Shea butter instead of sun screen? Need advice ASAP!

[Yulia_R]

Hi wise ladies,

I need your advice.

I'm leaving for a beach vacation tomorrow. I keep hearing about shea butter being used for sun protection. I bought an unrefined one. But I was wondering just how good and reliable its sun protective properties are? My face isn't doing very well with a combination of sun scream (even an Aubry organics one) and sweat, it gets all irritated and painful. So if I use just the shea butter instead would that actually protect my face skin just as good as a sun screen? Also is it enough to put just a little of shea butter on the face or do a need a thick layer of it in order to not burn?

thanks in advance!
Yulia

[blessedwithboys]

plain shea butter has an SPF of about 6. that wouldnt do for my ds2 who has red hair and blue eyes and sees a dermatologist yearly for cancer checks, but it would probably work for a darker skinned person who is less likely to burn.

if you are looking for a truly pure sunscreen, try UV Natural. it is oil-based and has no water, so there is no need for preservative to be used, however, it is castor-oil heavy and therefore can be slightly drying if you are prone to dry skin.

what i have done for my ds is to use a double boiler to blend together UV Nat and plain shea butter. best of both worlds!

also, and this is from BTDT, it is way better to to use clothing and hats to reduce the use of any type of sunscreen/sunblock altogether. we love coolibar.

[JessicaS]

Shea butter is not an effective sun screen. Its SPF is variable, from zero to 6.

Here is a thing on natural sunscreens http://www.thedailygreen.com/environ...screens-460608

But like the previous poster said, the best thing is clothing, hats, umbrella

[mom61508]

I personally like coconut oil. It just leaves us tan I also like california baby sunscreen If we are going to be n sun for a long time without any shade around. But DD and DH are half Italian so they don't burn easy

When we are the beach we make sure to have an umbrella for sure!

[JessicaS]

Coconut oil has no SPF properties. That would be more of a tanning oil than a sunscreen.

[blessedwithboys]

Originally Posted by mom61508

I personally like coconut oil. It just leaves us tan I also like california baby sunscreen If we are going to be n sun for a long time without any shade around. But DD and DH are half Italian so they don't burn easy

When we are the beach we make sure to have an umbrella for sure!

if your dh is half italian, then your daughter would only be a quarter italian, no? and really, it doesnt matter. i am exactly one half italian, and also a tiny fraction AA, but the little bit of eastern european that crept in made me quite fair skinned and burn-prone. be careful, being tan is not healthy in most cases.

[WorldsBestMom]

I heard too that Shea could be used a sunscreen I have never tried it though.

[JessicaS]

Shea has a bit but really if you are going to be in the water then it would rinse off pretty fast, too fast to be very effective.

[sbgrace]

It's probably too late unless you live in a place with good natural foods type places but the California baby super sensitive is the one sunscreen that my extremely reactive child handles well.

[amcal]

Oh please mama, don't rely on shea butter or coconut oil for sun protection.

I had melanoma last year and it was the most painful, terrifying experience of my life.

Please, please mama, protect your skin. Wear sleeves, wear a hat, wear sunscreen. Eucerin has a really good one with SPF 30 and it's specific for sensitive skin.

I know you want all natural but, you're probably not going to find it. I would sacrifice all natural for good protection.

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by abimommy

Coconut oil has no SPF properties. That would be more of a tanning oil than a sunscreen.

yes that's why I said it leaves us tan I also recommended California baby for sunscreen and using shade to protect your skin.

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by blessedwithboys

if your dh is half italian, then your daughter would only be a quarter italian, no? and really, it doesnt matter. i am exactly one half italian, and also a tiny fraction AA, but the little bit of eastern european that crept in made me quite fair skinned and burn-prone. be careful, being tan is not healthy in most cases.

I have to disagree I think sun in moderation every day is very healthy. We all tan easily so 20-30 mins in the sun leaves us tan Gotta get that Vitamin D

Originally Posted by amcal

Oh please mama, don't rely on shea butter or coconut oil for sun protection.

I had melanoma last year and it was the most painful, terrifying experience of my life.

Please, please mama, protect your skin. Wear sleeves, wear a hat, wear sunscreen. Eucerin has a really good one with SPF 30 and it's specific for sensitive skin.

I know you want all natural but, you're probably not going to find it. I would sacrifice all natural for good protection.

I'm sorry I couldn't imagine how scary that would be and yes you should be careful in the sun but you also have to be careful with the chemicals in mainstream sunscreens as they are said to contribute to skin cancer. Its imperative imo to get adequate sunshine daily if possible.

