]

that is so cool about the tomatoes. i'll have to try that.

i am also very fair, and when i first went raw i tried the "all natural" no sun block approach "my raw diet will protect me". i burnt to a crisp!

i also found the aubrey blocks did not work for me. i like earth science sunblock for my face, and burts bees makes a nice hemp sun block.

i also always wear a sun hat!

and cover up with thin cotton if it is really hot!

[iwuvmydoggy]

I have fair, sensitive skin, too. I think eating lots of greens (natural chlorophyll) helps. Mineral make-up is the only foundation I have ever been able to tolerate, and I still don't like to wear it, but it does work for a sunscreen. I like to use coconut oil and shea butter on my body, but they cause my face to break out.

In Spring I start by exposing my skin to sun DURING NON-PEAK HOURS for 5 minutes, then gradually increase 5 minutes a day. Using this method I can eventually tolerate an hour of sun a day. Sun between the hours of 11:00am and 2:00pm is a NO-NO for me. At peak hours I cover up with a long sleeved shirt and a hat.

great tips! i'll have to try your approach to getting some sun. :) it seems pretty logical! thank you very much! :)


i am also very fair, and when i first went raw i tried the "all natural" no sun block approach "my raw diet will protect me". i burnt to a crisp!

LOL that happened to me one time when I was younger... I was so red everywhere that my dad started calling me sebastian the rest of the summer. :D (you know, like the crab from the little mermaid. lol)


i also found the aubrey blocks did not work for me. i like earth science sunblock for my face, and burts bees makes a nice hemp sun block.

i also always wear a sun hat!

and cover up with thin cotton if it is really hot!

Oh that's good info, thank you for sharing! :)

[LotsaRaw]

Any suggestions for those of us who spend time on the water...ie: white water rafting - with fair skin? As a result of water plus sun plus fair skin, sunscreen is a must! Looking for healthier alternatives than the waterproof commercial stuff I have been using...(now that I know) I am not willing to give up softball, golf, kayaking, sailing or rafting (or any other forms of playing outside!)

[smiley]

I have been 100% raw for almost 6 years now. I am also a nudist and spend many hours in the sun without any sunscreen. The only thing I will put on my skin is coconut, or jojoba oil (and even with that, I am not consistent). I have been doing this for years and have never burned or have any skin problems. In fact, people comment to me that my skin glows!

When I am in the sun, I drink and eat lots of watermelon as I have read that it works as a natural sunscreen. It has definately worked for me. Since it is warm weather, I also do a lot of fruit and veggie juicing too.

I feel very energized in the sun. I feel fortunate to go to a place where nudity is accepted and there are many activities to keep me busy: tennis, ping pong, pool, weight room, paddleboating, hiking, volleyball, swimming, dancing, etc. My sweetie and I LOVE it there...we feel so free, relaxed and happy! :)

Are there any other rawfood nudists out there who have had similar experiences? :cool: