Everyone knows that excessive exposure to the sun’s rays can cause skin damage or cancer. But what many people overlook is protecting their eyes from that same type of damage. Sunburn of the cornea and eyelid cancer are real. In recognition of Ultraviolet Awareness Month, here are ways to properly protect your skin and eyes from the sun’s UV rays.

Sun protection for your skin

Summer is here. That means beaches, hiking, sun-bathing, and relaxing. But how do you enjoy the sun while avoiding its harmful rays? The first line of defense in sun protection is sunscreen.

Our natural sunscreen products provide the sun protection that you need without the chemicals that other major brands have. Lather on a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. For greater protection, try True Natural Broad Spectrum SPF 50. The higher the SPF number, the greater the sun protection.

If you want to achieve a beautiful tan without exposing your skin to the sun at all, try applying a sunless self-tanner and moisturizer. You’ll get that bronzing glow you want while moisturizing your skin instead of exposing it to harmful sun rays.

For your eyes

Your skin isn’t the only part of your body that is susceptible to the sun’s harmful rays. Your eyes can be damaged by the sun, too. In addition to UV rays, high-energy visible (“HEV”) rays can damage your eyes.

HEV rays are the bright sun rays that can cause more immediate damage from looking at their intensity. UV rays are not seen by the naked eye and cause damage over time from excessive, repeated exposure. Luckily, it’s easy to protect yourself. To best protect your eyes from harmful UV and HEV rays, always wear good quality sunglasses when you are outdoors. For maximum eye protection, use sunglasses with polarized lenses. Polarized lenses minimize glare and reduce the negative effects of UV light.