[amcal]

I'm aware of the link between those who wear sunscreen and higher rates of skin cancer but, the studies don't say it's the chemicals in sunscreen that cause cancer. Actually, they don't know why the rates are higher.

Personally, I believe the rates are higher because those who wear the most sunscreen probably live in high sun exposure areas and are probably not wearing enough sunscreen or reapplying sunscreen as needed.

I do not believe and nor do my dermatologists and oncologists believe that sunscreen causes cancer and, they're very aware of the studies.

But, they do believe that you need a sunscreen with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide as they are by far the most effective and don't allow rays to penetrate your skin.

Edited to add that no tan is healthy. Tan skin means damaged skin. It just does. Tans are not healthy no matter what. I do believe that some sun exposure is healthy but, exposure that leaves your skin tanned is way too much exposure. It is skin damage.

[Ruthla]

I use zinc oxide "diaper rash cream" as sunscreen.

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by amcal

I'm aware of the link between those who wear sunscreen and higher rates of skin cancer but, the studies don't say it's the chemicals in sunscreen that cause cancer. Actually, they don't know why the rates are higher.

Personally, I believe the rates are higher because those who wear the most sunscreen probably live in high sun exposure areas and are probably not wearing enough sunscreen or reapplying sunscreen as needed.

I do not believe and nor do my dermatologists and oncologists believe that sunscreen causes cancer and, they're very aware of the studies.

But, they do believe that you need a sunscreen with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide as they are by far the most effective and don't allow rays to penetrate your skin.

Edited to add that no tan is healthy. Tan skin means damaged skin. It just does. Tans are not healthy no matter what. I do believe that some sun exposure is healthy but, exposure that leaves your skin tanned is way too much exposure. It is skin damage.

I'm sorry but it seem common sense to me that applying CHEMICALS in any form straight into your or your LO's skin is not healthy. any chemicals applied directly to the skin is absorbed within 60 seconds. How can chemicals not be contributing to skin cancer and others cancers??? Common chemicals for sunscreens are also known as hormone disruptors,I do agree with T dioxide or zinc oxide(if it's not in the form of nano particles they are said to be harmful) is best If you need the protection(at the beach you need some form of sun protection for sure). A sunburn is damaging to your skin working up your sun exposure daily and developing a tan is healthy!

Here is a great article on sunscreens and why some are not safe.
http://www.healthychild.com/first-ai...nscreens-safe/

[amcal]

Originally Posted by mom61508

A sunburn is damaging to your skin working up your sun exposure daily and developing a tan is healthy!

Here is a great article on sunscreens and why some are not safe.
http://www.healthychild.com/first-ai...nscreens-safe/

I completely agree that not all sunscreens are good for your skin. And that the more natural, the better. We use badger and it works great.

But, I completely disagree that a tan is healthy and I'd love to see research that supports the idea that tanned skin isn't damaged skin.

Having a tan means UVA rays have deeply penetrated your skin. Tans are not healthy.

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by amcal

I completely agree that not all sunscreens are good for your skin. And that the more natural, the better. We use badger and it works great.

But, I completely disagree that a tan is healthy and I'd love to see research that supports the idea that tanned skin isn't damaged skin.

Having a tan means UVA rays have deeply penetrated your skin. Tans are not healthy.

Saying a tan isn't healthy is like saying it's not healthy to get sunshine daily. You need at least(depending on skin color) 15-20 mins of sun daily to get Vitamin D. You can do that without developing a tan so that would mean that getting Vitamin D daily wouldn't be healthy. The key is not to burn. Our ancestors were outside almost all day long and there was no skin cancer. It's sunscreens and our unhealhty diets that are contributing to skin cancer. Mercola.com is great place to read about the benefits of sun exposure. He provides tons of articles.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...06/19/sun.aspx

[SquishyKitty]

There absolutely was skin cancer, it just wasn't diagnosable "Back then". Skin cancer isn't something that was just invented to make people buy more sunscreen.

OP, I would think that shea butter would actually help you to tan/burn. I would look into some of the natural sunscreens suggested here. It may not be ideal, but it's a good compromise to make I think.

[Juvysen]

[JL83]

Originally Posted by mom61508

Our ancestors were outside almost all day long and there was no skin cancer.

Actually, there was a ton of cancer throughout history. They find evidence of cancer, in the form of tumors and other physical evidence, in mummies and other historical remains.

Also, our "ancestors" lived in the same places for thousands and thousands of years. There weren't people of Northern European decent living in Florida...