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Staying Safe in the Sun

Some great advice from RoKai, my supplier of the All Natural Sunscreen stocked at Zero Waste Market Place.

 

We highly recommend people avoid exposure during the hours of 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its strongest - RoKai™ is not a sunblock and it's not waterproof, and shouldn't expect to be used as such. 

 

Understanding Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

  • SPF25 means that it will take up to 25 times longer to burn when you use it than you would if you were to not use anything in the same environmental conditions.
  • Reapplying a mineral sunscreen like Shade frequently does not allow you to spend more time in the sun than the original 25 times...this is a common misconception. It only ensures you still have coverage for the remaining time within that original 25 times time frame...
  • SPF25 gives you 96% protection from UVB rays - that also means that 4% of rays are still reaching the skin. This, over time, can still cause burning and topping up doesn't reset this exposure back to 0%!
  • Unlike many chemical sunscreens, RoKai™ does not contain burn inhibitors which switch off the burning sensation. If you feel you are beginning burn, it's your body's warning to you that you have been exposed for too long, and the sensible approach is to cover up by wearing clothing or move out of the sun altogether. 
  • The danger of sunscreens that contain burn inhibitors is that the damage is still being done, but you just can't feel it - a bit like taking painkillers that mask the pain - ignoring the body's messages that there is a problem does not resolve the problem.

 

What constitutes 'adequate coverage'?

 

  • Any sunscreen should be applied adequately to ensure the full SPF is achieved. The general recommendation for absorbent, chemical sunscreen lotions is approximately one shot glass full per average adult body, half a teaspoon's worth for a face. If you halve this amount and use less than required, you are actually square-rooting the SPF rendering an SPF25 for example into an SPF5; an SPF50 into SPF7! 
  • RoKai is thicker than the average sunscreen lotion, and so it applies quite thickly, but don't shy away from the 'white cast' as this is the zinc oxide active ingredient layer. If you apply it so thinly that this layer can't be seen, then it means you are minimising the efficacy of the product. Many people are not aware of this, and unfortunately are more concerned about how they look than how they are using their sunscreen, but this is crucial if you are going to rely heavily on your sunscreen to protect you.
  • Be aware there are other factors which can make skin more vulnerable to the sun's rays, such as certain medications, and other factors such as reflective surfaces, for example water, snow (intensifies rays by and extra 80%!), even grass, and pavements have reflective properties, and altitude intensifies exposure also.

As you will see from reviews, we have many customers who are more than happy with RoKai™: for many it's the only sunscreen they can use due to allergies to other sunscreen ingredients and has been tested to EU standards on human subjects in laboratory and real conditions. It is proven to work as a safe and effective broad spectrum SPF25 sunscreen when used appropriately..