Shade Sunscreen

‘Normal’ sunscreen pretty much all comes in plastic packaging. We know the issues there, so the only thing to add is that sunscreen bottles aren’t often recycled, as they are often made out of a mixture of types of plastics and are unlikely to be cleaned out before being put in the bin. They are also disposed of quite regularly ‘on the go’ whilst at the beach for example, which often lacks recycling bins.

 

The ingredients of Shade are all-natural, which means they are biodegradable and unlikely to hang around in the environment when the sunscreen washes off you. This isn’t always the case with sunscreens including lots of man-made ingredients, as whilst they are very effective at protecting you from the sun’s rays, anything that happens to the ingredients afterwards isn’t really considered. This narrow vision of purpose and design has unfortunately led to unintended environmental consequences. Many of the ingredients used by the leading (or your average) sunscreen brands have been found to be implicated in coral bleaching, and have a very detrimental effect on the health of the world’s reefs. For more in-depth info, see this study 

 

The ‘HEL List’ by Haereticus Environmental Laboratory points out the ingredients which are the most harmful to marine environments. The HEL LIST includes:

• Any form of microplastic sphere or beads.
• Any nanoparticles like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. (Shade uses non-nano zinc oxide for this reason as it is deemed safe)
• Oxybenzone
• Octinoxate
• 4-methylbenzylidene camphor
• Octocrylene
• Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)
• Methyl Paraben
• Ethyl Paraben
• Propyl Paraben
• Butyl Paraben
• Benzyl Paraben
• Triclosan

Check any old bottles of sunscreen you have lying around to see if they contain any of these ingredients. If it does, whatever you do, don’t use it and then swim in the sea!

Good for sensitive skin, only four ingredients, so not much to be irritated by! The ingredients used have been chosen partially for their suitability for those with sensitive skin, as ‘normal’ sunscreens tend to have a lot of potential irritants in their ingredients. (The stronger the factor the stronger the ingredients too, so factor 50 could potentially be more irritating to the skin than lower factors if the sun cream has an ingredient you react to in it.) As I've mentioned above, the ingredients in Shade are also not harmful to marine life, so swim away! 

 

This sunscreen is very moisturising, so you can use it as a moisturiser if you’ve run out or as an after sun to preserve your tan, less products used means less to carry around too.

 

It’s in a tin. What’s the advantage of that? Well, you can reuse the tin once you’ve finished with it, I’ve found it makes a good travel soap dish, but obviously, the possibilities of reuse are only limited to your imagination. Or, if you have approximately one million containers already lying around the house and can’t possibly find a use for one more, you can put it in the recycling. Another advantage of the tin format is that you can use up every single last drop of sunscreen. Unlike the plastic squeezy or spray bottles of sun cream, which seem as if they are used up when actually there's loads left in there, but just not enough left to be able to use the squeeze or spray function with. Always a waste, that.

 

Will it leak? Unless you are holidaying in Death Valley it won’t melt, so this isn’t anything to worry about. (The melting temperature of beeswax is 64⁰c) It will soften in higher temperatures, but not so much that it liquefies.

 

What about a vegan or tinted version? – hold your horses, as Not The Norm, the company that makes Shade, is working on creating these versions! I’ll stock them when available.

Sunscreen or sun cream prices can vary dramatically. You can buy them in bargain style shops for a couple of quid, or spend £20+ on some fancy brand from a pharmacy.

 

Average price wise, normally sunscreen seems to be around £4-8 for 100ml - 200ml when bought in the UK. If you are buying ‘travel sized’ smaller containers that are under 100ml you can pay up a lot for the privilege of being able to take it in your hand luggage. This obviously ends up being a rip-off for the amount you get, and smaller containers mean more packaging for less product…leading to more plastic waste. 

