“If I get sunburned today, I’m really going to have a hard time putting trust in the natural sunscreen,” my husband said during our six hours in the sun, each slathered half and half with two different natural zinc oxide sunscreens.
My husband has used the same sunscreen for years: Coppertone Sport, as high an SPF as they make. He has very light skin and burns before he tans. Especially after SPF 50 became available, he referred to his sunscreen as “black tarp”, because he figured about as much sunlight got through as if he had hidden under a black tarp. His skepticism about changing comes honestly, as he knows the real pain of being sunburned to a crisp.
Nonetheless, he was a good sport about this massive project to review 28 mineral based creams to search for the best, safe all natural sunscreen, for baby and for us!
Sunblocks vs. Sunscreens
The major difference between sunblocks and sunscreens is that sunblocks are mineral based (always) and sit on the surface of the skin. The active ingredients are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Sunscreens are generally chemical based and must be absorbed into the skin to be effective via a chemical reaction with the UV rays. Ingredients vary widely, as does their safety. (See my Food for Thought article on sunscreen safety and cancer.)
For the purposes of readability, in this review I’ll just use the term “sunscreen” when referring to both sunscreens and sunblocks. The FDA has said “sunblocks” is too misleading of a term anyway. Just remember that there is a difference and be smart about terminology like “mineral based” when shopping.
On Zinc Oxide
Zinc Oxide is sometimes referred to as the only safe sun protection available in a tube. It protects from the full spectrum of UVA and UVB rays, incredibly effectively, all by itself, making it truly the best natural sunscreen ingredient available. It is a sunblock, and sits on the surface of your skin forming a barrier between you and the rays of the sun.
In that vein, zinc oxide sunblocks are notoriously difficult to rub in. Your skin ends up looking a little ghostly white from the sunblock. It’s a different look and can be a tricky transition if you’ve been used to spray sunscreen or lotion that’s super easy to rub in until it disappears. However, I’d rather take slightly pasty looking kids than tempt fate and skin cancer in the name of vanity.
I like being able to see the sunscreen sometimes. That way I know it’s still there and I feel like it’s working.
A deficit of zinc oxide sunblocks is the stained clothing factor. I was disappointed last summer by some zinc-based sunblock that made white marks on my nice, dark bathing suits. Testing so many of them, it was really difficult to pinpoint if any in particular stained the clothes, since we were switching so often. Some definitely did make marks on the new sun protective clothing we reviewed, so that hazard is real. Just realize that zinc-based mineral sunscreens have a high potential for staining dark clothing and take care accordingly.
Some people are also sensitive or allergic to zinc oxide. My 2-year-old daughter had an initial reaction of red, bumpy arms (but not bothersome or itchy that I could tell) with the very first sunblock we tested, but then it never happened again. I would believe that it might have even been a reaction to too much sun all at once, early in the season. When I was reading Musings of a Housewife’s natural sunscreen search, a commenter mentioned red bumpy skin as a reaction to zinc oxide, too. There are a few safe sunscreens listed below that do not contain zinc, so you’ll want to be on the lookout for them if you have a skin reaction.
How to Apply Sunscreen
You’re really supposed to use a lot of sunscreen in order for the SPF to be accurate. A grown man would need an entire ounce (shot glass full) of the stuff to reach full protection. From Sungrubbies, a company who partnered with me for the sun protective clothing review: “To reach the advertised SPF on a bottle of sunscreen a child needs to have applied: face and neck ½ tsp, one arm and hand ½ tsp.” Wow! An adult needs 2 teaspoons for just the back and shoulders (and that’s another reason I choose sun protective clothing most of the time!).
If you’re using a chemical sunscreen, you do need to (1) rub it into your skin so that it absorbs and (2) give it 20-30 minutes to fully absorb before you go into the direct sun, and (3) make SURE you reapply every hour or two at least, because once the sunscreen absorbs far enough into your skin, it not only stops working but actually interacts with the sunshine (ironic, right) to cause free radicals and oxidation in your skin, which cause cancer. Mineral sunblocks begin to work right away and do not need to be rubbed in quite so vehemently, nor do they cause problems if you forget to reapply (and who doesn’t most of the time?).
An Important Lesson You Need to Know
When you’re checking out EWG’s Skin Deep Database and 2010 Sunscreen Safety Guide, you really need to write down exactly the name of those sunscreens that are rated safe. I ended up inadvertently accepting review samples of two sunscreens that were rated 6 (moderate hazard) at EWG, and I didn’t realize it until I was scanning the ingredients on the bottle: “Octisalate, Homosalate…”
“Hmmm. Those sound an awful lot like the same old chemicals in my Coppertone. I wonder how they got such a safe rating…”
Once I checked the database, I figured out my error. You can’t just remember the brand and head off to the store. Both Jason Naturals and Alba have chemical and mineral-based sunscreens, and it’s really easy to get them mixed up. It’s probably a smart idea for the company, since zinc oxide sunblocks don’t really achieve an SPF higher than 30. By making both, the brand can pull in all the natural mommas and please those super-safe moms who just want the higher SPF. (More on how SPF protection works and why higher isn’t always better.)
“Natural” Sunscreen?
If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that pretty much everything on the sunscreen bottle or tube is meaningless, especially the word “natural.” When the same brand of sunscreen can have versions that are mineral based and others that are chemical sunscreens, each with radically different ingredients, and blatantly label both “natural,” you can’t be too careful.
In my search for the best natural sunscreen, sunscreens called themselves sunblocks and vice versa. Many claims are made on sun cream tubes, from “water resistant” “eco-friendly” “photostable” “non-greasy” “biodegradable” “broad spectrum” and “UVA/UVB protection” to all the following terms as “_____ free!”
- Tears
- Parabens
- Gluten (& other allergens)
- Chemical
Why is it all so confusing? Mostly because the FDA has yet to issue strict sunscreen standards, so everyone is just poking along trying to figure out what to do. The FDA is working on something, and you can read this article about the work in progress. It’s possible that very high SPFs will be illegal since they don’t offer a vast amount more protection even though “SPF 100″ sounds impressive. UPDATE: the FDA has spoken – see the new sunscreen regulations.
For now, you need to ignore the word “natural” and learn to read the ingredients: How to Understand Sunscreen Active Ingredients
Among Chemical Sunscreens…
It was still helpful to have the “wrong” sunscreens, because I could compare those chemical sunscreens that pitch themselves as “natural” with some really conventional sunscreens that were lying around my grandparents’ house at the lake. Some time ago I memorized a list of chemicals to be avoided (even more than other chemicals) from Greg Horn’s Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability. I couldn’t help but notice many of them in the conventional sunscreen ingredients, including parabens just piling up, yet none of note in the Alba and Jason chemical sunscreens. At least you can get the lesser of the chemical evils if a zinc oxide based sunblock doesn’t work for your family for whatever reason.
How Often do I Choose Sunscreen, Anyway?
