Worrying that a botanical oil will burn your skin is like being afraid to lift weights because you might turn into the Incredible Hulk. It's an irrational fear because all botanical oils have a low SPF factor of their own. When applied correctly, they will protect you from the sun to some degree, but can’t replace a good sunscreen. Note: correct application of oils means absorbed into the skin, not sticky and glossy on top. 

Maybe you trust creams more, but creams are just a mixture of water and oil. You would hope that these oils are natural, but most products in the market include mineral oils and synthetic preservatives. 

These don’t provide any nutrients to benefit you and would leave a barrier on the skin, blocking the pores and your skin’s natural respiration. (Not good on any day, but especially not good in the sun!) 

Botanical oils, on the other hand, should be used with water (damp skin) for better absorption, but it’s in your control to add the right amount of water for your skin. Think of it like Oils are a manual car and Creams are an automatic. It may be easier to drive an automatic, but there’s nothing like the connection and control you have when driving a manual. 

If you’re worried about sun spots, then you should know that they can also be a result of a lack of antioxidants in your diet and skin care. The right vitamins can clear the skin and an antioxidant rich moisturizer will protect your skin and help it recover from any damage. 

For general health and awareness, we recommend everyone get their Vitamin D levels checked. It is also wise to ask your doctor about checking your Vitamin B, hormones and iodine levels. 

Despite our best efforts, sometimes the sun gets the better of us. Here’s what you need when you get a sunburn.  

• Aloe vera is a cooling gel that is helpful when applied directly to skin and then sealed with a body oil.  
• Lavender is a very calming ingredient which will pacify the pain.
• Botanical butters like Shea butter will help your skin rejuvenate and soothe your recovery.

On your holidays you will, no doubt, want to work on your tan. Don’t we all! But a friendly word of advice... build it up slowly. If you, like most people, spend a lot of time indoors, at work or at home, then your skin is not accustomed to a lot of sun (going from your house to the car doesn’t count!). So, it’s no surprise that your skin needs time to get used to it, and that means that your skin is more prone to burning in the first couple days of seeing the sun. 

During this time, you MUST make an extra effort to protect your skin, not spend too much time in direct sunlight, moisturize deeply and wear sunscreen. We recommend that everyone uses a good SPF 50, a light straw hat, sunglasses and some eye drops (because the sun also dries out your eyes).