 

What I do know, is that if you neglect to buy sun cream in the UK to take on holiday, it will often cost you a fortune, as countries which get much more sunshine than us Brits tend to use sunscreen far, far less than us pale northerners*. This means sunscreen is sold to tourists at a premium price because the local population doesn’t have much need for the stuff. I’ve also found that sunscreen tends only to be sold in pharmacies rather than supermarkets, in some areas of continental Europe at least, presumably because it isn’t an ‘everyday’ purchase for locals. Anyhow, you will probably end up paying well over 10 Euros for a bottle of sun cream so it always pays, or should I say saves, to take some with you.

 

*By which I refer to our geographical location as an island in the upper northern hemisphere, as well as the consequent amount and strength of sunshine received and how this affects the population.

 

I would hazard a guess then, that overall, Shade is cheap in comparison to sunscreens bought whilst on holiday, but tends to be more expensive than the leading brands sold in the UK. Which I imagine is unsurprising to hear, as unfortunately eco-friendly products made by small businesses are more expensive a lot of the time. It’s all economies of scale, so the more people adopt these kinds of products, the better for our wallets they’ll end up being in the long run, or so we hope. For now, a couple of quid extra isn’t that much, especially in comparison to how much we will spend on the holiday when we’ll be using this sunscreen. If it means we can continue to enjoy snorkelling and diving reefs around the world for years to come rather than swimming through graveyards of coral, well that’s another few pennies well spent in my mind.

 

In my own personal testing of this product I’ve found that a little goes a long way, so the tin was good value in terms of how much use we (2 people, plus a few extra using a little to test out when I offered) had out of one tin. One 200ml pot (they don’t seem to make that size any longer though for some reason) lasted us all summer here in the UK, and as outdoorsy types, along with the heat wave, we had plenty of chance to use it! Obviously, how long it will last for you all depends on how many people are using it, how much skin you are covering at a time etc, but I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Shade has a shelf life of 3 years unopened and 12 months when opened, so it will last until next year’s holiday too if you have any left!

What is it made from?

Ingredients: 36% Butyrospermum Parkii butter (shea butter), 36% Cocos Nucifera oil (coconut oil), 10% Cera Alba (beeswax), 18% Zinc Oxide.

 

The shea butter used in Shade is ‘100% natural, Soil Association certified organic unrefined shea butter’, used for its skin conditioning and viscosity controlling properties.

 

The coconut oil used is ‘CoconoilTM Unrefined Virgin Organic Coconut Oil (also Soil Association certified)’. It is also has a natural, although low, SPF, and is used here also for its perfuming and skin conditioning properties.

 

The beeswax used in this product is ‘premium pure unrefined beeswax, which is completely non-toxic. Beeswax locks in moisture and has excellent water-repellent properties. It is a naturally nourishing moisturiser, as well as being an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergenic and is a germicidal antioxidant.’ Beeswax is therefore used in this product for its emollient, emulsifying as well as for its perfuming properties.

 

The zinc oxide used in Shade is a ‘Gold Seal Zinc Oxide, a premium quality uncoated, non-nano zinc oxide. Widely acknowledged as offering the safest, broadest-spectrum sun protection possible, which also has a cooling, slightly astringent, antiseptic, antibacterial and protective action on the skin, making ShadeTM a perfect aftersun also.’ It is used here mainly for its skin protection, and UV absorbing qualities.

 

Shade™ says…'We've sourced and perfectly blended a combination of the most natural moisturising and sun-resistant ingredients we could find to make this highly effective sunscreen. 72% organic, unrefined and non-Nano, it's perfect for sensitive skin.’

 

Packaging – Comes in a recyclable aluminium ‘tin’. Shade™ says that ‘Stability tests have demonstrated that there is no leaching from the tin into the product.’

 

Where does it come from?

Made in the UK.

 

Is it sustainable?

