How To Protect Your Skin From the Sun Naturally!

Sunshine is imperative for any kind of life on earth. Vitamin D deficiencies and depression are not uncommon in absence of sunshine exposure. However, it is also powerful and penetrative. Especially in the Indian summer it can have a really affect our skin. The parts that are directly exposed to it like our face are always at higher risk. Of late pollution and ozone layer depletion has made it worse and UV rays have started damaging our skin cells at a much faster rate. While you can buy face packs or plenty of sunscreen lotions available in the market, the efficacy of such products is suspect. Also, very strong chemicals can always have an adverse reaction on the skin. Thankfully there are several ingredients easily found in our homes that can be used as natural protection against the sun. So, in the spirit of living our lives organically, here's how to protect your skin from the sun naturally!

How To Protect Your Skin From the Sun Naturally!

• Use Yoghurt: Yoghurt is important for two reasons. Its high protein content can help reconstruct sun damaged cells while the good bacteria can fight off the harmful ones. It should always form a part of your diet unless you are lactose intolerant and otherwise it also has a very cool and soothing impact on the skin when applied externally.

• Essential Oils: Various types of essential oils and even normal oils are known to beneficial for the skin. Oils such as coconut, sesame, tea tree and primrose are not only nourishing for the skin with their vitamin content but they are known to block a major percentage of the UV rays. In this day and age, this is one of the easiest ways of protecting yourself from the man-made environmental damages.

Editor's note: Pure Mart presents a range of essential oils that you can buy online easily. Pure Mart sources essential oil from Neev Soaps Organic farms that are certified by Craftmark and Khadi and are absolutely organic.

• Vitamin Rich Food: Healthy skin requires certain vitamins and minerals in good quantity. So, it is not only enough to apply lotions on the face but also important to eat right. Go for vegetables and leafy greens that are high in beta carotene such as spinach, kale, sweet potatoes etc. For vitamin C choose fruits like oranges and guava and also drink lemon water. Tomatoes, grapefruit, papaya, broccoli, watermelon etc. also contain many good nutrients essential for the skin. Also consume food rich in omega 3 fatty acids which as various nuts like almonds and cashew and also add olive oil to the mix. Also try to include the likes of fish oil, cheese and egg yolk in your diet which are excellent natural sources of Vitamin D and nuts, nut butters and various types of seeds that provide Vitamin E.

• Green tea: Green Tea is a well-known healthy beverage consumed by many. But it can also be applied externally. It has strong antioxidants that fight off harmful free radicals on the skin and sooths it when it is scorched by the unforgiving summer sun. It has also been known to be a deterrent against skin cancer. While you should surely drink it, you can also use it as a face cleanser. Just soak some of it water for a few hours and then wash the face with it!

BONUS: Make your own DIY green tea cleansing scrub also to lighten your scars

It's simple. Use some used green tea leaves in a bowl. Add a spoonful of organic honey and a small teaspoon of rice flour to make a mixture. Now use your fingers to gently rub this on your face and also your body if you wish. This mixture exfoliates dead skin cells, makes scares lighter and gives you awesome natural skin! Let it rest for 5 minutes, wash off and then use a skin moisturizer on top! Here's a video that explains the steps for you to follow. This scrub is great when your skin has developed some acne due to continued sun exposure as it helps lighten the scars naturally.

• Herbs: There various herbs available in the nature which are extremely good for the skin. Herbs such as lavender and rosemary have anti-inflammatory as well as anti-microbial properties that can protect and rejuvenate your skin. They are also capable of softening the impact of UV radiation. If you do not already have any of them in your garden then you can also find products such as essential Lavender oil in the market.