With summer just round the corner - now is the time to stock up on natural sunscreen.

With the onset of spring, our thoughts often turn to summertime - sunshine, blue skies, longer days, a sun tan, vacations!! However, at the same time our skin undergoes an assault. After a wintertime of being covered up, to suddenly expose our precious outer shell to the ferocity of the sun could be lethal. Therefore we need to wear sunscreen. And the best sunscreen to use is a natural one - as a natural sunscreen will not harm the skin, clog the pores or leave oily deposits.

Sun protection the natural way.

What exactly are natural sunscreens and how do they differ to conventional ones? Most conventional sunscreens are a concoction of chemicals specially designed to work together to shield us from the suns harmful UV rays. Obviously, as the skin absorbs much of what we put on it, these chemicals can find there way into our bodies, and while protecting us from the sun, does not contribute to healthy skin. Particularly those with sensitive skin could suffer reactions or skin rashes from these chemicals.

Natural sunscreens however use entirely naturally appearing substances and oils found in plants and herbs to provide protection from the sun. The likelihood of these substances having an adverse effect on us is greatly reduced and are perfect for people with skin disorders or those susceptible to skin reactions. Various ingredients included in a natural based sunscreen are grape seed oil, extracts of green tea leaf, sunflower seed oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil and cocoa butter.

Another vital natural substance, but not as exotic sounding as those previously mentioned, is titanium dioxide. This substance is viewed as one of the best natural ingredients in a sunscreen, offering total protection from UVA, UVB and UVC radiation - the rays that cause skin cancer and promote premature aging of the skin. As this substance is inorganic and inert, it reduces the chances of an adverse reaction by the skin as it does not react with other ingredients in the sunscreen.

Recent research has shown that extracts of green tea may help to prevent skin cancer when applied to your skin. The theory is that the protein JNK-2 seems to be closely linked to the development of skin cancer. What seems to happen is that levels of this protein rise and remain high after the skin is exposed to sunlight or UV light, possibly leading to cancer. However, it appears this protein can be blocked by the application of green tea.

Another excellent natural product is obtained from the sea buckthorn. It has an amazing ability to repair and rejuvenate the skin giving it a younger, fresher look and is used in many hair and skin products.

Aloe vera is a well known plant that is scientifically proven to work wonders on the skin. Hence there are many aloe vera beauty products available for a whole range of applications.

Apart from these gels and extracts that can be obtained from naturally occurring plants, we must not forget the importance vitamins play in protecting our skin. Vitamin C is useful for reducing the redness related to sunburn. Vitamin E not only smoothes out wrinkles but studies indicate it can reduce the risk of UV-induced skin cancer, especially when used with vitamin C.

So, with summer on its way, its time to put the woolly sweaters in storage and replace the empty spaces with natural based sunscreen - ready for a long hot summer!