At the Kimball house, we’re seeking a balance of getting some unprotected exposure to the sun, seeking shade between 10 and 3 or so, and using the safest sunblock we can find for those times when we’re bound to be outside. Nobody wants to burn, and my family would be scarlet if the rays are too intense. In general, though, I avoid sunscreen as much as possible, even the safer ones. Bring on the Vitamin D! See yesterday’s research post for Vitamin D benefits and why we need it, and here’s another succinct article on balancing sun exposure and why too much time indoors increases your risk of skin cancer. Fascinating!
How to Review Natural Sunscreens
The Environmental Working Group recommends fewer than 40 safe sunscreens at its 2010 Sunscreen Safety Guide. I started there and ended up with 28 sunscreens, 25 of which are rated 0-3 at EWG’s Skin Deep Database. 
UPDATE 2011
Ten new natural sunblocks were added to the review this year! I’ve also combed through the old reviews and added new thoughts based on more long-term usage AND new evidence about the importance of antioxidants and avoiding nano particles or micronized zinc oxide, plus price updates. A few creams were booted from the “recommends” section, but no one was resurrected from the “does not recommend.”
How we tested: I always put two kinds of sunscreen on, one of each half of our families’ bodies.
Even when in the sun all day, unless we made a mistake and didn’t reapply properly, we hardly had any sunburns. Once I did forget to apply sunscreen to my own face, and it got slightly, slightly pink while my shoulders did not. I was encouraged to know that the zinc oxide based mineral sunscreens clearly do something effective.
Here are the criteria I attempted to analyze with each product:
- Did anyone get a sunburn? Since I used two kinds almost every time, I was always looking to see if there was a difference in the tan/burn on either side. Sometimes (on myself only) I would leave one side without any treatment just to try to really test the product to see if I could burn. (And I did, ahem…)
- EWG Safety Rating? The Environmental Working Group rates tens of thousands of personal products based on each ingredient’s safety: cancer-causing, hormone disruptors, etc. A rating of 0-2 is generally deemed “safe,” and 3 is close enough for me!
- Stays on in water? Repels water? I was very surprised to see water actually beading up on our skin with most of the zinc-based mineral sunblocks. I liked it! I felt like I was visibly able to see that the sunblock would remain on while in the water. Some of them still repelled water after 3+ hours.
- Stings eyes? How often have you comforted a screaming child whose eyes were stung by a chemical sunscreen? I’ve seen it happen, and stinging eyes is one of the reasons my husband has liked his “sport” sunscreen so well. I don’t want to purchase a sunscreen that will make my kids afraid to put it on because it hurts. You won’t see me mention this much in the individual reviews, because no one ever screamed, cried, or complained about stinging of any kind.
- Greasy or creamy? For many people, consistency can be a deal breaker when everything else is similar. I don’t really care as long as it works, but I will tell you what I can about how the product feels on the skin.
- Rubs in well? Mineral sunblocks, by nature, just don’t rub in well. They’re sitting on top of the skin to block the sun. That said, some rub in better than others.
- Separates? Some of the products separate in the tube. This one doesn’t really matter to me, but I thought I’d share in case it does to you.
- Forms visible barrier? Although this is pretty much the opposite of “rubs in well” and might be a negative to some people, it makes me happy if I can see the sunblock at work. Then I know if it’s come off in the water.
- In the individual reviews below, I’ll classify the four categories above as “Ease of application” and rate it overall with a (+) as a high score, a (+/-) for the middle ground and a (-) for a negative rating.
Many mineral sunblocks are much thicker than your standard chemical sunscreen; this is Miessence Outdoor Balm. - Pleasant scent? My aromatic addict 5-year-old kept me straight on this one, giving his immediate and honest opinion on how each sunscreen smelled upon application.
- Skin reaction? I’ll tell you if anyone got a rash from any of the products. That’s a pretty important indicator of quality!
- Inclusion of antioxidants? With all the free radicals caused by the sun, it doesn’t hurt and almost certainly helps protect your skin if your sunscreen includes antioxidants like Vitamin E or green tea.
- Nano vs. micronized minerals? Whether this matters or not, I think it’s important to know what’s in the sunblock choices so you can make an informed decision. I explained nano particles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (those are the small ones) at yesterday’s research post. Be sure to see the comments as well for even more perspectives. Micronization is just the basic process of making the minerals smaller and is deemed safe as only nano particle absorb into the skin. Here is EWG’s letter to the FDA requesting more testing and information about nano particles.
- UPDATE 2011: I’ve gone through all the products again and increased the emphasis on NON-nano particles of both minerals because of information such as this from the EWG: “Studies suggest that nanomaterials are toxic in the environment to fish and other aquatic life and can damage organs when they enter the bloodstream after being absorbed through the skin, lungs or gut. ” Better safe (and more pasty white) than sorry, in my opinion. Here’s the 2011 natural sunscreen review update.
How do I Evaluate a Sunscreen Not Included Here?
Although it sure felt like I had a sample of every natural sun protection cream in the entire world, I didn’t even come close. If you’re wondering about a brand that I didn’t get to test, here’s how I would go about figuring out a sunblock’s worth/safety:
- Go straight to the ingredients.
- ONLY the two minerals (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) should be “active” ingredients.
- To be really safe, many say zinc is better than titanium.
- If you can find out about nano particles, do so. Non-nano is better.
- There should be some sort of antioxidant included (Vitamin E, aka Tocopheryl acetate, green tea, etc.)
- No retinyl palmitate (synthetic Vitamin A).
- No parabens, synthetic or unlabeled “fragrances” – that’s a general rule for all body products.
- If you can pronounce all the other ingredients, all the better!
DIY Sunblock
If you’re a frugal do-it-yourself type of person, you can find a recipe for homemade sunblock in the Summer Edition of My Buttered Life from Renee Harris of MadeOn Hard Lotion. 5 recipes with 5 ingredients for $5. If you’re not sure where to get the ingredients, you can grab a DIY kit HERE.
New FDA Regulations
The FDA finally updated their sunscreen rules for summer 2011 (after decades of radio silence), including restrictions on the phrase “waterproof,” extremely high SPFs, and UVA/broad spectrum protection. Read a synopsis here.
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Kitchen Stewardship Recommends…
The following natural sunscreens and sunblocks are in my general order of preference within each section.
Recommendations are based on overall impression, safety, and price. The best sunblocks in this first section are those I could actually see myself purchasing for my family.
UPDATE: As I thought even more about this question when readers pushed me for the one I would really buy, I came up with my two top choices and explained them here in 2010, although one was demoted to “Other Good Alternatives” for 2011. The full list of recommended sunblocks and why I made changes can be found at the 2011 natural sunscreen update.
