As Martha and the Vandellas announce every year, summer is here and the time is right for dancing in the street! However, doing anything out in the open air implies we need to be extra careful with how we protect our skin against the harmful rays of the sun.
Because I know many of you are looking for all-natural alternatives with no synthetic ingredients, I have made a selection of brands that offer a good protection with very clean formulas. Although most of my choices are included in the EWG Skin Deep guide to sunscreens, I’ve included other less-known brands that I have personally vetted and loved.
(Psst… Follow the pretty bold pink links to learn more about the products!)
{From left to right}
Organic Sun Defense Minerals SPF 30 by Eminence ($58) is an all-natural sunscreen in a self-dispensing make-up brush that is the perfect companion for the busy toxin-free beauty addicts like myself. Made with natural mineral powders, this is a physical sunscreen that glides effortlessly and creates a sheer and waterproof coverage. The micronized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide in the formula protect from the UVA and UVB rays of the sun. I have been carrying this beauty in my purse for a couple of weeks and it’s so easy to use on the spot that I no longer forget to reapply my sunscreen. Available in six shades, it gets bonus points for evening out my skin tone. Beauty tip: buy a darker shade and use it sparingly as a bronzer! This is a 100% natural product.
Tinted Organic Zinc Oxide Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 ($15) by Badger is one of my favorite sunscreens of all times. This wonderful company manufactures with love in the USA its products, and has been able to come up with a really good broad spectrum SPF 30 protection using non-nano and non-coated zinc oxide. The folks at Badger seem to have me at the back of their minds because they have decided to tint the cream, so it doesn’t leave any white residues behind and it’s one of the few physical sunscreens that I actually enjoy using. For some reason, it’s also very hydrating, so when I’m in a hurry I’ve been known to skip my moisturizer and use this product on my face directly (I blame it on the weather that makes me extra lazy!). This formula is so clean that it even made the cut and was included by the EWG in its safe sunscreen shortlist. It’s also water resistant for 40 minutes, and contains 100% natural ingredients, of which 98% are certified organic.
Damascus Rose SPF 25 Face Sunscreen ($19.99) by Badger is a staple piece in my vanity. The perfect face companion for the SPF 30 body sunscreen, it also offers physical protection from the sun with non-nano, uncoated zinc oxide. The formula is completed with nutrient natural and organic ingredients, such as seabuckthorn, rosehip, and pomegranate, that also deliver antioxidants to further help the skin defend itself against the UVA and UVB rays. This beauty is also lightly tinted, so it wears beautifully alone or under your favorite make-up without clogging your pores. I do have a very dry skin and this is one of the few sunscreens that works well for me – it’s not too pasty, nor includes one of those mysterious synthetic ingredients that make me shed like a snake. This is a 100% natural product, non-GMO certified, and includes organic ingredients.
Sunscreen Butter SPF 50 ($9.99) by All Good: I have been carrying this wonderful tin in my purse for months. Offering an excellent waterproof protection (80 minutes), it is also coral safe and boasts organic ingredients in its formula. Highly convenient, I personally use it to cover my beauty spots three times a day. It goes on white-ish at first but leaves no greasy residue behind and blends well into the skin with a bit of work (as it usually happens with high-protection physical sunscreens.) It gets bonus points for being extremely portable and for not having a smell of its own. This is a 100% natural product.
Everywhere Sun Stick SPF 30 ($19) by 100% Pure is one of the recent launches of the brand. This format works very well for a quick pick-me-up on the face or just to protect your delicate nose in two seconds flat when you’re out in the sun (or in Six Flags like myself!). Glides wonderfully well, doesn’t leave a white residue behind in my skin, and I can attest to it being very effective. With a combination of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, this wonderful sun protection stick doesn’t have perfume but to me smells faintly of the wonderful cocoa butter included in the formula. I’m really glad 100% Pure is expanding its range of products to include solar care because they really hand-pick the ingredients in their formulas. Due to the format, this product is vegetarian but not vegan as it includes beeswax. This is a 100% natural product and includes organic ingredients.
Bonus Make-up Product!
Natural Mineral Lip Tint SPF 18 ($4.99) by All Good in Maroon Creek is the perfect companion for the healthy beauty-conscious. It delivers a high protection from the sun for your lips without the traditional pasty white residue; the color is beautiful and consistent, and it works extremely well for day looks inside and outside the office.
Although my selection of products include formulas that work well for me, I have to say I have a skin that tolerates sun well (with a fototype III that doesn’t burn easily.) The best protection against the sun is to seek the shade, especially in the central solar hours of the day (from noon to 4.30 pm, when the radiations are strongest.)
If a shade is not available or you’re spending your day outdoors, I recommend you to purchase a sun-protection hat (Wallaroo has really beautiful styles, check here my post about the brand!) and SPF clothing for further shielding against the damaging rays of the sun. Finally, if you have had sunburns or you blister take extra-good care of your skin and don’t forget to visit a dermatologist for an annual check-up. The skin is the largest organ in the body and it merits to be taken care of accordingly!
This is my very particular selection of all-natural, toxin-free and synthetic-free sunscreens for this summer. Have you guys found another brands that you like?
