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Mineral Sunscreens: Fun in the Sun without All the Chemicals

From the Show: Naturally Savvy
Summary: Did you know that mineral sunscreens are effective immediately, whereas the chemical-based ones take about 15 minutes?
Air Date: 6/10/15
Duration: 10
Host: Andrea Donsky, RHN and Lisa Davis, MPH
Guest Bio: Nova Covington, CEO & Founder of Goddess Garden
Nova-CovingtonCEO and Founder of Goddess Garden, Nova Covington made an unconventional journey from her rural upbringing to leading one of the fastest growing and most innovative natural skin care companies, Goddess Garden. She grew up in the Canadian wilderness in a rustic cabin with no electricity or running water. Home-schooled, Nova spent much of her time outdoors, immersed in the wilderness where she acquired a love of nature and developed her independent spirit.

Nova’s great-grandmother was an herbalist who learned the healing power of nature and herbal lore from Native American women. Growing up as a fourth generation natural healer, Nova is a certified aromatherapist. In addition to Nova’s wilderness upbringing, her herbalist family roots were the foundation for her future path in natural products.

After high school, Nova went on to attend college at Oregon State University and upon graduation was offered a job at Hewlett-Packard in leadership development. At HP she would develop best-in-class corporate experience while bringing her unique perspective and critical thinking to one of the leading companies in the world. In 1996, Nova and husband Paul Halter, now COO and the Formulator for Goddess Garden, moved to Denver, Colorado, so Nova could pursue a Masters degree at the University of Denver in Business and International Communications.

In 2003, Nova’s new baby daughter Paige broke out in welts from synthetic chemicals in everything from bubble bath to shampoo. She became the catalyst that ignited Nova and Paul’s passion to create an organic skin care company with products that were truly natural... from the earth and safe for people and the planet.

In 2009, Nova launched the first Goddess Garden sunscreen products on a national scale. The focus on the category of natural skin care was inspired by her realization that there was a need for all-natural, mineral-based sunscreens. Goddess Garden fills that need; it produces powerful, organic, chemical-free, mineral- and plant-based sunscreen products that are safe for people as well as the planet.

With Nova’s passion to make a difference for people and the planet, Goddess Garden is now the fastest growing mineral sunscreen on the market. Goddess Garden is launching their new look and new mineral spray sunscreen products in March 2015 throughout mass and natural retailers in the United States and Canada. The full line is carried in nearly 6000 stores including Whole Foods, Target, Wegmans, REI, CVS, Sprouts Farmers Market and many other natural retailers.
Mineral Sunscreens: Fun in the Sun without All the Chemicals
Typical chemically-infused sunscreens contain many UVB absorbents, which only target one part of the UV spectrum.

Oxybenzone is one such ingredient, which the Environmental Working Group lists as a hormone disruptor and scales as a 9 on the toxicity scale of 1-10.

Remember, 60 percent of what you put on your skin gets absorbed, so all of those chemicals are readily being infused into your system.

Fortunately, Goddess Garden Organics is one company that is trying to change the face of sunscreens. Their products contain pure minerals, that are naturally occurring from the Earth and provide great sun protection. 

In the past, natural sunscreens have been criticized for being greasy, sticky, or not rubbing in well.

Founder and CEO, Nova Covington, says that the Goddess Garden formula has improved over the last decade, effectively combating all of those issues.

In addition, these types of mineral sunscreens are effective immediately, whereas the chemical-based ones take about 15 minutes. As soon as you put it on, it's working.

Of course, the key to ALL sunscreens is to make sure you're completely covered; as Covington puts it, "every nook and cranny." Make sure to help your kids, even if they're capable of doing it themselves. 

One other benefit to mineral sunscreens like the kind Goddess Garden offers is that they're reef safe. Chemical sunscreens degrade the coral reefs, and it doesn't matter if you're near an ocean or not. Eventually those chemicals get into the water supply and end up in the ocean.

While this is still an educational challenge in the U.S., other countries have taken note. In fact, if you go snorkeling in Mexico, your sunscreen must be reef safe or they will take it away. 

Ultimately, mineral sunscreens are an easy option to change one area of your life; a doable switch. And, specifically, Goddess Garden's products are Certified Organic and their packaging is recyclable.

Listen in as Covington joins Andrea and Lisa to share more about mineral sunscreens, why they are a great alternative to chemically-based versions, and tips for making sure you can keep your family safe this summer.