GIVEAWAY! Homemade Betty Organic Vegan Sunscreen

Five years ago I was diagnosed with skin cancer. It was a tiny, ridiculously minuscule black freckle on my thigh that only my dermatologist could have identified as being abnormal. Before it was discovered I put off going to the dermatologist and sometimes I think about what if I had not made that appointment. It came back from the lab as melanoma and I had to have it removed along with alot of the skin around it and much deeper than the freckle had grown. I had stitches and I couldn't workout or put a huge amount of force on my leg muscles so that the area could heal. It was a stage 0 melanoma meaning it hadn't penetrated deeper than my epidermis but it was still scary. I didn't need any medication or follow up after it removed but it was a wakeup call for me. I wasn't surprised about my diagnosis since I was always a sun worshipper and even frequented the tanning salon in my twenties. Seems like such a huge price to pay just because I wanted to be tan.


I'm not going to tell you that I avoid the sun or refrain from going outside during peak sun hours because that just isn't realistic but I do wear sunscreen almost all the time and I try to encourage others to wear it as well. I see my dermatologist every 9 months and I have not had melanoma for five years. I went to a vegan event in the city last year and visited the Homemade Betty booth and I bought some of her sunscreen, used it last summer and didn't burn once! It is a non greasy, totally vegan, non toxic sunscreen that is very effective.

I've pretty much finished transitioning all my beauty and personal care products to all natural and vegan, It took me a little time to get a full grasp on making sure everything I put on my body is non toxic, free from dyes and crazy hormone disrupting, carcinogenic chemicals. The Environmental Working Group website is my go-to guide to non toxic living. Some of the hair dyes I used to use....let's just say oh boy....they are so filled with unbelievably horrible chemicals that I can't believe we use this on our hair for years and are still alive and well. Right now, as I write this, I'm dying my hair with henna. I use this product and on the EWG website, it gets a low toxicity rating, the only concern is an allergic skin reaction to henna. If you don't have a reaction, I would say make henna your hair dye, it's plant based and mine just contains henna and indigo.

Back to sun care! It's easy to put on sunscreen....just put it on lol. If it's winter, put it on your face. if it's summer, put it on all exposed body parts. Don't sit and bake in the sun, get up and run or walk and seek shade. You can still enjoy the beach and be super sun smart at the same time. Give your skin a break, go have a picnic in the shade or go indoors and chat with a friend. If you are on the beach for hours, reapply sunscreen often and wear a hat and glasses. The sun is not only bad for our skin but also our eyes. Glaucoma is caused by the sun. Homemade Betty's sunscreen is not waterproof because it doesn't contain beeswax so reapply when getting out of the water or after sweating alot.

Want some of this sunscreen? It's awesome and I'm giving away one container of the organic sunscreen! Comment below with your favorite sun safety tip. How do you avoid sunburn and care for your skin in the summer months? I'll pick a winner at random and you will be mailed a container of Homemade Betty's organic sunscreen. Can't wait for the giveaway and want to place an order now? Use code thefabulousvegan at checkout for $5 off your order. Order here

Go to the dermatologist! Even if you have dark skin, if you're young, if you have no history of skin cancer in your family, if you don't stay out in the sun long, you can still get skin cancer. Find a dermatologist you like and go once a year for a skin check. It should be covered under your insurance and it's worth it.

A great skin care routine? Wash your face with vegan, non toxic soap or cleaner and follow that up with a moisturizer, I use coconut oil. The steam from your shower can cleanse your pores and get rid of residual dirt. Wake up and put sunscreen on your face. Grab your glasses and be on your way. If you are out and about for a while, wear a hat. These are super simple habits to get into that can save you from scary doctor's appointments and medical interventions. Let's all stay healthy and ALIVE!

Homemade Betty also sent me her all natural bugspray. When you place an order, you should definitely get some of that! :)

Homemade Betty, a local business (Somerset, NJ!)
www.homemadebetty.com
Fb: Homemade Betty
Instagram: Homemade_Betty