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Sun Protection in Spring? We Clear Up the Biggest Myths!
What do you think of when it comes to spring? Maybe the first rays of sunshine. Tulips. The first ice cream? Or "finally no thick winter clothes anymore"? Caught! Because one of the most important topics was missing here: sun protection in spring! If you've only used sunscreen in the height of summer so far, then definitely keep reading here, because sunscreen should be part of your daily routine in spring too. Especially our little ones should also be well creamed in spring when outdoors, because their skin is very sensitive. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at some widespread myths about sun protection in spring and clarify whether they are true or false. 1. Myth: In spring it's often still cool, so I don't need sun protection because the sun isn't that strong yet.False. Sunscreen products protect against UV radiation and this is independent of the outside temperature. You can tell how intense the UV radiation is by looking at the UV Index (feel free to check the weather app on your phone). From a value of 3, you should cream your skin and your children's skin with sunscreen products, no matter how cold or warm it is outside. Especially around midday, this value is already reached in spring (usually from mid/late March).2. Myth: Even if it's cloudy, you need sun protection.True!Clouds do not filter out all UV rays. A large part can still reach the skin, which is why sun protection is important on cloudy days too.3. Myth: To adequately protect a child's face from the sun, you need about 1 teaspoon of sunscreen.True!Sunscreen products can only provide their protection if you apply enough of them. For a child's face, the guideline here is roughly "one teaspoon full" or also "two finger lengths" for face and neck/nape.4. Myth: Sunscreen products are skincare products that can also remain on the skin overnight.False.Sunscreen products protect your skin and your child's skin from UV rays during the day, but are not a skincare product. Therefore, they must be washed off in the evening with a mild shower gel, because otherwise they could dry out the skin and unnecessarily stress it.So, how many did you get right? Now you're definitely a real sun protection pro and spring can come. Want to learn more about the topic? Then read here further! Happy spring!
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How can we guarantee the SPF in our sunscreen?
When you think about sunscreen, SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is probably on of the first things that come to mind. Protecting your skin against harmful UV radiation is very important, so we want to explain to you how we can guarantee an effective SPF in our sun care products. Let's get into it! Mineral sunscreenFirst things first; we made the conscious choice to create a mineral sunscreen. Although mineral sunscreen is pretty common in other countries, the Dutch market still offers mostly traditional sunscreen with non-mineral filters (better known as chemical). Mineral sunscreen with a zinc oxide based filter like ours lays a physical barrier on top of the skin that reflects harmful UV radiation. Non-mineral filters penetrate the skin and then cause a chemical reaction where the UV beams are absorbed instead. You can find more information about UV filters here. Because these filters penetrate the skin there is a bigger chance on skin irritation and it takes longer for the sunscreen to do its job. There are also some ingredients in non-mineral filters that can cause harm to coral reefs, and we don't want that, do we? Zinc and SPFZinc oxide based sunscreen has another perk. The amount of added zinc is a direct reflection on its protective properties. To reach an SPF of 30, a product needs to contain 21% zinc oxide for example. Just to be sure we even try to add a little more zinc oxide to our products. Our 2024 formula additionally also contains not one, but two extra boosters. Good protection guaranteed! LabtestenAnd then what? Although this percentage is a good start, we of course also test our formula extensively before we start production. We do this at an independent laboratory, Helioscience, specialized in mineral sunscreen. In vitro and in vivo There are to different ways in which sunscreen can be tested: in vitro and in vivo. All our formulas are first tested in vitro. This means we look at the product in a more technical way. For traditional sunscreen they look at the heat that is released, because non-mineral UV filters absorb the sun rays and convert them to heat. But that not how mineral sunscreen works. A zinc oxide based UV filter adds a protective layer on top of the skin that reflects UV radiation in stead of absorbing it. No heat released. That's why it's important to test mineral sunscreen differently than non-mineral sunscreen. Helioscience knows exactly how to do this!Only when the in vitro tests are positive we start with in vivo testing. These tests are done on actual skin, of real people that is! A small portion of the skin of 10-20 people is exposed to controlled sun beams. The reaction of the skin is measured to see how effective the SPF is. They check how long it takes for the skin to get red. When it takes 30 times longer than usual it means the product has SPF 30. In vivo tests are always done on people with different kinds of skin types and skin conditions. ProductionIf you want to sell products, they need to meet the strict regulations of the Nederlandse Cosmetica Vereniging (Dutch Cosmetic Association). Only when we know for sure our product meet their guidelines we start producing our sunscreen. Apart from strict laws, we also have terms and conditions that are important for us as a brand: would we use these products for our own kids? If the answer is yes, we start production. Are there any doubts? We decide against producing the product. This way we ensure that we only launch products that we are really proud of.TransparancyAt Naïf we want to change the personal care industry, because let's be honest, we can and have to do better. We believe change starts with honesty and transparancy. That's why we decided to share the results of ALL our sunscreen tests. And remember, these are done at a independent laboratory. We think it's important that you know what you're putting onto your skin!
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We have changed the formula of our sunscreen!