Kabana Green Screen® Organic SPF 20 Sunscreen and SPF 22 Tinted Sunscreen
Price: $16-18 (4 oz.) ~$4/ounce
EWG rating: 1
SPF: 20-22
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (25%), non nano
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E
Where to purchase: Kabana online
Ease of application: +/- Average for zinc-based sunblocks
Scent: neutral
Water resistant? Probably? Doesn’t repel water like some others do, but doesn’t allow burns even after swimming
My experience: Although my husband, who is notorious for not applying sunscreen evenly, burned a bit at a baseball game between noon and 3:00, our brother-in-law and neighbors did not burn at all, even after swimming. The brother-in-law had some other products on as well and did burn, so I feel pretty confident in the effectiveness of Kabana Green Screen. My neighbor didn’t like the consistency and would not use it again. As natural sunblocks go, that’s pretty standard issue, so I guess I’m used to it. The tinted version helps alleviate the Casper the Friendly Ghost look, but it’s too “tan” for very fair skin and looks odd.
![clip_image002[50]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image00250.gif "clip_image002[50]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Kabana was founded by a Stanford grad with a chemistry background who has a real passion for safe skin care. The website is packed with information that I eagerly perused. The boss man, Erik, teaches you to read labels and assures you of the quality of each of his ingredients, many of them organic. For the quality of the product, the price is very reasonable. Kabana is also an eco-friendly company.
Mexitan Chemical Free All Natural Sunscreen
Price: $89.00 (64 oz.) $17.50 (8 oz.) just over $2/ounce or under $1.50 if bought in bulk
EWG rating: 2 (SPF 50 rates a 1)
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (6%), titanium dioxide (6%), no nano particles
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, green tea
Where to purchase: Mexitan, Amazon, other online retailers (***new label says “Tropical Sands” by Mexitan***)
Ease of application: + Almost watery, spreads incredibly easily
Scent: nearly neutral, lightly of green tea perhaps?
Water resistant? Yes, somewhat
My experience: Mexitan absolutely stopped one of my daughter’s arms from burning and my shoulder when applied only on one side. Three hours in the sun, 1-4:00 p.m. It’s really thin, though, and goes on like there’s too much water in it – but that also means it rubs in better than many. My husband wore it on his freshly buzzed hair, and against all odds, he did not burn after 6 hours in the sun. This is the only sunscreen I tested that is so thin and easy to spread. If you have wiggly little ones or hair that needs sunscreen applied in it, Mexitan is the perfect choice. My son did burn a little on the Mexitan side and not the Melansol side, so the “reapply after swimming” reminder is an important one here. My bottle, which must be older, does contain Vitamin A, but the new versions do not.
![clip_image002[41]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002411.gif "clip_image002[41]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Made in the U.S., highly rated for “reef friendliness” and environmental safety. Super spreadability! Gets high marks for being my husband’s very favorite and his new standby.
ECO Logical Skin Care: Baby, Body and Face Sunblocks
Price: $12.29 (3 oz. face) OR $21.15 (3.5 oz. baby) OR $19.69 (11 oz. face) ~$4/ounce for face, ~$6-7/ounce for baby, <$2/ounce for body
EWG rating: surprisingly not there! I recognize all the ingredients as from the earth but 3, and each of them weighs in at a 0 or 1 at EWG.
SPF: 30+
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (22%)
Antioxidants added: green tea extract and grape seed oil
Where to purchase: ECO logical’s store locator, Amazon (body) or face or baby.
Ease of application: + Our whole family really likes this product and how well it goes on. It’s very thick, which is actually kind of nice, but it rubs in quite nicely.
Scent: fairly neutral, although son doesn’t love it, probably because it has no added fragrances.
Water resistant? Yes! Water beads up visibly so nicely, and it definitely stays on a long time in the water.
My experience: When I emailed ECO logical to ask for a sample for summer 2011, they replied “hold the presses!” They assured me I would love the product. Skeptical of such claims, of course, I was still happy to have a company work with me so readily. Well. ECO logical is by far my favorite brand of this summer’s field. The baby version seems expensive in comparison, so I’d go with the “body” for everyone myself. I highly recommend ECO.
Star Feature: the company is very committed to education, community, sustainability – ECO stands for “Environmentally Conscious Origins.” Plus, their product is great!
Loving Naturals
Price: $10.75 (2.7 oz.) $14.89 (5 oz.) $3-4/ounce
EWG rating: 1
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (24.8%), no nano particles
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, green tea
Where to purchase: Mom4Life, Amazon, online retailers and some small stores
Ease of application: +/- rather thin and goes on white, separates in tube
Scent: smells like clay, not so pleasant
Water resistant? Not sure
My experience: This was a small sample, so it had limited testing. It is a bit tinted, thus it doesn’t make people look quite so ghostly, but it’s still a bit tricky to rub in.
![clip_image002[46]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002461.gif "clip_image002[46]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Very low EWG rating and reasonably priced, founded by parents and a responsibly-run company that discloses EVERY ingredient and source. UPDATE: Gluten-free! This is a big deal, as gluten-free sunscreens and sunblocks can be hard to find. I also have an appreciation for the emphasis on organic and non-GMO ingredients.
TruKid Sunny Days Mineral, Non-Chemical Sunscreen
Price: $17.49 (3.5 oz.) ~$5/ounce
EWG rating: 1
SPF: 30+
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (20%), non nano (200 micron sized)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, green tea
Where to purchase: Amazon, TruKid online
Ease of application: + creamy, rubs in well, does not separate in the tube
Scent: One of my son’s favorites, smells like oranges
Water resistant? Not sure – it doesn’t claim to be and doesn’t bead up like some others. UPDATE: TruKid does sell a sport version that is “very water resistant.”
My experience: TruKid kind of flew under the radar as one that was unremarkable other than its pleasant scent. It was so easy to put on and never drew our attention by looking odd or allowing a burn, so I guess it’s a winner by default! UPDATE: My only trouble with the product is the plethora of ingredients, many of them sounding chemical-ish although still a “1″ at EWG, and the owner explains every single ingredient, where it comes from and what it’s for right here.
![clip_image002[64]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image00264.gif "clip_image002[64]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Started by a mom concerned for her kids, TruKid stays up on safe ingredients and even took Vitamin A right out of their product when its safety was questioned. Gluten-free product, which can be a big deal! They also have fun shampoo, conditioner and body wash that my kids love and offer a good compromise option between conventional SLS-based shampoos and castile soap. Customer service is prompt, too!
Other Good Alternatives…
This section includes sunblock options that either have a few more questionable ingredients, are more pricey than I’d like, or have some feature that disagreed with me. For example, I really want to put California Baby on the “recommends” list because we loved it and it’s easy to find at Target…but it is awfully pricey and doesn’t include any zinc.
MelanSol Non-Chemical Sunscreen
UPDATE: Melansol demoted 2011 because of the nano-particles.
Price: $23.95 (6 oz.) ~$4/ounce
EWG rating: 2
SPF: 25
Active ingredient(s): micronized uncoated zinc (10%); UPDATE: the website describes it as nano particles (30-60 nano)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, green tea, Bio-Melanin
Where to purchase: Sungrubbies, Amazon, other online retailers
Ease of application: - The product is so thick, it doesn’t even come through its own bottle cap and it separates a bit (see photo below). However, once on the skin, it doesn’t look so white, and it definitely spreads well!
