Sunscreens - Thanks Melinda!

[Guest guest]

There are some sunscreens that exclusively use titanium dioxide--technically a

sunblock--and can have a fairly high SPF as well, depending on the amount of

this

ingredient. Titanium dioxide is a mineral deriviative and non-irritating. I,

too, am sensitive

to the chemical versions and am just waiting for the day when they " suddenly "

find out

that those chemicals cause cancer.

There are several sunscreens that use titanium. My favorite is by Alba Botanica

and is

widely available--it says, " chemical-free sunscreen SPF 18, for sensitive skin,

hypo-

allergenic. " Right up your alley. Costs about 9 bucks. You can probably get it

online or at

your local drugstore. It is kinda whitish but seems to soak in after about ten

minutes. The

other brands I've tried make you look like a ghost.

The Alba Botanica brand also contains green tea, which is interesting--there was

a recent

study that showed green tea applied topically significantly lessened

free-radical damage

from sun exposure! Another amazing miracle plant from the cosmos. I actually

like to

spritz a green/white/rooisbos tea solution on my skin every day for the

antioxidant

properties. I make a strong infusion, strain it through a coffee filter, add a

little jasmine or

vanilla essential oil, put it in a spray bottle and keep it in the fridge. One

bottle lasts me

about a week.

A last word on the sun--the FDA changed its recommendations on sun exposure and

now

advises 3 thirty-minute periods of exposure per week with no sunscreen. Seems

that

people are not getting enough vitamin D with all the sunscreen they are using!

Especially

in the North. But you and I don't have to worry about that, sunbunnies that we

are!

Melinda