SPF WHO?

To each their own season

In case I haven’t mentioned it before, I love spring. Not only was I born in that season, I simply love the scenery of earth that period: green, colourful flowers and comfortable temperatures. It’s not too hot, not too cold, on the easy breezy warm side which makes it ideal to go for hikes and picknicks in the park. However, to each their own season. Though seasons have been all over the place lately and are not really as distinct as they used to be, we can tell it’s summer. Temperatures are rising, spirits are up and boy am I even more deprived of my sleep due to the heat. A sidetone, this is not me complaining, I always love a good sunny day just maybe after a while a thad bit more in the shadow to cool down.

My sister sent me this reel a couple of days ago where a 70 year old Australian woman said that people should not wear SPF, ever. My sister sent me that reel adding one word ‘thoughts?’. Who are we kidding? Absolutely! I’ve got many thoughts on this. For the ones who have been reading my blog for a bit might know that I have a background in Cosmetic Sciences. There will always be this part of me which is looking to formulate products based on the natural ingredients Allah ﷻ has blessed us with on this earth. We have so many treasures that we can use to boosten our health, our physique, our aging process, you name it. ‎ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ for that. On the flip side, I will look at the science of things. I don’t care what people make it out to be at times, one is not the enemy of the other.

I do believe that when it comes to cosmetics, and surely other things to, science can help you understand things in a different, maybe more tangible way. I think one of the beautiful aspects of Islam and the revelations mentioned in the Quran, is that ﷲ thought people things many years ago. When you look at some of those revelations regarding health benefits, planetary constellation, pregnancy, creation of a child inside a mother’s womb, birth and much more, science has never debunked any of those things. On the contrary: they figured these truths out later or completely agree.

Do we need to protect ourselves from the sun?

Let me come back to the reel. I no way, shape or form do I want to make a comment on the physical aspects of that woman who claimed that SPF is not only NOT necessary but also damaging to the skin. However, I do need to say that this woman has indeed been living in Australia her entire life, is 70 years old, is not a dermatologist, cosmetic scientist, doctor or anything which would have indicated that she might have dug up some facts on why she made these statements. I also would like to say that if she would have used some kind of sunscreen or any natural alternative in her life, it might have made a difference for her.

I have two basic beauty rules. They are easy to maintain. Apart from the scientific knowledge I might add, these ruses are probable the main reason why my sister asked me for my thoughts.

Rule number one: drink enough water. I can’t say this enough but our body needs its water. I have lived my life on water. Not to say that I do not drink tea, hot coco, a mocktail and whatever but I do not count these as part of my daily water intake. I always try to make sure that I drink at least 1l5 up to 2l of water neet. It doesn’t only keep our body hydrated, but it also has a positive impact on our skin amongst other things.

Rule number two: never leave the house without wearing sun-protection . Start wearing your sunscreen on a daily basis. Every season, which means not only in summer, also winters. I think most people are unaware of how the sun and its sunbeams actually reach us. Visually we see the sun the best when it is high in the sky and not so many clouds surround it. We also tend to put our sun-protection on as soon as the temperatures rise because we associate heat with the possible skin damage it may cause. However, ‎ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ, the sun is always there: the clouds, the window of your car, your hat etc do not protect in the long run against a possible skin damage.

I do have to give that woman some kind of credit in the sense that it could be damaging. Just like any other product you would put on your skin, you need to make sure you’re choosing a product that fits your skin type since we would want to protect ourselves daily. In order to prevent possible rashes I advise you not only to choose a sun-protection which fits your skin, but also to clean your skin every night thoroughly.

I myself use La Roche-Posay Anthelios with an SPF 50. I’ve been using it for a couple of years now and I’m still satisfied. It’s lightweight on the skin, pocket friendly and it’s available at the local pharmacy. However, what works for me, might not work for you. If you are someone who prefers going completely natural and you have a dry to neutral skin, I can advise you to use avocado oil as this has proven to be photoprotective and as such is a natural UV blocker. You might also want to use virgin olive oil. However these natural oils, will not be as protective as an actually formulated sunscreen. Though it might explain why my great-grandmother looked fabulous for her age back in the day.

However the sun is out, so let’s enjoy this beautiful day!