Scent: pleasant, a light lemony scent UPDATE: My aunt had a coughing fit after I applied this on my kids; she’s allergic to eucalyptus. Something to be aware of…
Water resistant? Yes – we could still see it on the skin after 6 hours!
My experience: In a head to head test vs. Mexitan, swimming 6 hours and playing on the beach with one reapplication, Melansol was the winner. My son burned slightly on the Mexitan side. Although it is very thick, doesn’t feel pasty once on the skin. UPDATE: Once the product is more than an inch below the top of the bottle, however, it’s awfully hard to get out. The company needs to package the product in a tub for scooping.
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Star Feature: Melansol can be used as a daily facial moisturizer, is very water resistant, and the ingredients are carefully balanced to provide as much antioxidant protection as possible, plus it’s biodegradable.
Sol Kid Care by Caribbean Solutions
UPDATE: Demoted for going up in price and taking more note of the nano-particles.
Price: $13.45 (6 oz.) $3.36/ounce
EWG rating: 2
SPF: 25
Active ingredient(s): micronized zinc oxide (3.5%), titanium dioxide (9%)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, wild pansy, hibiscus and green coffee
Where to purchase: Amazon
Ease of application: + rubs in quite well because of the very small zinc (18-30 nanometers).
Scent: Fresh and citrusy
Water resistant? It was still in my daughter’s ear after 6 hours of swimming and beach play!
My experience: Everyone reapplied with Sol Kid while we spent 6 hours at the beach, and it seemed to do a great job. It really is easy to put on, and there is something to be said about having a nice, big bottle that didn’t cost you an arm and a leg. At least for us, we’re more likely to put on an appropriate amount and not skimp and make it too thin. The Caribbean Solutions website claims that they do not use nano technology and that the minerals are simply micronized, but it is mostly accepted that a nano particle is anything less than 100 nm. Nanotechnology is still a fairly new field and tough to decipher.
![clip_image002[40]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002401.gif "clip_image002[40]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Especially formulated for children and balanced with skin healthy plant compounds and lots of antioxidants. It goes on fairly clear.
Miessence Organics Reflect Outdoor Balm
Price: $28.30 (3.5 oz.) ~$8/ounce
EWG rating: 2
SPF: 15, but independently rated at 29.5
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (29.5%), micronized but “not nano” (some particles <100nm)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E
Where to purchase: Michelle Brumgard, Independent Miessence Representative
Ease of application: +/- This product is very thick and pasty (see photo up in description of review), but does it ever stay on when wet!
Scent: smells like clay, not so nice
Water resistant? Very!
My experience: Although the product is difficult to rub in, you get rewards in water resistance. All my husband’s friends were impressed with how it held up as they sweated playing volleyball (see photo below). We had some incidences of light sunburns with the product, but usually only after towel drying and forgetting to reapply (lesson learned!). It also made clear white streaks around the burn on my sister-in-law when she applied it unevenly, so that’s a pretty clear indication that it works to protect from the sun. I’m a fan of the product overall, and if organic and sustainable ingredients are important to you, Miessence is a great option.
![clip_image002[49]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image00249.gif "clip_image002[49]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Super certified ingredients, carbon neutral and other community-minded goals.
It’s almost hard to believe how well Miessence repels water. The product was applied on skin already wet with sweat, and the photo was taken after about a half an hour, obviously after more sweating.
California Baby Sunscreen Citronella
Price: $20.15 (2.9 oz.) ~$6.95/ounce
EWG rating: 2 (old formulation) – the “no fragrance” SPF 30 is only a 1
SPF: 30+
Active ingredient(s): titanium dioxide (18%), highly micronized (non-nano)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, Japanese Green Tea
Where to purchase: Target, Amazon
Ease of application: + white and creamy, rubs in average
Scent: very pleasant, if you like citronella!
Water resistant? Very!
My experience: We tested the citronella version, which of course had a very specific scent, so I can’t attest to the smell of the rest of their line, but I really like citronella, so this one was a winner. The sunblock itself is very white, thick and creamy. I had already tested other zinc oxide sunblocks and noticed the water beading up, but this one really seems to keep the water away. Check out the demo from my son in the photo below. I didn’t even realize this one has titanium dioxide only until typing this up. I am impressed at its effectiveness and would recommend it especially to people who are allergic to zinc oxide. No one ever burned with California Baby, and we used it often.
![clip_image002[54]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image00254.gif "clip_image002[54]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: California Baby uses only quality essential oils that are sustainably grown. It’s always a bonus to apply one product for both sun and bugs! Gluten and soy free.
Purple Prairie SunStick and Sun Stuff
Price: $8.9 (2 oz. stick) OR $19.99 (9.5 oz. cream) ~$4/ounce for stick, $2/ounce for cream
EWG rating: both 1
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): micronized zinc oxide (20%)
Antioxidants added: ?
Where to purchase: Purple Prairie, Lullaby Organics
Ease of application: +/- a stick is so handy for faces and we love that, but it doesn’t rub in superbly; the cream does a nice job rubbing in
Scent: not so great; my son doesn’t like it on his face
Water resistant? Yes! With the stick, water beads up on the face and you can visibly scratch some off even after swimming. I’m pretty sure it’s the beeswax that is the secret ingredient for that. The jury is out on the water resistance of the sun stuff….but even the bottle doesn’t claim to be water resistant.
My experience: I personally appreciate the stick as awesome for faces, but a big tedious for entire bodies. If you’ve got guys who don’t want to touch each other’s skin, however, a stick would be a great option! No one burned using the Purple Prairie products.
Other products:Purple Prairie also makes a lip balm with SPF, but it was so white that I couldn’t even bear it!
Star Feature: The ingredients are mainly organic and meet the rigid standards for safety in the coral reefs of Mexico.
Badger Balm All Natural Moisturizing Sun Cream
Price: $11.90 (2.9 oz.) (and SPF 15) ~$4-5/ounce
EWG rating: 1
SPF: 15, 30
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (20.5%), non nano – COMPANY UPDATED 2011
Antioxidants added: Natural Vitamin E
Where to purchase: Sungrubbies, Vitacost, Amazon, retail stores including Cracker Barrel and Whole Foods
Ease of application: + separates a bit and is slightly greasy, but tends to rub in better than some other brands of mineral sunblocks…except that it makes you look purple. Just a little. 
Scent: neutral, Grandpa didn’t like the scent
Water resistant? very
My experience: We did find a difference between the SPF 15 and 30, despite claims that an SPF 15 is just a few percentage points different in protection than a 45. My husband’s neck was slightly pink and darker pink when he went half and half and was out all day. It was early in the season, and he didn’t have much of a base on his very, very white skin. He also said he felt a slight burning sensation on his eyes, and Badger was the only product that caused anyone stinging eyes. This was strange: it visibly released oil into the lake water when swimming. My neighbor gave it rave reviews on consistency and said she’d definitely use it again (her boys did not burn a bit after 5 hours at the beach). Another friend also preferred it over the chemical based Alba SPF 45 sunscreen. I would concur, but I’d highly recommend sticking with the SPF 30 if you have fair skin.
