Can my Facial oil provide sunscreen protection?
Do some lipid oils provide sunscreen protection?
I see a lot of posts about this in “clean beauty” blogs and posts. You should ditch the sunscreens full of “harmful chemicals” and use natural oils or butter like shea or coconut oil instead.
Well, you can.
Just be prepared to look like a wrinkled old prune and possibly cause irreversible skin damage to your cells.
But “Natural” is always better. Right?
There is a time and a place for natural beauty products. You can probably replace many of your daily products with naturally made alternatives. They have significant benefits to your skin, are gentler on your body, and, in most cases, are better for the environment. However, properly formulated products containing safe, suitable chemicals undergo rigorous tests and compliance procedures before they reach the market.
You can choose which products to switch between wisely. The main aim should be skin protection and the prevention of disease.
Natural is great, but protection should be at the priority
As someone who grew up in sunny climates and eternal sunshine, I appreciate well-formulated sunscreen. I love the newer light, quick-to-absorb ones out there. Some even use more natural ingredients but still add the chemical elements needed for proper sunscreen protection.
Facial oils and skin protection
I also love my facial oils and apply them generously day and night. Sun exposure and season changes can cause havoc on your skin’s hydration and moisture levels. Facial oils containing appropriate lipid oils are excellent for restoring a healthy skin barrier.
Want to get a bit geekier about how it all works and what your skin actually does when you sit in tithe sun for too long?
What happens when you sit in the sun for too long?
When the skin is overexposed to ultraviolet radiation, it causes sunburn (erythema), which is damage on the cellular level that triggers an inflammation response in the body. This reaction is natural and vital in the body's healing process.
What is inflammation?
Inflammation happens when the body detects a potential injury or harm. This can be from various sources, like bacteria, toxins or trauma (bumping your hand or even a paper cut). In this case, we are talking about heat damage which triggers the response.
The damaged cells respond by releasing chemicals that combat that potential threat. These chemicals cause swelling by leaking fluids from the blood vessels into the tissues. It's a kind of containment field that goes around the injured area to isolate it and begin the healing process around it.
When skin injury happens, like sunburn, the tissues swell up and sometimes even blister. T-cell response, which would typically help in the healing process, is impaired and can delay the healing of injured skin tissue.
So what about your facial oils? Can they help?
Your facial oils contain Lipid oils rich in essential fatty acids. Omega -6 and omega-3 can convert compounds that help suppress inflammation and return the immune reaction to normal functions. It modulates that response and ensures that your skin and body calm down and settle after being on high alert.
The levels these oils are applied to the skin can affect its response to UV damaging rays. They help to shield the skin with their anti-oxidative properties. In that sense, they can defend the skin from the damage caused by UV rays.
“It is crucial to note the difference between sun protection and sunscreen.”
Lipid oils can offer a certain level of protection to the skin structure when exposed to the sunlight; however they are not a barrier to the damaging rays that can cause sunburn-like sunscreen can, so they should not be used in place of a properly formulated sunscreen.
Ideally, apply your facial oil first to help hydrate and protect your skin and follow up with a good quality lightweight sunscreen that helps to protect your skin from damage over the long run.
