Last week, we explored the connection between gut health and strength, and how nutrients like butyric acid can support resilience and vitality from within, particularly as we get older. If you missed it, we highly recommend revisiting this fascinating topic.
This week, we’re shifting our focus back to the skin, which undergoes significant changes as we age. One key way we protect it from damage is by applying sunscreen.
However, before we dive deeper into skin care, here’s a critical new report that may change the way you think about sunscreen.
The EWG Sunscreen Guide 2025
In the United States, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has just released its 2025 Sunscreen Guide, reviewing over 2,200 SPF products. Alarmingly, fewer than 500 were found to offer reliable protection. Many failed to live up to their claims, relying on outdated formulations, misleading marketing, and, in some cases, chemical ingredients linked to hormone disruption and environmental harm.
The EWG highlights that federal sunscreen regulations haven’t been meaningfully updated since 1999, leaving consumers exposed to products that promise far more than they deliver. Ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate are still commonly used, despite known health and ecological concerns.
Although we’ve previously discussed the benefits of choosing mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, this new data serves as a timely reminder to be vigilant about what you apply to your skin. When it comes to sun care, ingredients matter, for your health and the planet.
How Sun Exposure Damages Collagen – and Why It Matters
As we focus on protecting our skin from sun damage, it’s essential to understand why this protection matters so much. Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in the body. It is crucial not just for firm, youthful skin, but for overall strength and stability as we age.
It provides the scaffolding that keeps skin smooth and resilient, cushions joints, supports connective tissues, and helps maintain a healthy gut lining.
But here’s the problem: collagen production begins to decline from our mid-30s onward. Sun exposure dramatically accelerates this process, breaking down existing collagen and hindering the body’s ability to produce more. This contributes not only to wrinkles and sagging skin but also to weaker joints, reduced mobility, and slower healing.
When collagen breaks down faster than your body can replace it, you may start to notice:
- Sagging or thinning skin
- Joint stiffness or discomfort
- Slower wound healing
- Digestive issues from a weakened gut lining
Collagen loss isn’t just a cosmetic concern. It’s a whole-body issue. The good news? There are simple ways to protect and support it, inside and out.
How to Protect Collagen and Support Skin Health
- Take a high-quality Type 2 collagen supplement – Especially if you’re over 40, this form of collagen can support connective tissues, joints, and skin structure.
- Eat collagen-friendly foods – Bone broth, citrus fruits (rich in vitamin C), and leafy greens provide essential nutrients needed for collagen production.
- Stay well hydrated – Water helps maintain skin moisture, elasticity, and overall tissue health.
- Use mineral-based sunscreens – Zinc oxide or titanium dioxide formulas offer broad-spectrum protection without disrupting hormones or harming the environment.
- Keep moving – Gentle exercise improves circulation, which delivers nutrients and oxygen to skin cells, supporting repair and renewal.
- Add antioxidant support – Nutrients like vitamins C and E, as well as astaxanthin, help defend collagen from free radical damage caused by sun exposure and ageing.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of your skin is more than just a surface-level concern; it’s about protecting the structure beneath and supporting your body’s natural repair processes. By staying mindful of sunscreen ingredients and taking proactive steps to boost collagen, you can help maintain healthier, more resilient skin and connective tissues at every stage of life.
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