Beauty Buzz

Do SPF Moisturisers Work?

We Make Natural Skincare Make Sense...

REAL TALK

Are the 'experts' wrong?


It seems to have become FACT that if you want to protect your skin from premature ageing you must defend it with an SPF moisturiser. We are often asked why Natural Elements, the best the UK has to offer in natural anti-ageing, doesn’t have any SPF products?  Especially when we preach so much about prevention of premature ageing…


Is having a SPF in your moisturiser useless in preventing skin cancer and what is really causing these concerning increases? Let’s break the science down:

SOME FACTS

Non-melanoma skin cancers are rising...

In the last 15 years, an increase in dermatologists and other skin experts telling patients to use moisturisers with SPF has now become mainstream. And yet, skin cancer has continued to climb every year.


Rates of skin cancer are increasing faster than any other cancer in the UK, with figures doubling every 10-20 years. Over 16,000 cases of melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) are diagnosed every year in the UK. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that by 2025, the number of cases of melanoma skin cancer in the UK will rise to 19,513.


More people die from skin cancer in the UK than in Australia.

UVA - THE BIG PROBLEM

Now for UVA, this radiation emitted by the sun is everywhere and SPF moisturiser most likely won’t protect you from UVA (and if you do they may not be using a very effective ingredient to do it).


All of our prevention facial and body oils have vital oils that prevent the main cause of damage from UVA by decreasing oxidative stress to cells and oxidative phosphorylation, which attacks our main cells (like mitochondria). There is even evidence that the materials used in SPFs could increase that damage.  


So no, we don’t put SPF protection in our products because it’s not needed. We protect against the real threat when it comes to premature ageing and that is UVA.


When you see an anti-ageing product that contains SPF, ask if it protects against UVB and UVA because if you want to protect against pigmentation and skin damage it must protect you from UVA.

What We Are Getting Wrong About the effects of UV Damage

SPF moisturisers are not working & making things worse?

You have UVB and UVA from the sun. UVB is the burn, UVA is the radiation emitted by the sun. SPF protects your skin from the burn, usually through reflective particles contained in the product that bounces the UVB ray away from the skin.  


Titanium dioxide Is the common ingredient and coats the skin to reflect UVB. It has been shown when present to increase the photogenic free radical cell damage. It also prevents vitamin D production within the skin, which is a major health concern in the western world. 


If you want to stop the burn we recommend being cautious with the sun; build up your melanin slowly each day (15 minutes in the sun first day, 20 minutes in the sun the next) and ultimately stay in the shade the rest of the time.


If you have no choice but to be in the sun for a long time then apply a natural oil first before putting on a SPF cream, this way the oil acts as a barrier and stops the SPF molecules being absorbed by the body.




UV Filters are on the list of top offenders!

Glamour Magazine released an article about beauty toxins killing marine life. 

You may have heard about the great step that Hawaii took in Jan 2018 to ban the sale of any sunscreens that contained oxybenzone and octinoxate by 2021. If this wasn't enough for people to realise how dangerous some UV filters could be, then the latest research should help.


The magazine published, 'The ingredients have been shown to be toxic to marine life, including deformed coral larvae, plankton and algae, as well as accumulating in the muscles of fish and crustaceans (which humans then eat). On top of the threat to the marine eco-system, these two chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors, and may cause disruption to human hormones when absorbed through the skin or ingested through contaminated food. While there isn't enough research to say for certain, many researchers suspect that the chemicals may result in a host of health problems, including breast cancer, birth defects and DNA damage when they enter the blood stream.'

Facial UVA Protection

Protection From Premature Ageing - For Sensitive Skin

Body UVA Protection

With Sun Damage & Pigmentation -  Natural Oil Repair 

Blend Oil With This Moisturiser - Extra Hydration & Matt Finish

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Blending Moisturiser | 50ml | Use with any Facial Oil

Designed for use after our Facial Oils to lock in the benefits, create a protective layer on the skin that leaves a matt, smooth finish. Ideal as a primer for makeup. Essential Fatty Acids support, protect and repair the skin barrier and hydrolipid film. No need for polluting and damaging UV filters!


CHF 20.00

Are SPFs Protecting Your Skin or Are They Dangerous?