UPDATE: The Badger product smelled slightly rancid after a year. Both tubes, particularly the SPF 15, separated so much after a winter season in storage that even after kneading the tube as per the directions, liquid oil still came out the top. There was practically no way to use the product! Because it doesn’t seem to be able to last more than one season, I’m rescinding my recommendation.
![clip_image002[48]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image00248.gif "clip_image002[48]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Now certified organic, Badger Balm really does live up to the hype of being a super sunscreen. A great product, very safe, sustainable and from a family-owned company that cares.
Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen e
Price: $13.99 (1.4 oz.), $20.99 (2.8 oz.), $32 (5.3 oz.) $6-7.50/ounce
EWG rating: 1 (old formulation; not rated for anything newer)
SPF: 30+
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (22.3%)
Antioxidants added: green tea extract, Vitamin E
Where to purchase: Sungrubbies, Acacia Organics, Amazon, online retailers
Ease of application: + Creamy like a conventional sunscreen, rubbed in fairly well
Scent: neutral
Water resistant? very
My experience: My husband had a little burning on the side opposite Soleo with another SPF 30 sunblock, so we’re very pleased with its effectiveness. My son wore it in and out of the water, through toweling off and eating dinner, and then 3 full hours after the first application we could still see the water beading up on his arms when he jumped back in the lake. Impressive! If sustainably sourced, organic ingredients are very important to you, the price premium may be worth it.
UPDATE: Strange, but after a year, the tube smells a little rancid. It also separated in the tube after a year in storage so much so that I couldn’t possibly knead it enough or shake it to get the product to be usable. Pure liquid oil kept coming out the dispenser opening. Since the product doesn’t seem to be able to last more than one season, I rescind my previous good recommendation.
![clip_image002[62]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002621.gif "clip_image002[62]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Packaging and container made from 100% recyclable material. Ingredients 100% natural, organic, environmentally safe. Water resistant up to 3 hours. Plus, the rating is a ONE. That’s awesome.
Beyond Coastal Natural Sunscreen
Price: $3.92 (1 oz.), $15.99 (4 oz.) ~$4/ounce
EWG rating: 3
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (6%), non-nano, titanium dioxide (5%)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E and C, green tea leaf extract, alpha lipoic acid, grape seed extract
Where to purchase: Sungrubbies, Beauty Intuition, Amazon, online retailers
Ease of application: - Sticky and thick, almost like toothpaste (see photo below), extremely hard to rub in
Scent: neutral
Water resistant? Maybe?
My experience: This one turns my arm hair white! I’m surprised that the percentage of zinc is less than some of the others because it is so thick and white. You definitely feel protected with this one. It doesn’t release any oils into the water, but it also doesn’t bead up as much as some of the others, so I’m not sure if it feels “water resistant”. Gail at Sungrubbies says it passes her “kitty litter test” and doesn’t clump up and make sand stick to your skin.
Note: Beyond Coastal also sells active sunscreens with chemical ingredients, but they are some of the safest chemical sunscreens available as well.
![clip_image002[76]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002761.gif "clip_image002[76]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Green initiatives, U.S. made, family-friendly company.
Anarres Natural Health Lotions
Elemental Protection Lotion $13/175ml
Shea Intensive Healing Lotion $13/175ml
Cocoa Light Lotion $13/175ml
EWG rating: all at 2
SPF: 15
Active ingredient(s): Cocoa butter, avocado butter and coconut oil are naturally SPF 15
Where to purchase: only from Anarres Natural Health
Ease of application: + creamy lotions that sink right in
Scent: neutral to nice, depending on the lotion
Water resistant? Not meant to be
My experience: These lotions are just lovely. Creamy, not greasy, very easy to apply, and they really feel like they get into the skin and moisturize without seeming too thick.
![clip_image002[74]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002741.gif "clip_image002[74]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: The totally natural, balanced and certified safe and sustainable ingredients are second to none. This is the only product I reviewed that comes in metal or glass containers! A very green option!
Sweetsation Therapy Sun*Si’Belle Organic Triple Action Moisturizer
(and Sun ‘n’ Fun Organic Baby)
Price: $48 (3.5 oz.) $22 (3.5 oz. – baby) $6-14/ounce
EWG rating: 2
SPF: 30+
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (6.5%), titanium dioxide (2.5%)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E and more
Where to purchase: Amazon, Beauty Intuition, online retailers
Ease of application: Very simple, creamy and brown (baby)
Scent: Mmmm, smells like chocolate! (baby); smells flowery and almost powdery, definitely a female scent (sunsi’belle)
Water resistant? Not sure
My experience: I just had a little sample of these two options, so I admit I didn’t test it as thoroughly as some of the others. The scents are fabulous and they’re very creamy and easy to apply. They rub in well and form a visible barrier, and no one who used it got burned. My sister-in-law liked it a lot! For our family, the high cost would be a bit prohibitive, however.
![clip_image002[82]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002821.gif "clip_image002[82]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Sun*Si’Belle helps prevent skin breakouts on face, and who can argue with a product that smells like chocolate? 
The Jury is Out…
I either didn’t have time to conduct a proper test or ran into a problem (like a sunburn) that hasn’t been replicated, but makes me nervous about recommending the products here. Some on this list are the “okay” products that I neither recommend nor suggest to avoid.
Anarres Natural Health Safe Sun Protection Cream
Price: $12/100g
EWG rating: ?
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (10%), large particles, not even micronized
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, grapefruit seed extract (certificate of purity, not from China)
Where to purchase: only from Anarres Natural Health
Ease of application: - The cream separated into thin liquid and a pile of sediment and was difficult to apply (see photo below)
Scent: unpleasant
Water resistant? Not at all
My experience: I tested the sun protection cream on one half of my body with no sunblock of any kind on the other half. This wasn’t a smart idea, because I was about to be in the sun for 6 hours on the beach. It seemed like the sun cream might have been coming off in the water, but then after I air-dried, I could still see a white film and water droplets would bead up on my arm, so I hoped I was still protected. The strange result of this bad experiment was that I burned on the side with the lotion and not much on the side with nothing. To Anarres’ credit, the creamed side was turned toward the sun and the unprotected side was covered a bit while my daughter slept, but only with a very thin sarong, and I tried to even it out by covering the sun-creamed side as well and then facing the opposite way while in the water. I have no idea what went wrong! I wish I had more time to test the product before the review, but I will continue to check it out and update this review if necessary.
![clip_image002[72]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002721.gif "clip_image002[72]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Comes in a glass container, certified safe and fair trade ingredients.
