Over the past several years I’ve become quite crunchy. In other words, some might call me a hippie, or a tree hugger, and to that I say, thank you! I love my trees. In fact in my garden no plant is added without first being given a name. Yep, you read that right. There’s Edgar, Henry, Arthur and the list goes on. My entire team knows the drill and has gotten so accustomed to the plant kingdom being a part of the family that they too refer to them by name without hesitation.
Not only is the plant kingdom vital and important in my world, but so is taking care of our planet that provides Edgar, Arthur, Henry and the rest of the clan their nutrients. Every day I take extra steps to be green. I make my own cleaners to keep our water table safe, I recycle, reuse and repurpose and I eat organic foods to support the farmers who know the difference.
Another thing I’ve embraced heavily over the past several years is all-natural toiletries. Everything from all-natural deodorant to mineral based makeup, (OMG, love this powder!) anything that touches your skin should be chemical free. So as we approach the summer season and plan to be out doors more, another thing to take into consideration in our daily repertoire is sunscreen. Holy cow, have you looked at that sunscreen label lately?
Your skin is one of the largest organs you have and slathering up in sulfates, phthalates, parabens, and other toxins means you’re absorbing all that crap into your system. Think it doesn’t matter? Well if you’re trying to get pregnant, battling adult acne, suffering from insomnia, can’t concentrate, and a slew of other things, did it occur to you that your lotions may be contributing?
Yep, those creams and lotions contain more toxins than a barrel of crude oil, causing your hormones to go haywire. Combine that with your crappy deodorant, chemical laden makeup, hair products, poor diet, and staying indoors surrounded by wi-fi and your little energetic system is beyond overload.
Most of my audience already knows this rant because this isn’t my first rodeo writing about this very thing. But if this is your first rodeo you may be wondering, well great where the hell do I even start? Great question, glad you asked! Take it one step at a time. For the love of god this isn’t an all or nothing game! Start by buying a better quality sunscreen. Here are three of my absolute favorites:
Six ingredients! Are you kidding me? And you can pronounce every single one of them. Erik the owner and I were in a Mastermind five years ago. This guy is the real deal. He lives in Colorado and believes in making products safe and all-natural. I will say this isn’t your run of the mill sunscreen. With 25% Zinc Oxide it goes on thick. But it doesn’t clog pores, isn’t greasy and it’s safe for the whole family. Sign me up! Find it here.
If you have sensitive skin like me, everything makes it break out. Made from minerals and absolute zero toxins you can feel safe putting this on you and your kids. This stuff is gentle and great for a summer day out! Find it here.
In need of something that’s all-natural but also heavy duty? Well this sunscreen is for you! With 23% zinc oxide this will be your secret weapon for a day at the beach. Especially since it adds the extra punch of being water resistant, making it ideal for rambunctious kids!
There is nothing I love more than a day out in the sun, but a day out doesn’t mean you have to choose between chemicals or going without. You have options! So slather up in the good stuff, throw on a beautiful summer hat (like this one or this one, OMG it’s so damn cute!) and get outside! And don’t forget to put your feet in the grass!
(a few of the above products are sponsored by the kickass team over at Follain, the premier all-natural company that guarantees they have vetted all their products and made a promise to you that it’s safe. We love them and hope you do too!)