Kristin Cavallari Says She ‘Never Once’ Advised People to Avoid Sunscreen: ‘I Was Just Saying What I Do’

• Laguna Beach alum Kristin Cavallari addressed the now-viral episode of her podcast Let's Be Honest, where she said, "Maybe we don't need sunscreen" — which sparked online criticism
• Speaking to the Breaking Beauty podcast, Cavallari said sunscreen isn't a part of her daily routine, but she "was never once telling other people not to wear sunscreen"
• Cavallari said she wears a tinted moisturizer with SPF, and will use zinc oxide in the sun

Laguna Beach alum Kristin Cavallari is speaking out about that now-infamous viral clip from her podcast, Let’s Be Honest, where she said, “Maybe we don’t need sunscreen.” 

During a July 31 interview on Dear Media’s Breaking Beauty podcast, host Jill Dunn brought up “the elephant in the room,” saying, “I need to ask you about sunscreen because this is a beauty podcast.” 

“I'm going to quote you ‘cause I don't want to mess that up,” Dunn said. “You said: ‘I don't wear sunscreen. And anytime I do an interview, I get a lot of s—t when I admit that I don't.’ “

Dunn then mentioned how Cavallari asked her guest, holistic doctor Ryan Monahan, “ ‘Talk to me about the health benefits of the sun and maybe why we don't need sunscreen.’ ” 

Cavallari, 37, said she was “happy you're asking me about this,” adding, “a lot of times a conversation gets taken out of context and one little soundbite will get taken out, but that's the beauty of having a podcast.”

She continued, “that conversation was geared towards the health benefits of the sun, which there are health benefits of the sun. We get vitamin D from the sun that can't be argued.”

“I did, however, say, ‘I don't wear sunscreen,’ “ The Hills alum said, adding, “What I meant was it's not part of my daily skincare routine. That's on me.”

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However, she said, “I was never once telling other people not to wear sunscreen. I was just saying what I do. I do, however, I have a tinted moisturizer with SPF. When I go on vacation, I put SPF on my face. I wear hats.”

But although Cavallari said she’s “mindful,” she told Dunn and co-host Carlene Higgins that “I'm from California and I am a sun baby, but I, in no way, shape or form, was encouraging other people not to wear sunscreen. It was more… just, this is what I do”. 

The Uncommon James founder said that episode of her podcast was meant to be a conversation “about the health benefits of the sun, because you can't get vitamin D from the sun when you are lathered in sunscreen.”

However, the Skin Cancer Foundation says that’s not true: “UVB wavelengths happen to be the specific wavelengths that trigger vitamin D production in the skin. Nonetheless, clinical studies have never found that everyday sunscreen use leads to vitamin D insufficiency. In fact, the prevailing studies show that people who use sunscreen daily can maintain their vitamin D levels.”

Still, Cavallari says “there are a lot of sunscreens with crap chemicals in them,” saying she uses zinc oxide.

Zinc oxide works as a “physical sunscreen,” a report from Michigan State University’s Center for Research on Ingredient Safety said, since it “lays on our skin in a thin layer and reflects harmful UVA and UVB rays without absorbing into our skin.”

“I just think having those conversations is important," Cavallari said. "That's all.”