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Safe Ayurvedic Sunscreen Oil
By Dr. Helen Thomas, D.C. | June 12, 2008
With yesterday’s post about the hazards of most sunscreen formulas, we had many readers guessing which all-natural oil Ayurveda recommends for safe protection…
Chris Cade of Spiritual Stories & Parables wrote, “My guess is olive oil… but that’s my guess for everything! I guess I’ll just have to wait to find out.”
Actually, olive oil, being a highly polyunsaturated fat, offers little resistance to the sun…
Why Polyunsaturated Oils Offer Little Sun Resistance
Plant sources (e.g. sesame or sunflower) for polyunsaturated oils come from the north (where there is less sunlight) and offer little resistance to the sun. While saturated oils from the tropics, do. As Cynkay Morningsong commented…
“My guess would be Coconut Oil. It is the only moisturizer I’ve used for years. I have a fairly light complexion but usually look like I have a nice healthy tan because it works so well.”
That’s a good guess. And yes, summer being the pitta time of the year, coconut oil is an ideal choice for both your skin and for cooking. It actually makes your skin more vitamin D resistant, since there’s an abundance of sunlight in the summer (or in the tropics)
It was Actually Travis and Sangeet Kaur
Who Got It Right…
The sunscreen oil recommended in Ayurveda is from the fruit and seeds of the evergreen neem tree, indigenous to India. Of course, neem oil is recommended for a host of issues. Indians call the Neem tree the “Village Pharmacy” (rough translation) because of its varied uses.
Application: You just need a thin layer on exposed skin. As a general recommendation, apply every 60-90 minutes or three times in a four hour period. It really depends on humidity (e.g. the desert versus the ocean), how dark and dry your skin is and how often you keep up with your daily oil massage.
Neem oil alkalizes the skin, reducing its acid content while keeping it moist. This means it won’t react to heat as easily.
Think of food in a frying pan. How do you stop it from burning and drying out? Oil. Right.
You can mix the neem oil with a little ghee or coconut oil if the neem smell is not to your liking.
In a future issue I’ll talk to you more about neem and all the other things it can do for you. But for now, I just wanted to make sure you were aware of a safe alternative to sunscreen lotion.
Why Isn’t Neem Heavily Promoted as
The Ultimate Sunscreen Lotion?
As reader Hope Rose explained, “…a chemical company cannot make it for next to nothing and sell it for a bundle.” She’s right. Also, like drugs versus herbs, you can’t patent neem oil . If you can’t patent it, you can’t monopolize it. There’s just not as much profit in selling natural ingredients.
So give neem a try and let me know how it works for you and whether you have any questions about its usage. I’m here to help! You can get a bottle for under eight dollars at Amazon.com .
P.S. Sue asked, “Is it also effective against mosquitoes that carry dengue fever or malaria, as I’m not really keen on smearing DEET on my skin for the entire time I’m away on holiday this summer.” Definitely, neem can both protect you from the sun and from mosquitoes. Just apply it over exposed skin as explained above. If you are suffering from bites, neem will also help with the itching and swelling.
P.P.S. For more information about skin care, check out this article I wrote, What in the World Are You Feeding Your Skin? , which explains the truth about most commercially prepared moisturizers.
P.P.P.S. We are considering (amongst other ideas) putting together a volume you could use that lists Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies for various woes. We might call it the “Ayurvedic Herbalist Handbook.” Let us know below if this is something you’d like to have in your personal library. Just leave a comment below.
Topics: Ayurveda & Skin Care, Ayurveda & Sunlight |
13 Responses to “Safe Ayurvedic Sunscreen Oil”
Comments
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June 12th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Neem oil is definitely an acquired smell. Good to know we can add something to it to make it a little more delicate smelling. I was wondering if you could go into more detail about how much to put on in the different climates…I live in a humid climate and have light skin but what if we went on vacation in a drier climate and you have skipped your daily massage a few times that week? My baby son is also light skinned but always has his daily massage–how much do we put on him in the humid summer? Thanks.
June 12th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I do like the idea of the Herbalist Handbook
June 12th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Yes I would like the ‘handbook’! I would also like more info on how much to put on (same questions as Nicole). Thanks.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I would be the first to purchase an Ayurvedic Herbalist Handbook written by you. I thought I read somewhere that you had written a book on Ayurveda. If so please let me know where I could get a copy? All of your articles have been absolutely priceless and a big help in improving my health. Thank you.
Blessings,
Delia Trujillo
June 12th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I too would be interested in an Ayurvedic Herbalist Handbook.
I encountered a man in Jamaica who was planting neem trees as a forestry project in rural villages to help keep the mosquito population down, not to mention to provide shade. It has always sounded like a wonderful tree.
Thanks, Helen
June 12th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Your sunscreen article couldn’t have come at a better time! I’m fair-skinned w/ red hair and had a bout with skin cancer that was successfully removed last summer and all the while my dermatologist recommended I use chemical-laden sunscreens- am I relieved there is a natural solution! Thank you- I’m going to order from amazon right now!
June 13th, 2008 at 7:12 am
Helen, a herbal handbook would be a great tool for all! Keep up the good work! Susan C
June 13th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Helen, an herbal handbook sounds so useful. I hope you have it available soon. Thank you for all the natural and healthy ways you are teaching us to make our lives healthier~~carol
June 15th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
A herbal handbook would be really great–especially if it could also include some information either on interactions with some meds or its effects on some of the major endocrine glands and hormones. For example, taking vitamin or nutritional supplements that contain kelp will increase thyroid function–and could put one into a hyperthyroid state if the person is also taking thyroid medication.
June 18th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
So I bought a bottle of Neem oil at Whole Foods last week, and spent several hours sunbathing over the weekend (I have medium skin that tans essily). I don’t care if it smells a little funny, my skin looks smooth and nourished and NO sunburn. Check this stuff out!
June 20th, 2008 at 1:24 am
I’m so glad you’re bringing this wealth of information to us… I firmly believe it’s been intentionally buried for the benefit of those trying to poison us with expensive, toxic products. I’d love to see that handbook for remedies!!
June 30th, 2008 at 10:54 am
I love the idea of having an ayurvedically sound herbal handbook. I am only just discovering ayurveda, but it seems much better than our normal western philsophy of “cover it with tons of chemicals, that’ll kill it”. It’s slowly killing us too.
I do have a question however. Do you have any recommendations for someone who seems to have acquired an allergy to the UV Radiation in sunlight? I get a rash similar to contact allergy when I get too much sunlight.
Thank you,
Lydia C.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:45 am
good site tlmdoa