How to Protect Your Skin from the Sun Naturally
The most effective natural sun protection is physical: shade, and clothing made from UPF 50+ fabric, which blocks at least 98% of UV without any chemicals on your skin. Certain foods can add a little resilience from the inside, and some natural oils are good for your skin, but none of them come close to proper protection. This guide covers what works, what helps a bit, and what to be careful of.
Read Time: 6 minutes
Last updated: 21/10/2026
With sunshine on the way, plenty of people would rather not cover themselves in heavy suncream every day. Perhaps you want to be more eco-conscious, you prefer natural products, or you simply want to look after your skin in a gentler way. Whatever the reason, natural sun protection is worth understanding properly, because some of it works very well and some of it does not work at all.
We always say there are three ways to protect yourself from the sun:
- Stay out of it: seek shade, especially between 11am and 3pm.
- Cover up: clothing, swimwear and hats made from UPF 50+ fabric.
- Suncream on whatever skin is still exposed.
Two of the three are entirely natural, and the first two are also the most reliable. So that is where we start.
Quick take
- UPF 50+ clothing is the strongest natural sun protection there is: at least 98% of UV blocked, nothing applied to your skin, nothing to reapply.
- Cover the big areas first: a sunsuit or long-sleeve top, long bottoms, and a wide-brim hat.
- Foods rich in antioxidants such as berries, tomatoes, leafy greens and green tea support your skin's defences, but only modestly.
- Natural oils are good moisturisers, not sunscreen. Their SPF is low or unproven and they should never be relied on.
- If you want a suncream without synthetic UV filters, choose a mineral one (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) for exposed skin.
Wear Sun Protective Clothing
Sun protective clothing works like a layer of broad-spectrum SPF 50+ suncream that never wears off, protects against UVA as well as UVB, and puts nothing on your skin. It is the best form of sun protection there is. Not all of it is equal, though. For the highest protection look for a tested UPF 50+ rating, which is what every equatorsun piece carries. If you are unsure whether it works or is worth it, our guide to sun protective clothing explains how it is tested.
To compare reputable options before buying, here is our guide to the leading UPF clothing and swimwear brands in the UK: Best Sun Protective Clothing & UPF Swimwear Brands in the UK (2026 Guide).
Sunsuits
A sunsuit is a one-piece outfit designed to protect as much of your body as possible. Unlike a wetsuit it is made from thin, light fabric, so it works for beach days, swimming and long walks in the sun alike. Look for one that is lightweight, breathable and rated UPF 50+.
- Sun protection suits for men
- Sun protection suits for women
- Sun protection suits for kids
- Sun protection suits for babies & toddlers
Sun Protection Tops
Last summer I came home from a day out in London mildly sunburnt through my shirt. At first I assumed it was a reaction to something. It was not. The UK sun is stronger than people give it credit for, and ordinary clothes let far more UV through than most of us realise.
To avoid the same, choose tops with a UPF 50+ rating and as much arm and neck coverage as you can manage. For the beach or swimming, a UPF 50+ rash shirt with a high collar covers the areas a normal t-shirt leaves bare.
- Sun protection tops for men
- Sun protection tops for women
- Sun protection tops for kids
- Sun protection tops for babies & toddlers
Sun Protection Bottoms
Denim jeans have a UPF rating of around 1,700, which means they block UV almost completely. But you cannot swim in jeans and in summer they are often too hot to wear, so protect your legs with UPF 50+ bottoms instead. Full-length trousers or leggings give the most coverage.
- Sun protection bottoms for men
- Sun protection bottoms for women
- Sun protection bottoms for kids
- Sun protection bottoms for babies & toddlers
Sun Hats
A good sun hat is essential. The face, ears and neck get more sun than anywhere else, and sun exposure both causes skin cancer and speeds up skin ageing. Choose a wide-brimmed hat that shades all three, and avoid hats with holes or loose weaves that let the light through. A dark, tightly woven hat protects best, or simply buy one with a UPF rating.
