Some of you have recently wrote in asking about sunscreen (thank you! great topic!), so I am sharing some of the brands I like to use. Like most conventional products, sunscreen can contain lots of icky ingredients. In order to steer clear of that stuff- look for organic, mineral based (zinc oxide) sunscreens which have limited ingredients that aren’t too hard to pronounce! If you want to dig deeper into certain brands or unknown ingredients, check out the Environmental Working Group‘s simple to use and informative sunscreen guide.
Though there are a fair amount of more natural based sunscreens out there, continue to read labels and question ingredients (as even if they lack the more common scary ingredients, there could be some other questionable ones in there!). “Ethylhexylglycerin” is a relatively new chemical on the market and is commonly used as an alternative to parabens. While it does derive from vegetable oil, it goes through several chemical processes to become what is it is. It’s definitely not the worst ingredient out there, but there just isn’t too much research on it so just be aware. Similarly, “Polyaminopropyl Biguanide” is a synthetic ingredient commonly found in natural sunscreens. It is also not a terribly dangerous ingredient, but the way it works is by breaking the cell wall of bacteria and damaging its DNA. Studies have shown it’s not strong enough to break down human cells, so that’s a relief! But it is restricted in Japan so if you want to lean on the safe side, steer clear of it.
Listed below are some healthy sunscreens I like to use or that I hope to try at some point! While sunscreen is incredibly valuable when spending lots of time outdoors or heading to the beach, just remember soaking some sunshine rays are super beneficial to get Vitamin D!
FOR DAY TO DAY FACE PROTECTION:
Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream Tinted SPF 30
I love this tinted SPF! It has zinc, so it protects against UVA and UVB rays, blended with yummy organic ingredients like almond oil, calendula, and shea butter.
FOR THE BEACH:
Keeki
I enjoy using Keeki, though some of the ingredients, particularly xantham gum, potassium sorbate, and banana flavor oil are slightly questionable (xantham gum has some studies linked to digestive issues, potassium sorbate has some research connected to skin and eye irritation, and banana flavor oil isn’t guaranteed to be 100% natural – there could be some artificial ingredients mixed in.) These questions aside, it works well and doesn’t leave a major white tint.
Butterbean SPF 30
This one is really hard to rub it in and leaves a subtle white tint. However, once it’s on, it feels nice and smells nice!
Soleo Organics
Rubs in really easy and has 3 hour water resistance!
Alba Botanica
Goes on like a charm, feels nice! Their coconut shea butter kind smells good!
Manda Organic Sun Paste
This stuff is for a serious day in the ocean. If Bear and I were surfing for hours, I would use this on our faces. It smells great!!
If there are any that you love and are missing in this post, please leave a comment below telling me! I would love to include in my testing research.
Photo by Sebastien Gabriel
