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Every season the sun beckons us outdoors to enjoy its warmth and light. While sunlight is life giving, evidence that sun exposure has negative effects on skin has steadily grown. Once thought to be the natural result of aging, wrinkles and loss of elasticity are now being linked to sun damage. Skin cancer is on the rise and experts believe long term, cumulative sun exposure is a major culprit. Nothing can reverse years of tanning and sunburning, but we can and certainly should protect our skin from further damage.

Dr. Hauschka Skin Care is naturally concerned with protecting the skin from excessive sun damage and premature aging. We believe a holistic approach to sun care should include a balance between sun protection and sun worship. Your sun care strategy should include minimizing sun exposure during peak hours, wearing protective clothing, staying well hydrated and using appropriate sunscreen products.

In addition to offering protection from the sun, sunscreens should care for the skin. Dr. Hauschka sunscreens contain unique ingredients to protect and nurture. Botanical extracts that are high in antioxidants, including esculin from horse chestnut, oryzanol from rice germ, sea buckthorn and rose hip provide added sun protection and repair sun damage. Nourishing oils of jojoba and shea butter with hydrating quince and ice plant extracts moisturize and replenish sun-parched skin.

Sunscreens protect skin from ultraviolet light, which occurs in the form of UVB and UVA rays. UVB rays are responsible for sunburn. UVA rays are the prime suspects for causing the most dangerous forms of skin cancer. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. An SPF number indicates the factor by which a sunscreen prevents sunburn. For instance, if you normally sunburn after 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure, applying a sunscreen SPF8 would allow you to stay in the sun 8 times longer, about 2 hours and 40 minutes, before sunburning.

The SPF only measures a product’s ability to protect against UVB rays. Unfortunately, UVA protection is not currently indicated on sunscreen labels and UVA damage can occur without any evidence of sunburn. All sunscreens protect against UVB rays but some provide better UVA protection than others. A sunscreen that only protects against UVB allows the user to stay out longer, increasing exposure to dangerous UVA rays.

Sunscreen agents approved for use by the FDA include several synthetic chemicals and two natural minerals titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Unlike mineral sunscreens that reflect light, synthetic sunscreen agents work by absorbing energy from ultraviolet light. Synthetic sunscreen agents do not offer immediate sun protection and must be applied 30 minutes to 2 hours before sun exposure. Many of these synthetic chemicals have been shown to be irritating and allergenic. Synthetic sunscreen agents penetrate the skin and may enter the bloodstream. Some even cause photosensitivity, an increased susceptibility to sunburn.

Dr. Hauschka Sunscreens use only the minerals titanium dioxide, and now, zinc oxide in Sunscreen Cream SPF 20 and the new Sunscreen Spray for Children and Sensitive Skin SPF 20. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the gentlest, most non-irritating sun filters available and the least likely to cause photosensitivity disorders. Unlike chemical sun filters, which lose their efficacy over time, mineral sunscreens have a much longer shelf life without the need for strong preservatives. Titanium dioxide reflects both UVA and UVB rays, offering complete protection. Zinc oxide is now employed in the line because it offers an even broader spectrum of protection in the UVA range and is now available in micronized form.

The innovation of micronization has improved the performance of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. The ultra-fine, micronized particles create a thin, even layer of protection that is more transparent than non-micronized varieties. Micronized titanium dioxide must be coated to prevent the small particles from clumping together and diminishing sun protection. Coating materials currently available for titanium dioxide include aluminum, or silicones that employ synthetics like butyl glycol as carriers.

Dr. Hauschka Sunscreens use titanium dioxide coated only with aluminum stearate and aluminum hydroxide because we believe it is the safest, most effective coating material available. The coating is such a small amount, less than 2%, that until recently, it was not necessary to list it as an ingredient. This minute amount of aluminum does not create an antiperspirant effect and should not be confused with aluminum chlorhydrates and other similar compounds found in antiperspirants. Research has shown that the aluminum compounds used as a coating material will not penetrate the skin. There is no danger of absorbing aluminum from using Dr. Hauschka Sunscreens.

To be labeled ‘waterproof,’ a sunscreen must withstand at least 80 minutes of immersion in water. Most ingredients available for this purpose are synthetic and potentially toxic (like PVP, polyvinyl pyrrolidone) and do not allow the skin to breathe. WALA Heilmittel selects a healthy alternative, combining natural plant oils canola and Chinese wood in a simple process. The highly water-resistant compound, Brassica campestris/Aleurites fordi oil copolymer is completely non-toxic and allows the skin to breathe.

Dr. Hauschka products are subject to WALA Heilmittel’s strict principles regarding safe, humane and environmentally sound formulating, manufacturing and quality control practices. All plant ingredients are grown, harvested and processed using exacting standards for agriculture. All minerals in Dr. Hauschka sunscreens, titanium, zinc and aluminum, are mined and purified by environmentally sound practices. These products are not tested on animals. All Dr. Hauschka Sun Care products are “Certified Natural Cosmetics” under the guidelines of the German Natural Cosmetics Trade Group of BDIH (Bundesverband deutscher Industrie und Handelsunternehmen), which independently verifies compliance with the above criteria.

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