- UPF sun hats for men
- UPF sun hats for women
- UPF sun hats for kids
- UPF sun hats for babies & toddlers
Sun Protection Accessories
Driving sleeves, gloves and neck gaiters cover the smaller areas that get forgotten. They are particularly useful in the car, where your arms and hands sit in direct sun for long stretches. UV passes through glass, so a pair of driving sleeves or gloves is worth keeping in the door pocket.
Eat Sun-Protecting Foods
What you eat can help your skin cope with sun exposure. It is nowhere near the level of protection clothing gives, but foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins and healthy fats support the skin's own defences and help it recover afterwards. Think of them as a small bonus on top of covering up, not a substitute for it.
Blueberries
Blueberries are full of antioxidants that mop up the free radicals produced by sun exposure, and they are rich in vitamin C, which the skin uses to make collagen.
Watermelon and Tomatoes
Both are high in lycopene, an antioxidant that has been shown in studies to slightly reduce the skin's sensitivity to UV when eaten regularly over several weeks. It will not stop you burning, but it helps at the margins.
Nuts & Seeds
Walnuts, chia and flax seeds are rich in omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, support the skin's barrier and help it recover from a day in the sun.
Carrots & Leafy Greens
Carrots, spinach and kale are packed with beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A. Vitamin A helps skin repair itself, and beta-carotene offers a small amount of photoprotection from within.
Green Tea
Green tea contains EGCG, a flavonoid that has been shown to reduce UV-induced inflammation in the skin. A cup a day is an easy habit.
Natural Oils and Sun Protection: What They Can and Can't Do
Natural oils are often promoted as sunscreen alternatives. They are not. No oil has been tested and approved as a sunscreen, the small amount of UV some of them absorb is low and uneven, and they offer little or no UVA protection. Where they do earn a place is after sun, as moisturisers. If you want to avoid synthetic UV filters, the answer is UPF clothing on the skin you can cover and a mineral suncream on the skin you cannot.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is an excellent natural moisturiser and lab tests put its SPF at around 4 to 5, which is far too low to protect you. Use it to hydrate and soften skin after sun exposure, never instead of protection.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is gentle, deeply moisturising and has an SPF of roughly 4 to 6, again too low to count as protection. It is ideal for calming and moisturising skin after a day outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace suncream with natural oils?
No. Oils such as coconut and shea give at most SPF 4 to 6, offer little UVA protection and are not tested as sunscreens. If you want to avoid suncream altogether, stay out of the sun when the UV index is 3 or above and cover up with UPF 50+ clothing and a hat. For skin you cannot cover, use a mineral suncream of at least SPF 30.
Are there natural suncreams?
Yes. Mineral suncreams use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which sit on the skin and physically block UV rather than absorbing it the way chemical filters do. They give broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB and are the usual choice for sensitive skin and for babies. Look for one that is free from parabens and synthetic fragrance if you want the most natural option.
What do I use if I don't have suncream?
Shade and clothing. Stay out of direct sun, cover up with long sleeves and a hat, and keep to the shade between 11am and 3pm. Coconut oil gives only around SPF 4 to 5, which is not enough on its own. Aloe vera gel soothes skin that has had too much sun but does not protect it. None of these replaces proper suncream of at least SPF 30 on exposed skin.
What clothing is best for sun protection?
Tightly woven fabric with long sleeves and long legs. Denim, canvas and purpose-made UPF fabrics all block UV well, and dark colours such as navy and black block more than light ones. Clothing with a UPF rating takes the guesswork out, because the protection has been tested. Avoid thin, loose-weave or stretched fabric, and pair your clothing with a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
How do I choose the right sun protective clothing?
Look for a UPF rating of 30 or higher, ideally UPF 50+, which blocks at least 98% of UV. Sunsuits, long-sleeve tops, long bottoms and wide-brimmed hats in a light, breathable fabric cover the most skin comfortably.
What is the best colour to wear in the sun?
Dark blue. Research into fabric colour and UV found that dark blue and deep red give the highest protection, while white and yellow give the least, despite feeling cooler. For the most UV defence choose navy, deep red or black in a tightly woven fabric, or a UPF-rated garment, where the rating already accounts for the colour.