Alba Botanica Very Emollient Mineral Protection Sunblock
Price: $5.94 (4 oz.) ~$1.50/ounce
EWG rating: 2
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (12%), non nano, titanium dioxide (1%)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, grapeseed oil
Where to purchase: Lucky Vitamin, Amazon
Ease of application: +/- Fairly standard for mineral sunblocks, separates slightly in the tube
Scent: Yum! (Aloe Vanilla scent)
Water resistant? Not sure, but it claims to be
My experience: The box arrived while I was finishing up this post! Alba Minerals is slightly tinted, so the pale-skinned look is reduced a bit. It went on well and the kids were excited (still!) to try a new sunscreen. “Just put it on half, Mom,” my son said when I opened the box. [I do have to say that Lucky Vitamins uses too much packaging for one little tube of sunscreen! Why such a big box?] In spite of the no. 2 rating, there is one ingredient rated at a 6. I’m not sure how to feel about this one! The price, on the other hand, is quite nice.
![clip_image002[68]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002681.gif "clip_image002[68]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: UPDATE: We enjoyed the Alba the rest of the summer, and it’s one of my son’s ultimate favorites because it smells so good. However, I let it freeze in the van during the winter, killing any further testing. Sorry about that! For a sunscreen you might be able to find in a regular store, this is an excellent frugal option. No parabens.
Dr. T’s Supergoop: Sunstick and SPF 30 Everyday Tube
Price: $10.89 (.27 oz. stick) OR $14 (1.6 oz. tube) ~$8.75/ounce for tube
EWG rating: 1 for stick, 3 for tube
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): titanium dioxide (10%) and Octinoxate (7.5%) in stick; Homosalate, Octisalate, avobenzone, octocrylene (tube)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E in the stick; Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) – a major no-no!!! in the tube;
Where to purchase: Amazon
Ease of application: +/- a stick is so handy for faces and we love that, but it doesn’t rub in superbly
Scent: neutral
Water resistant? Yes! Water beads up on the face and you can visibly scratch some off even after swimming.
My experience: I cannot recommend the tube because of all the chemical sunscreen ingredients (even though they’re the “safer” ones, but especially the Vitamin A. Other companies are taking that out. If you’re dying for a stick for your face, Supergoop isn’t a bad option, but Purple Prairie, also reviewed here, is better.
Star Feature: Easy to apply, no parabens.
Keys Soap Solar RX Broad Spectrum Sunblock
Price: $26.95 100mL, $28.99 (3.4 oz.) ~$8/ounce
EWG rating: 1
SPF: 30+
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (18%), uncoated nano particles
Antioxidants added: ?
Where to purchase: Keys website and independent seller Angela Regali, Amazon
Ease of application: +/- creamy, but rubs in about average for a zinc based block; I like the applicator pump
Scent: great – smells like oranges!
Water resistant? Not at all, and it doesn’t claim to be
My experience: Keys Soap was the first zinc block we tested, and my 2-year-old daughter ended up with red bumps on her arms afterwards. It may have simply been as a result of her first exposure to the sun for an extended period this year, or an initial reaction to the zinc, but it never happened again with this or any zinc product. I’m not crazy about any sunscreen that isn’t water resistant, because we’re either going to be sweating or swimming if we’re in need of a sunscreen. It visibly ran down my friend’s skin as he sweated playing volleyball.
![clip_image002[70]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002701.gif "clip_image002[70]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: “Our nano-zinc oxide (ZnO) is uncoated to provide healing therapies associated with zinc oxide. The uncoated zinc has also proven to be anti-bacterial and antimicrobial and can reduce redness, rosacea, age spots and melasma.”
Other products: I got to test all sorts of little samples from Keys Soap, and I do love them all! They have great healing lotion for eczema and after sun, a bug itch spray that helped my son sleep when the mosquito bites were keeping him awake, and even shampoo and conditioner with zero chemicals. I use about 4 drops of the shampoo on my kids’ heads, and it all smells yummy like oranges.
Keys Soap on the left, Miessence on the right. The difference is striking! Can you see the the Keys is actually dripping down the skin just from sweat?
Glacier Creme Tropical
Price: $18.95 (4 oz.) ~$4/ounce
EWG rating: *not rated*
SPF: 20
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (10%),
Antioxidants added: White and green tea extract
Where to purchase: Amazon
Ease of application: + goes on smoothly
Scent: neutral
Water resistant? Tough to say. There’s no beading up with this product, nor does it scratch off the skin after a few minutes in the water. However, my husband didn’t burn after swimming.
My experience: We like this sunscreen and are happy it doesn’t have chemical sunscreens in it, but the list of ingredients still has so many unpronounceable items on it that with all the other choices, it doesn’t seem worth our time. At least it doesn’t have parabens or fragrances to worry about.
Star Feature: If a clear finish is important to you, this product will give you what you want. The SPF is only 20, though, and it does act differently from other SPF 30s.
Not Recommended…
I can’t love everything. These sunscreens either are too pricey for my budget (and likely that of my readers), have too many ingredients I don’t like, or I just wasn’t impressed. A girl’s entitled to an opinion!
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream (Sensitive & Baby)
Price: $16.95 (5 oz.) or $26.99 (9 oz.) ~$3/ounce
EWG rating: 2
SPF: 30+
Active ingredient(s): titanium dioxide (5%), zinc oxide (6-10%), nanotechnology
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E
Where to purchase: Amazon, DermStore, online retailers
Ease of application: +/- white, quite thick, average spreadability for a physical sunblock
Scent: neutral
Water resistant? Yes
My experience: Blue Lizard was nearly the only sunblock that allowed a burn more than once. To its credit, we were outside literally all day and on the water. Each kid had a re-application, but they wore only Blue Lizard because I just had a little sample that I couldn’t close and wanted to use it all in one day. The second time, my husband had Soleo on one half and got slightly burnt on the Blue Lizard half only. I’m unimpressed with the ingredients as a whole–even their baby formula has parabens and some other questionable ingredients, in spite of the “2” EWG status–and would not recommend Blue Lizard.
Note: Blue Lizard also makes sport sunscreens using chemical UV absorbers. ![clip_image002[56]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002561.gif "clip_image002[56]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Bottle turns colors in UV light so you know when you need to apply. Tested according to strict Australian standards.
Suntegrity All Natural Moisturizing Face Protection
Price: $39.99 (1.7 oz.) too close to $20/ounce for my liking
EWG rating: 1
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (20%), no nano particles
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E, algae, sunflower and grapefruit oils
Where to purchase: Beauty Intuition, online retailers
Ease of application: +/- Average spreadability, very white and thick (see photo below)
Scent: pleasant, a bit like a conventional sunscreen, lightweight
Water resistant? Does form visible barrier
My experience: I’d say this is about standard for the zinc-based creams. The price makes it tough for me to figure out why it stands above some of the others that have similar ingredients and perform as well.
![clip_image002[78]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002781.gif "clip_image002[78]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Started by someone who lost her mom to skin cancer; uses lots of antioxidants.
