Vitamin Sun

FENN explores how and why building a healthy relationship with the sun has a considerable impact on your wellbeing.

Australia is without a doubt a sunny place, and we are aware that we need to ensure we are protecting our skin from the intense sunlight to reduce our risk of skin cancers, signs of ageing such as sun spots, dehydration and wrinkles. That being said, we want to remind you that incorporating sunshine into your day thoughtfully is bountifully beneficial.

The majority of our human history was spent outside, and during that time, our skin developed adaptations to produce beneficial nutrients from the sun. Optimal vitamin D synthesis takes place from morning until noon. Let some sun shine on your arms and legs during a walk, yoga, or a hike when the sun’s rays are gentle enough not to burn our skin, but potent enough for optimal synthesising. Nearly 75 percent of adults and teenagers are vitamin D deficient, which is why it is important that we NOT fear the sun and always cover up. Lack of vitamin D can exacerbate a variety of health issues, while getting enough D greatly improves our overall health.

Ensuring adequate amounts of vitamin D means striking the perfect balance with our food intake, supplements and sun exposure. Humans can obtain vitamin D in three ways: absorbing it from the sun, consuming it via food sources and supplementation.

The form of vitamin D we make when exposed to sunlight is D3, or cholecalciferol, which is also found in animal-based foods like: fatty fish, liver, and egg yolks. D2, Ergocalciferol is found in supplements, fortified foods, mushrooms and a few other plants. Whether you eat animal products or not, you may want to consider supplementing during winter months or if you live far from the equator. When looking for a vitamin D supplement we recommend consulting with a health practitioner such as our naturopath Alice Flannery.

Food has an amazing capacity to change our internal landscape, and therefore how our skin reacts to the sun. We like to nourish our body with an abundance of colourful fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and fiber because these nutrient-dense, pigment-rich foods help protect our skin from within — acting as an internal SPF.

For breakfast, we like to lean into fruits high in antioxidants (especially lycopene), minerals and vitamins to support our capacity to better receive the sun’s rays. Lycopene, an antioxidant that gives fruit its red color, has been shown to absorb both UVA and UVB radiation. And a diet rich in lycopene could offer our bodies a 30% increase in all over sun protection. To bump lycopene intake, opt for red fruits like watermelons, tomatoes, strawberries and raspberries.

Other sun synergising superfoods to prioritise include turmeric, green tea/matcha, dark leafy greens and berries.

When our body is well taken care of and fuelled with organic, high quality plant foods, everything works better, including our skin’s relationship to the sun.

If you’re likely to be outside for longer periods of time, you may want to apply a natural mineral based sunscreen to prevent sunburn. MOTHER SPF is our go to full body sunscreen. Some types of sunscreens can prevent our skin from receiving any benefits from the sun’s rays, so choose your sunscreen wisely or opt for some SPF free time for 10-15 minutes.

It is important to note that mineral sunscreen should be used instead of chemical sunscreens because natural SPFs reflect both UVA and UVB rays, while chemical sunscreens only immobilise UVB rays. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing UVB rays and turning them into heat while allowing UVA rays to penetrate our skin. Exposure to UVA rays without the protective features of UVB rays have been linked to wrinkles and skin cancer. In short, chemical sunscreens may disable our skin’s natural warning systems — the onset of a sunburn — and make us more susceptible to long term skin damage, unknowingly overexposing our skin to UV radiation. Mineral sunscreens on the other hand block both UVA and UVB rays, protecting our skin from the sun when our skin has had enough.

Since all plants survive and thrive in the sun, they have each developed a unique set of mechanisms for protection. We recommend products that rely on potent plant extracts to lend our skin their learned wisdom. 

If you’re going to be spending the day outdoors, we also recommend adding a vitamin C serum into your skin care routine, as topical vitamin C has been shown to optimise the efficacy of our SPF.

FENN favourites include:

Medik8 Tetra C Luxe

Medik8 Daily Radiance Vitamin C Creme

Raaie’s Morning Dew Vitamin C Serum

Hyeja’s Vitamin C Brightening Serum

Josh Rosebrook’s C Bright Complex

And it goes without saying, apply SPF to your face, even on cloudy days, to protect your complexion from both UVA and UVB rays. Our favourite natural, SPFs for face are:

Rationale Superfluid SPF 30 (Available in 6 tints)

Rationale’s #3 The Serum: SPF 50+ and tinted

Mother SPF Tinted Touch Up

Josh Rosebrook Tinted Nutrient Day Cream

Wishing you all a happy sun-safe summer ahead.