Aluminium – The container is made of aluminium, which is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust, making up about 8% of it. Aluminium is very chemically reactive, so is mostly found combined with many different types of minerals. It has a low density and doesn’t corrode easily (although it does react to dissolved chlorides such as sodium chloride/salt), making it a very useful material, and is often used for transportation of other materials for these reasons. Aluminium was not produced as a metal until the 1800s, so widespread use of aluminium metal did not begin until nearly a century later. Although aluminium is an abundant element, deposits of ores which can be used to make aluminium metal are not as common as you’d expect given the amount of it the Earth contains. China is responsible for most of the output and production of aluminium. It is very energy intensive to create, so most smelting forges are located in areas where electricity is cheap. The energy use is so high, that in the US aluminium production uses 5% of all the US’s electricity! This is why recycling aluminium is extremely important, as recycling aluminium uses only 5% of the energy it would take to create virgin aluminium, a huge difference. It is one of the most valuable materials for recycling for this reason, and recycling rates tend to be higher than for most other materials. Most aluminium cans will be made from recycled material or contain a high percentage of recycled content. Aluminium is one of the most easily recycled materials, as it can be recycled over and over again without any downgrade in quality, unlike plastic, which is ‘downcycled’ as the quality of the material decreases each time it is recycled.

 

Shea Butter – is great. It is very sustainable and environmentally friendly in production because it does not grow in plantations, (it is therefore wild) and has no need for irrigation or pesticides. Unrefined shea butter is best.

 

Coconut Oil - seems to be ok, not much info I can find for now.

 

Beeswax – is one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable waxes.

 

Zinc Oxide – Most zinc oxide is synthetically produced, there are three main ways of producing it, but if you happen to have a zinc anode, you can make your own by electrolysing a solution of sodium bicarbonate if you really wanted to. (I’m not actually recommending you do this mind.) It has a long history of use as a medicine, including for skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis for which it is still used. It was also once used as a treatment for skin cancer, although it isn’t used for such purposes nowadays. Some of the properties which make zinc oxide useful are its ‘high refractive index, high thermal conductivity, binding, antibacterial and UV-protection properties.’ Zinc oxide isn’t toxic, but for those working with zinc oxide, if you inhale zinc oxide fumes it can be a hazard, so this could potentially be an issue. As zinc oxide is not an allergen, and does not block pores or irritate the skin, it is seen as perfect for use in sunscreens and is approved for use in sunscreens by the FDA. It is photostable and absorbs the broadest spectrum of UVA and UVB light that is approved for use on the skin. The spectrum it blocks is UVA 320-400nm (nm = nanometres) and UVB 280-320nm.

 

How about ethical?

Cruelty-free, only tested on humans!

 

Extra good stuff:

Not The Norm, the company behind Shade™ has these extra good qualities -

• ‘We only work with small independent businesses.'
• Won a Gold award from ‘The Green Parent Natural Beauty Awards for 2018, and has ‘won the Janey Loves Best Natural Sunscreen Platinum award both in 2015 and 2016 and has been fully tested for stability, microbiology, heavy metals, broad-spectrum capability and SPF factor to European standards, and I am happy to say is helping many other parents and their children avoid unnecessary chemicals and bad skin reactions.'

 

Tania, who runs Not The Norm, the company that makes Shade runs her business by these values:

‘1. Be honourable in everything I do. To cause no harm, loss or injury to anyone knowingly!

2. Seek to enrich my life through enriching the lives of others. The products I put my energy into make a difference to my customers' lives, in the case of ShadeTM so they can enjoy the sun without fear of UV rays or undesirable toxins.

3. The products I source or make must be 100% natural, safe and effective.’

That sounds like a good ethos to me!

 

Conclusion –

It's a non-toxic, reef-safe, plastic-free, form of sun protection… so why not stay in the Shade, even when you are in the sun!

 

I imagine there is a lot of questions you (rightly) want to ask when considering trying out this sunscreen, as it is rather different from what you have probably previously bought. In fact, there is so much information I have just decided to copy the FAQ’s from Shade’s website for now, as it is going to take me a long time to go through it all and write it up into my own lingo. (Give me time, I’ll deliver the copy eventually!)  Here is then, the facts, presented to you by Shade about their product -

 

What tests has it undergone?

Stability testing, microbiology testing, broad-spectrum sunscreen testing of effectiveness against UVA & UVB rays, and SPF validation tests. All tests conducted to EU standards by Alba Science of Edinburgh.