SanRe Organic Skinfood Supple Sunshine
Price: $32.00 (1 oz.) $3
EWG rating: 2
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): zinc oxide (9%)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E and C, grapeseed oil
Where to purchase: Beauty Intuition, online retailers
Ease of application: +/- Very thick, white, doesn’t rub in very well
Scent: Quite pleasant and fresh
Water resistant? Not sure
My experience: This is another for which I only had a small sample, and I would place it squarely in the realm of “average.” The high cost is prohibitive for me, but if you’re someone who purchases expensive daily facial moisturizers or battles wrinkles, it might be worth it for you.
![clip_image002[79]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image002791.gif "clip_image002[79]"){kind=small}
Star Feature: Can be applied as a daily moisturizer and doesn’t clog pores.
Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Green Tea Protective Sunscreen
Price: $5.42 (4 oz.) less than $1.50/ounce
EWG rating: 3
SPF: 25
Active ingredient(s): Padimate O (PABA ester) (8%), titanium dioxide (10%)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E and C, green tea
Where to purchase: Amazon, Lucky Vitamin, online retailers
Ease of application: - Very thick and goopy, a bit greasy but spreads well( see photo below)
Scent: excellent; my son LOVES this one
Water resistant? Yes, visible barrier against water
My experience: The texture is a bit like clay and very thick, and the cream does separate in the tube, which makes it harder to apply. Although my son would choose it every time based solely on scent, I’m not so sure about the ingredients and would choose one of the other sunblocks first every time. The price, however, is nice.
![clip_image002[58]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image00258.gif "clip_image002[58]"){kind=small}
Katie’s thoughts: Rated at 3, although Padimate O (PABA ester) is listed as one of EWG’s three FDA-approved sunscreen ingredients that have “highest concern for human exposure and toxicity.” The ingredient independently is rated a “5” in safety. I don’t understand why I’d want to use this option when others are available, unless I was allergic to zinc oxide.
Jason Sunbrellas Family Natural Sunblock SPF 45
Price: $7.17 (4 oz.) $6.69 (4 oz.) less than $2/ounce
EWG rating: 5
SPF: 45
Active ingredient(s): Homosalate (10%), Octocrylene (10%), Ethylhexyl Methooxycinnamate (7.5%), Ethylhexyl Salicylate (5%), Titanium Dioxide (2%)
*To understand how each of these chemicals may affect your family, do a quick search for them at the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E?
Where to purchase: Amazon, many online retailers
Ease of application: + creamy and simple
Scent: smells like conventional sunscreen, bananas
Water resistant? Seemed to do okay
My experience: It was interesting to test the chemical sunscreens vs. the mineral based ones, so I’m glad I made the mistake and got Jason Sunbrellas. I have since learned that any sunscreen over SPF 30 is not a mineral based one and can’t be rated quite as safe! It was funny to see some of my testers say with visible relief, “I’ll take this one,” after I explained the difference between mineral and chemical. However, my brother-in-law still got burned on his shoulders with this SPF 45. It can trick you into not reapplying and having a false sense of security!
![clip_image002[59]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image00259.gif "clip_image002[59]"){kind=small}
Katie’s thoughts: Last year I remember memorizing the name “Jason Sunbrellas” as a safe sunblock that I was going to purchase if I could find it in a retail store. I’m glad I didn’t, because there are only a few Jason products (mineral based!) that are included in EWG’s 0-3 ratings. However, if you do want a chemical based sunscreen, this is a safer choice because it doesn’t have oxybenzone or parabens. I would like to see it have a bit more titanium dioxide or added zinc oxide, however, for the UVA protection.
I was supposed to get Jason Sunbrellas Mineral Based Physical Sunblock, SPF 30, but I didn’t know better than to ask for anything more specific than “Jason Sunbrellas.” You really have to watch closely!
Alba Botanica Hawaiian Green Tea Natural Sunblock and Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunblock – Kids
Price: $5.62 and $4.39 (4 oz.)
EWG rating: 6
SPF: 45
Active ingredient(s): homosalate (10%), Octocrylene (10%), Octinoxate (7.5%), Octisalate (5%), Titanium Dioxide (2%)
Antioxidants added: Vitamin E
Where to purchase: Vitacost, Amazon, use store locator
Ease of application: + Rubs in easily and forms no visible barrier, creamy, slightly greasy
Scent: both very pleasant, “smells like candy” says a friend (Kids)
Water resistant? Claims to be, but it didn’t seem like it.
My experience: It was interesting to be able to pit these safer chemical sunscreens (they don’t contain oxybenzone) again the mineral based ones. There wasn’t one time when someone burned on the mineral side and didn’t with this one, and in fact, my husband’s friends thought that the Badger SPF 30 worked better than this one.
![clip_image002[66]](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/clip_image00266.gif "clip_image002[66]"){kind=small}
Katie’s thoughts: If you have to have a chemical sunscreen, Alba has some decent options, but EWG score-wise, there are others that are better (see the end of the post for some examples).
I was supposed to get Alba Botanica Very Emollient Mineral Protection Sunblock, with zinc oxide, but here again I didn’t know better about asking for super specific items. It JUST arrived as I was formatting this post. Better late than never!
What Else to Look For
I certainly didn’t test every safe, natural product out there. There were a few others on my list that I wasn’t able to acquire, and I notice that some are sold in normal retail stores that are pretty safe, including one I picked up a few years ago thinking it might sound “safer” without even knowing what I was doing! You can always check the Cosmetic Safety Database at EWG to get the lowdown on any ingredients in just about every personal product in the world. Here are a few examples of big brand, retail store sunscreens that are still rated under 4 for safety:
Coppertone Kids Pure and Simple Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50 (rated 3): A great example of a zinc based sunscreen with added chemical UV absorbers that are the safest available.
Ocean Potion Suncare Natural Mineral Protective Lotion, Faces SPF 45 Uses only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as active ingredients; a couple other bad ingredients get it up to a 4 rating at EWG. Kids’ version is only a 3.
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For more sun protection, see my sun protective clothing review and part two. I’ll be updating this post and sharing a new post as a full update in early summer 2011, so be sure to sign up for a free email subscription or grab my reader feed. You can also follow me on Twitter, get KS for Kindle, or see my Facebook Fan Page to keep updated on all the sunny goings-on here at Kitchen Stewardship.
Want to know more about what Kitchen Stewardship can do for you? Check out 7 Reasons to Subscribe to Kitchen Stewardship and the mission of the site.
Thank You to the Natural Sunscreen Review Sponsors
I’m very appreciative of all the companies and individuals who partnered with me on this project, with whom I never would have been able to review 28 natural sunscreens, including:
- Kabana, a research-based skin care company grounded in green goals.
- Nubius Organics, who will also be working with me on a back-to-school giveaway in August!
- Vitacost.com, who worked so hard to get me natural sunblock samples they even ordered from another company.
- Michelle Brumgard, a KS reader and sponsor, who shared her Miessence product and fab customer service with me.
