SPF

Sunscreen is a must for me. I wear it on my face all year around and on my body in the sunnier months when its not protected with a big winter coat. But even though sunscreen is important to protect us from the UVA and UVB rays it has shown to have quite a big negative impact on the seas and lakes. 

I’ve tried to read up on what substances that are particularly harmful for water life and found this list. However, it’s hard and a bit time consuming to check all the items on this list towards the bottle of sunscreen your holding in your hand in the store so, I tend to just look for markings such as Bra Miljöval, EU Ecolabel or Svanen and stay away from brand’s own markings since they can mean anything and nothing.

The most sustainable way to protect yourself in the sun is actually to cover yourself with clothes and hats or sit in the shade (but clothes are still better). You should always protect yourself from the sun but especially the time between 11.00-15.00 since that’s when the sun shines it’s strongest. And don’t forget to reapply sunscreen every second hour to keep the protection.