 

• ISO24443 In vitro Broad Spectrum Protection.
• ISO 24444 In vivo with 13 live subjects. A Cosmetic Study to Determine the In-Vivo Sun Protection Factor of a Sunscreen Formulation.
• Cosmetic Product Safety Data Analysis, conducted by Luciano Molinaro BSc Forensic Science & Investigative Analysis (Hons) (Kingston University), Forensic Chemistry and Trace Analysis, Analytical Methods in Forensic Science (Kingston University).

• Accelerated Stability Test
• ShadeTM is listed on the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP).

 

Who is Shade suitable for?

Suitable for all skin types, of all ages. We get feedback from people with sensitive skin who normally react badly to chemical sun creams that they can use Shade™ without any reaction and it soothes their skin. People with oily skin have found it to be fine for them also - zinc oxide is naturally astringent and so will help to dry out any excess oils. People who like to use Shade™ daily to prevent sun and wind damage in winter for example have found it useful to apply a little moisturiser before applying Shade™ to counteract the drying effect of zinc oxide. This isn't so necessary if you're just using it on holiday for a short period of time.

 

How should I apply it?

If it’s cold and quite firm or shows signs of the zinc oxide molecules ‘clumping’ together (bobbly surface), rub it vigorously with warm fingertips to make it softer, then apply generously at least 15min before exposure to the sun, and then reapply regularly at least every 2 - 3 hours, after exposure to water or after sweating.

 

What constitutes 'Apply Generously'?

'Applying generously' means you need approximately a teaspoon for an adult face, and a shot-glass full for an adult body. Be aware that putting an inadequate amount of sunscreen on effectively square-roots the SPF! So an SPF50 is rendered an SPF7, SPF25 is rendered an SPF5!!

 

How does SPF actually work?

SPF25 means that the protection is 96% - that also means that 4% of rays are still reaching the skin. The '25' means that you are approximately protected for 25 times the length of time it would normally take you to burn, under the same environmental conditions, without any protection whatsoever. So say it takes 10 min for you to start burning when in 38 degrees in the Sahara Desert at midday, it will take you 250min to burn with a factor of 25 on.

 

Unlike many chemical sunscreens, Shade™ does not contain burn inhibitors which switch off the burning sensation. If you feel you are beginning to 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 moving out of the sun altogether. Applying more sunscreen only ensures you are still covered for the original 25x timeframe - it does not extend the amount of time you can stay in the sun - that 4% of rays are still doing their damage. It's important that you listen to your body and its signals - 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.

 

Does Shade protect against UVA as well as UVB?

Shade™ offers broad spectrum protection, the SPF25 covers the UVB and the UVA emblem on the bottom label refers to the UVA protection.

 

The UVA Star rating system can no longer be used by sunscreen manufacturers such as ourselves other than the higher priced ones Boots itself sells and Boots own brands, as it is trademarked by Boots the Chemists, so we have been unable to use this test specifically to give it stars based on this testing system.

 

However, the UVAPF Mean in the SO24443:2012 test conducted on Shade All-Natural Sunscreen (Unscented) came in at 24.77, giving it a PA++++ UVA grading, and if we were to be able to use the star system it would come out at 4/5 stars.

 

Does Shade leave a white cast on the skin?

Shade™ can leave a white cast on the skin, this is the mineral non-nano zinc oxide sitting on the skin rather than being absorbed into the skin, and it's the active ingredient that protects you from the UVA & UVB rays. When you see a white cast on your skin don't dismay, be pleased! You can see that not only are you physically helping to protect yourself from the dangerous rays, you can rest assured we are only using non-nano particles of zinc oxide, which is why they sit on the skin as a physical barrier and don't absorb into the skin and the bloodstream - the very safest form of active ingredient for sunscreens. When it comes to doing something recognised as dangerous, such as exposing yourself to strong sun, we believe it's important to put safety above vanity...

 

Why do you only make an SPF25?

