I live in SUNNY San Diego. We employ many sun safe strategies to avoid getting burned while reducing our toxic load of chemicals:
1. Eating healthy and using real fats (avocados, nuts, butter, coconut oil, etc) have helped from the inside. Also, I personally think my iron levels have impacted my skin’s sun tolerance. Increasing my variety and quantity of veggies and fruits (especially leafy greens+citrus) seems to be the ticket for me.
2. Taking Vitamin D3 and co-factors in the winter has somehow helped a LOT. (See VitaminDcouncil.org for details.)
3. In the winter, taking walks mid-day with no sunscreen and no hats (with as much skin exposed as possible). In the summer, taking walks morning and/or afternoon (less intense times) with no sunscreen. Both build up natural vitamin D in the body, which helps give natural protection from the sun. I don’t quite understand how, but I am living proof that it works. I am a pale white girl who tanned fairly easily as a child, then burned horribly as a twenty-something during the peak of my worst eating habits and slowly returned to easier tanning/not burning in thirties. Test results showed improved iron levels in blood and good Vitamin D levels last year.
4. Wearing hats and clothing to cover up when exposure is going to be longer than our skin can handle. Each family member has a different tolerance for the sun; mine is the shortest. I wear a UV zip-up style long-sleeve rash guard at the beach and pool for most of the time and I often use a beautiful piece of batik fabric to cover my legs, which doubles as a pareo. I usually take the “jacket” off to actually swim/play in waves, then put it on as soon as I get out to prevent feeling cold all day. If you’ve ever been in the Pacific Ocean, you know what I mean! LOL
5. Wear mineral makeup (foundation powder) on my face when going to be outside all day when it won’t get washed off by the ocean or pool water. It has natural spf from zinc oxide and it feels more comfortable on my skin than sunscreen lotions/sticks.
6. At various points, I have created my own face serums that have natural spf ingredients. I tend to use them in short bursts, as needed.
7. We do own natural brand mineral-based sunscreens (Alba and others) and we use them, especially on our faces, necks, necklines, shoulders, tops of feet, etc., when we know we will be out and about for longer than our skin can handle and covered clothing/hats aren’t desirable (so much is outdoors here: weddings, shopping, events, parties) or not enough (such as camping, beach, pool). We rarely cover our entire bodies in the stuff, though.
It sounds so complicated when written out like this, but it came about simply from becoming more aware of how our skin reacted to various situations. It was easy; it just takes tuning in versus doing what we always did just because that’s what we had always done.
Best wishes in finding what works for you!