This is particularly worrying when, in this country alone, there are 75,000 new cases of skin cancer diagnosed every year.

Before even thinking about sun lotion, do the obvious: Don’t stay in the glare of the sun – particularly around midday when the rays are at their highest. Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting light clothes and ensure you wear a sun hat and sunglasses that have UV protection. Ensure you drink plenty of water and shower in cool water regularly.

Due to the complexities of the formulation, it’s tricky – whatever other brands out there may say-  to get a completely organic and natural suncream. New European Commission guidelines have changed the regulations of labelling and rating criteria for UVA efficacy in sunscreens which has meant that some of the natural sunscreens disappeared from market. There are however some products that are far considerate both to the environment whilst protecting you from the sun’s rays.

You can boost your skin vitamins by eating fruit and vegetables rich in Vitamin A and E that can be found in avocado, olives. You could also try drinking iced green tea, rich in antioxidants that will help protect skin cells.

The Environmental Working Group in the US provided a report of over 500 global sunscreen brands, or which it noted that only 39 were able to provide adequate protection while still not containing any potentially hazardous ingredients. One of these brands was Marie Veronique Organics, which uses fair trade, organic and local ingredients where possible. This brand also has a vegan version.

Award wining sun lotions that contain a minimum of 84% organic ingredients, certified by Organic Food Federation and Ecocert, can be bought at Green People. Its Face Defence Lotion is great. Particularly suitable for sensitive skin and as a means to protect against other sun-related irritations such as prickly heat, these lotions contain the herbs Echinacea, myrrh and aloe vera, known for their soothinig, healing and moisture binding properties. What’s more, the company does not use any synthetic fragrances, harsh preservatives or artificial colours, ensuring the lotions are very gentle indeed.

You might also want to try German brand lavera’s natural cosmetics line, Sun sensitive,which offers mineral sunscreens, after sun and self tanning lotions including lip balm, coloured sun sprays for children and anti-ageing creams. The skin is protected immediately upon application.

One of the biggest issues we have is that we never apply enough sun lotion.

Charlotte Vøhtz, Green People Founder explains. “It is really important that you apply a generous amount of sunscreen (30ml to cover your body / one shot glass) every 2 hours you are in the sun.  New research indicates that under-applying significantly reduces the SPF achieved and the higher the SPF rating the greater the reduction.  Under-applying an SPF70 will only offer SPF8.4, whereas under-applying SPF25 will decrease to SPF5.”

If you do spend too long in the sun, try Weleda’s Aloe Vera BDIH certified body lotion or Neal’s Yard Remedies Aloe Vera after sun, which both brilliantly cool and soothe pink skin.

Love Lula is a great online natural and organic beauty retailer where you can see a choice of self tan and sun creams, including trial size products to test out before you find the best one.

Image credit: Green People

We’re all familiar with the bright green gel extracted from the leaves of the plant, which are often sold as after-sun treatments to soothe sunburn. Originally applied by snapping open the leaves and rubbing them on to the affected area, aloe has been used to treat burns for centuries.

This is due to the plant’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which heal the affected tissue while its soothing, cooling effect reduces pain. Eczema sufferers find that aloe gel reduces the burning pain and itching caused by their condition, and it’s a great alternative to more greasy, manufactured creams.

Many people find that these anti-inflammatory properties are helpful elsewhere in the body as well, in particular, the digestive tract. Just as it soothes and reduces inflammation on the surface of the skin, aloe calms the lining of the stomach and gut wall, which provides fantastic relief for conditions like IBS and colitis, as well as bouts of indigestion. It can be drunk as a juice or taken in tablet form, and also has a mild purgative, detoxifying effect that’s ideal when you’re wanting an internal cleanse.

Finally, aloe vera is one of the only known sources of vegetarian vitamin B12, which is essential for the formation of red blood cells. A deficiency can result in breathing problems and anaemia-like symptoms, so vegetarians will gain particular benefit from taking it as a supplement.

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