At Naïf we are all about protecting families from the harmful effects the sun can have on our skin. We believe that, by sharing knowledge and making good sunscreen, we can really help with creating a generation that knows how to take good care of their skin. To offer even better protection we took a good look at our sunscreen formula and we decided to make a little change. Let us tell you all about it! In 2015 Naïf was the first brand in The Netherlands with a mineral sunscreen, because we believe that this is the best option to protect your baby. Because we were the first, we learned a lot and will continue to do so. Our goal is creating a mineral sunscreen without making compromises, that is safe (for human and planet), but also just as user friendly as traditional sunscreen products. That is why we evaluate and improve our formula every year again, no exception this year. Mineral sunscreen In our sunscreen we use a non-nano zinc oxide based UV-filter (if you want to learn more about UV filters you can do that here). Zinc oxide is a mineral that creates a protective layer on top of the skin that reflects harmful UV radiation. You can compare it to a mirror! Because zinc oxide does not penetrate the skin, but stays on top, chances of an allergic reaction are minimal and it offers immediate protection. Annually 14 million kilograms of sunscreen ends up in the ocean. Oxybenzone and octinoxate based UV filters are proven to be harmful to coral reefs. That’s why we stay away from these, and all ingredients that are a potential risk, and we chose to create a mineral sunscreen with a zinc oxide based UV filter. Zinc oxide has many advantages, but there is one disadvantage: it can make the skin a little dry. This is exactly why it’s the main ingredient in our zinc cream which helps with diaper rash! To make sure the amount of zinc oxide in our sunscreen does not get too high we always add a booster made out of pongamia seeds. This booster enhances the power of the zinc oxide, so we can keep the amount of zinc in our sunscreen to a minimum. Our changed formula As we said before, mineral sunscreen is not always the most user friendly. It can be a bit harder to apply and can leave a white cast on the skin. It’s a compromise you have to make in exchange for a product that offers immediate protection and is mild for (sensitive) skin. But we hope to reduce this compromise a little every year. That’s why, in the last years, we worked on easier application and less white cast. This year we added a second booster. This booster is made from a new generation (non-mineral) UV filter: bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine. This UV filter is lab-made, but does not penetrate the skin and offers protection from the outside. Based on our current research, there are no documented effects on marine life due to this ingredient. The UV filter bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine is already being used in The Netherlands, but the combination with our mineral zinc oxide based UV filter is unique! By combining the zinc oxide with the booster we can guarantee a high quality SPF and a safe sun experience for you and your family! But wait, does this mean that our new formula is better than last years? Not necessarily. It just depends on how you look at it. Both formulas do exactly as promised: immediate and good protection against the sun. The yearly improvements make our sunscreen easier to apply and more nourishing. Also this year. Let us know what you think! We know for sure that all our sunscreen protects as promised, because they all passed their tests. Woohoo! We let the testing be done by an independent lab, specialised in mineral sunscreen. Just so you know it’s real good stuff.
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A sunny collaboration: Naïf and the Huidfonds join forces
That we find sun protection important, that should be clear. And now we're taking another step further in our mission to protect everyone from the sun. We are proud to tell you that we have officially become partners with the Skin Foundation. Together we will work over the next three years to raise more awareness about the importance of sun protection by spreading the message: protect, cover and apply. With this partnership we want to help parents and caregivers protect themselves and their kids well against the harmful effects of the sun. And that goes beyond just applying sunscreen! We hope to give parents more awareness, knowledge and tools on how to safely enjoy the sun, so they can confidently look forward to summer. "At Naïf our mission has always been to help parents take good care of their children, without worries. The Skin Foundation shares this vision, and together we want to raise awareness about the fact that good sun protection is more than just applying sunscreen. It's about a combination of protecting, covering and applying. By incorporating these aspects into parenting, we're working towards healthier skin in the long term." - Jochem Hes, one of the founders of Naïf.Protect, cover and applyEarly learned, long remembered. And that's why we will provide families over the next three years, together with the Skin Foundation, with information and mineral sun products with high protection and without setting time. This way children learn from a young age how important responsible sun exposure is.And that goes beyond just sunscreen. Because shade and covering the skin also help against the harmful effects of the sun, and there isn't always enough attention for that. "It's fantastic that Naïf, an organization with a commercial interest in selling sunscreen, feels the social responsibility to commit itself to the total prevention message." - Marijne Landman of the National Skin Foundation.The National Skin FoundationThe Skin Foundation has been there for almost 25 years for people with a skin condition. Their mission: prevent skin conditions and improve the lives of people with a skin condition. Skin cancer prevention is one of the focus points of the National Skin Foundation. A good cause with an important mission. With the Sun Covenant - an initiative of the National Skin Foundation as part of #StopSkinCancer - the Skin Foundation aims to ensure that the advice "protect, cover and apply" is actively used by various organizations such as schools and sports clubs with their target audience. This is always about a combination of 'seek the shade', 'put something on' and 'apply sunscreen'.And now we, as the first sunscreen brand, join the Sun Covenant! A special mission where we will work hard to create more knowledge and awareness about safe sun exposure. This way we hope to contribute to a generation with healthy and protected skin.
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