Safe, Natural Sunscreen Alternatives for Summer

It seems that year after year, studies linking sunscreens sold at drug stores to cancer and other harmful effects come out.

But that same summer, just about everybody seems to ignore the warnings and slathers much of the chemically-laced goop on their bodies whether they're at the beach, park, on the boat, or other popular hangouts.

But there is another way. Many people are choosing to change to safe, natural sunscreen alternatives for summer and there are various options available.

Coconut oil for example has been used as a sunscreen by various people in tropical climates for a long time. It is, however, capable of clogging pores for some so it should be diluted with pure spring water.

Many people even make mixes including the oil with other types of oils that provide different benefits.

One thing is for sure, however: avoid over-the-counter sunscreens with the following ingredients: para amino benzoic acids, cinoxate, avobenzone, dioxtbenzone, and many more. This is only the tip of the iceberg as far as dangerous sunscreen chemicals go.

Another potentially useful sunscreen, for a small SPF benefit that is, would be peanut oil. This is according to a natural organic skincare producer at a local farmer's market in the Detroit area. She said the peanut oil has a low SPF but is still much better than slathering yourself with harmful chemicals that are linked with skin cancer or other maladies.

Other ingredients to mix into a sunscreen made at home would be jojoba oil, sunflower oil, shea butter, and others. Sesame oil is another one that can work as a sunscreen when applied properly. Personally for me, coconut oil has worked fine over the past couple of summers and has not caused breakouts, but a lot depends on your skin type and other factors.

A good all-natural brand to use is Nature's Gate Mineral Sportblock which can be found on Amazon.com and perhaps in health food stores as well. Be sure to look for the chemical ingredients to avoid when shopping for skincare products as companies will often try to sneak them in toward the bottom of the ingredients list.

Or they will advertise an all-natural, useful product on the front of the packaging but then load up the sunscreen with mostly chemical products that aren't necessary except to help the bottom line of the company.

Other ingredients to avoid include soy lecithin (unless organic) and cottonseed oil (same) as they are most likely genetically modified which can lead to a host of other problems (Watch the documentary on Youtube called "The World According to Monsanto" for more info).

While it can be tempting to pay low prices for chemical-based sunscreens at the drug store on the way to the lake, it's much more prudent to research different alternative sunscreen options.

The best bet for someone looking to find a good natural sunscreen for summer is to visit a health food store and simply ask the clerk what the best bet is for someone looking to protect against the sun as well as the pitfalls of a chemical-based society. They should be glad to help. Thanks for reading.