We only make an SPF25 because the recommended ideal SPF is between 15 and 30. As SPF25 protects you from 96% of the sun's harmful UVB rays which cause burning, we believe that users will not be as complacent as they would be about using a high SPF, and if you need it to be a really super sunblock lay it on thick. Also, very high SPF is only achievable with chemical active ingredients, something we're trying to avoid.

We are inclined to agree with the Environmental Working Group about the pitfalls of high SPF products.

 

How can I trust that it's a really effective sunscreen?

Test results confirm that not only is ShadeTM an effective broad spectrum sunscreen which helps protect against UVA radiation which can penetrate deep into the skin and cause ageing, but it is also an effective SPF25, which blocks up to 96% of the UVB rays which cause burning. We believe it’s better to use an SPF in the range of 15 - 30 because your burning mechanism is your early warning system which is really best not switched off! SPF25 covers 96%, SPF50 covers only 2% more at 98% and SPF100 covers only 99%...by offering only SPF25, we hope people will use ShadeTM responsibly, and not be complacent about the dangers of sun exposure. Higher SPFs we believe can lead us into a false sense of security. Please read our blog post 'A Word of Warning about Natural Sunscreens'*, and this Excellent Article, 'Can Sunscreen Ingredients Increase Your Risk of Cancer?'* which highlights all the issues with using sunscreen to prevent skin cancer.

 

*See Shade's website

 

A Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 25 does not mean it is half the strength of an SPF of 50 – it means you can remain exposed to the sun with it adequately applied for up to 25 times the length of time it would normally take you to burn in the same environmental conditions you would if you did not apply any sunscreen protection.

 

When many of the chemical ingredients found in mainstream high-street sunscreens have been found to be carcinogenic in their own right, it makes sense to choose a sunscreen which only uses the most basic, nourishing skin-protecting natural ingredients. This eliminates the risk of adverse reactions, chemical absorption through the skin into the bloodstream, and the highly undesirable ‘switching off’ of your early warning signals. Of all the radiation dispersing and adsorbing ingredients available to sunscreen manufacturers, we have opted for the most naturally-occurring one which happens to be the only one which proves to offer the broadest protection available – the mineral Zinc Oxide.

 

The non-nano zinc oxide we have chosen for Shade™ is able to protect against both UVA and UVB ultraviolet light and is a physical UV blocker being capable of scattering solar radiation and is excellent for those who are sensitive to the sun.

 

 

Does Shade™ dry to a powdery finish or is it greasy?

It doesn't dry to a powdery finish, and most people don't find it greasy. It has a high oil content for sure, but most people find it rubs in well without leaving a greasy feel. If in doubt, there is a small 15ml tin which is perfect as a tester.

 

Is ShadeTM 'reef-safe'?

ShadeTM does not contain any of the ingredients in the HEL list, which are:

 

Any form of microplastic sphere or beads; Any nanoparticles like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide; Oxybenzone; Octinoxate; 4-methyl benzylidene camphor; Octocrylene; Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA); Methyl Paraben; Ethyl Paraben; Propyl Paraben; Butyl Paraben; Benzyl Paraben; Triclosan.

 

Although we haven't yet sought certification from the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, we have not yet been able to find any research that claims the non-nano zinc oxide in Shade we use is damaging to coral or marine life, all the studies point to nanoparticles as a threat. So although we as the manufacturer don't as yet make a 'reef safe' claim specifically, many people who advocate its use in the sea believe it is safe.

(Note from ABP: All ‘reef safe’ sunscreens seem to either contain non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, I’ve checked. It sounds as if it costs a lot of money to be certified, so I’m going to call this product reef safe despite the hesitance of Not The Norm to admit their Shade sunscreen is so, just because of their current lack of certification.)

 

Here are some more links for extra revision –

http://www.haereticus-lab.org/protect-land-sea-certification/

https://www.ewg.org/sunsafety/

https://www.verywellfamily.com/best-sunscreen-for-kids-4684705#toc-what-to-look-for-in-a-sunscreen-for-kids 

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/sunscreen.pdf