If you followed my posts from my recent vacation to south Florida, you know Brian and I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful, warm sunshine, as well as the opportunity to just relax (ahhhh!) poolside and at the beach.

It was also the first time since we at Mom Generations began working with Puristics that I’ve spent a lot of time outside in the sun.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’ve become much more “label literate” since becoming a spokesperson for Puristics, a line of pure, effective personal care products that are free from potentially harmful chemicals like dyes, perfumes and synthetic preservatives.

And I’ve also become much more aware of the things I put on, in, near and around my body – or, more specifically, the ingredients in those things.

This vacation was the first time I thought about the potentially harmful chemicals in the sunscreens being sprayed all around me. It’s funny because I’ve always hated any cigarette smoke blowing my way as I tried to relax while sitting by the pool or hanging out at the beach, but I never considered that the products made to protect us from the sun’s harmful rays could contain harmful ingredients of their own.

Obviously, hanging out in the sun sans sun protection isn’t smart – and despite being 50% Portuguese, I have fair skin that burns easily so I have to be extra careful. So knowing that I’d be lathering my skin with sunblock every day, I had done some label research before our vacation and bought chemical-free sunscreen to use.

But while on vacation I noticed how many people used continuous spray sunscreen quite liberally. It was hard not to notice it, as the wind often carried it – and its chemical-y smell through the air. At one point I asked Brian, “Is someone using a cleaning solution somewhere?” until I noticed it was someone spraying the sunscreen.

Just to be clear: I am not saying using sunscreen is a bad idea. It is incredibly important to protect skin from the sun’s harmful rays. I never went out in the sun without wearing sunscreen while in Florida. I’m just realizing that sometimes things meant to protect us from something (like the sun) can contain potentially harmful chemicals… so it’s important to read the labels and know what you’re putting on your skin.

And beyond the ingredients in the products I apply to my skin, I have the ability make changes in the things I’m putting in or near very sensitive areas of my body.

(Just a head’s up to any men reading: I’m getting into feminine topics territory. You’ve been warned.) While on vacation I got my period, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the all the pool and beach activities I loved.

I may not have been able to control the chemicals in the swimming pools I went in, but at least I knew that the Puristics feminine protection products I used were pure, with no chemicals, synthetics or unnecessary “super absorbent” powders.

I’m not saying I’m the picture of perfection when it comes to living naturally. I’m just beginning to be more conscientious about the ingredients in things I use… things beyond the food I eat.

I’m beginning to see that I can make changes in my buying habits that so that I’m being exposed to safer ingredients. The changes may seems small – like using a more natural sunscreen or switching to feminine hygiene products made with pure ingredients – but they can be substantial.

I mean, really, this ad spells it out pretty effectively, doesn’t it?

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Disclosure: We at Mom Generations are honored to be spokespeople for Puristics. We are being compensated for representing the brand; however, all opinions are mine and I stand by them!