- TruKid, who made sure I was aware of the EWG database – love that!
- Acacia Organics, a small store where they make sure everything passes the highest organic standards.
- Angie Regali, a Keys Soap reseller who was the inspiration behind the entire project when she offered my family a sample of her broad spectrum sunblock.
- Tracey TieF at Anarres Natural Health, whose lotion ingredients are so natural they make me hungry.
- Sungrubbies.com, where sun protection and natural ingredients are the keys to their business. I had a great conversation with Gail there about different sunscreens, even though I was calling to inquire about clothing!
- Solartex Sun Gear, a mom-run company who you’ll see more of later in the week with sun protective clothing.
- DermStore.com, where natural sunscreens and more have free shipping every day.
- Lucky Vitamins.com, selling natural sunscreen and other nutrition and wellness items.
- Caribbean Sol.com, selling natural body products and even natural dog shampoos.
- Beauty Intuition, featuring quite a number of safe sunscreens ranked 0-3 at EWG.
Disclosure: Every product I reviewed was received from one of the companies listed above without charge. However, they cannot and did not expect a positive review, just an honest one (which is, of course, what I’m here to provide). Some companies provided products for giveaways as well, along with an advertising fee. They still didn’t get special treatment in the review, which is just for you, my readers. J There are affiliate links in this post, including Amazon, Sungrubbies, Mexitan and Kabana, from which I will receive a commission, so thank you very, very much for starting your shopping here if you can’t find a product locally.
This post is entered in Fight Back Friday and Finer Things Friday.
all I can say is…holy cow. Katie, you are amazing!
[Reply to this comment]
This is a fabulous resource.
So. Hands down. Which is your favorite? Which will you be buying?
I have used Badger and Burts Bees. My kids burned with Burts Bees. I was very disappointed. I see you didn’t even mention them.
We like Badger okay, and we do not have the stinging eye problem, which is surprising since you did. The scent does bother my one daughter, though. She said kids at school made fun of her for it. @@
It’s also very white, as you know, and this bothers my kids some too. I think I’ll order the Sol Kid Kare unless you have one you’d recommend more highly.
Thanks for this! And thanks for the link love.
.-= Musings of a Housewife´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
July 22nd, 2010 at 8:09 am
Heh heh…I don’t think I’ll have to purchase any anytime soon, but…I think my husband was being touchy about the Badger b/c no one else had that reaction, even him later. I’m such a frugal person, that unless I could find a great deal on Cal. Baby, I’d lean toward Sol Kid, Mexitan, and Melansol.
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
August 2nd, 2010 at 3:31 am
Update: If I had a baby, especially 6 mos. or younger, I’d stick with only zinc oxide based creams, which means Cal. Baby, Mexitan, and Sol Kid are out. Melansol and Kabana are my favorites for ultimate safety at about $4/oz., and Miessence if you can handle the price.
[Reply to this comment]
Hannah Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 6:14 am
Hi Katie
I’ve struggled for years with suncreams because without cream, i don’t get ‘heat rash’, but if i judge how long i feel safe outside for without sunscreen i do sometimes burn obviously, but with sunscreen of all types i’ve tried, i seem to have a reaction which is like sunburn mixed with an allergy rash. I saw above you said some people are allergic to the zinc? Can you recommend one that is still as safe as a zinc one but might be the answer for not getting the ‘heat rash’ anymore?
Thanks!!!!
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
August 1st, 2011 at 3:38 am
Hannah,
Katie
There are definitely some that only use titanium dioxide – California Baby is the first brand that comes to mind; we liked that one a lot and it can be found at Target sometimes. Good luck!
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
July 22nd, 2010 at 8:16 am
re: Burt’s Bees – are they rated 0-2 at EWG? I totally missed them, you’re right.
My husband picked Mexitan to take with him this weekend to the lake, which is a “real” piece of information.
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
August 2nd, 2010 at 3:36 am
Update: I believe Burt’s Bees is a 5 at EWG. Whoops.
[Reply to this comment]
Cassie Reply:
July 29th, 2011 at 1:13 am
I personally don’t care for the Burt’s Bee’s. It has a semi gritty texture and is difficult to spread. I am allergic to something in most sunscreens, so I tend to stick with sunblocks with zinc oxide or titanium. My favorite that I’ve found so far has been an Arbonne sunscreen. It’s for kids and babies. It runs between $15 and $20. You should be able to find it here http://www.arbonne.com/index.asp?lang=eng
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We use and LOVE TruKids. Also love Badger and Loving Naturals as they are made in my backyard so they’re “local” to me as well!
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Wow! Thank you so much for all this work. I was surprised to see the the Coppertone Pure and Simple that I bought (in a rush) isn’t too terrible. It did work great at the beach for a week. I’m also excited just to find some of these companies for other products as well. We suffer from eczema here and I’m eager to try some things from Keys Soap. So thanks!
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I can’t imagine how much time this took to test everything and compile these reviews. Thank you so much for doing this! Sunscreen is one product that I struggle to decipher all the chemical jargon and have had no clue what to purchase for years! I will be referring to this and sharing it with friends!
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Wow. Just, wow.
Thank you so much for this fantastic resource. I’ll be saving this page for reference in the future.
I just bought Badger mineral, so I’ll see how that does on my vacation in California next week.
Thanks again.
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Thank you so much for this sunscreen review. I’ve had two instances of skin cancer (basal cell) and am extremely fair. I joke about going to the beach with my lead shield.
I’m always on the lookout for a better sunscreen that will be better for me and my family. Can’t wait to try some of these products!
.-= Jendeis´s last blog ..70-000 =-.
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Amazing review! You are queen of detail. I’m so glad I clicked through to read this!!
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Wow, what a huge, informative post! It took a while, but I read the entire thing. Definitely coming back here next time I need to buy a sunscreen.
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Thank you so much!! Great reviews and a great resource!
.-= Angie´s last blog ..Time saving tip for tomato sauce =-.
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Thanks for reviewing all of these Katie! It is a great post too refer to. I haven’t bought sunscreen at all this season. Although I do have fair skin, I haven’t been burning as much as I used to. But I always wanted to have sunblock as a backup, now I know what to look for! Thank you!
.-= Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen´s last blog ..Lacto-Fermented Pickles w- Garlic Scapes =-.
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Thank you for a great post! After watching a CNN special on toxins and children, my DH and I have decided to go with a “friendly” sunscreen for the children. We bought Badger and thought I was a little pricey but you really don’t need to use that much. So far it has been working great and noticed that the water beading on my kids’ skin.
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Katie – GREAT JOB! I am obsessed with sunscreen research. I am wondering if you gave AquaSport by All Terrain SPF 30 a try? It got a 2 on the EWG list, smells great, works well…I bought a few bottles…what are your thoughts?
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Katie Reply:
July 23rd, 2010 at 12:40 am
Jennie,
Katie
I hadn’t heard of that one! For some reason I must have copied a shortened list from EWG when I started my search, because I definitely missed some. I think I’m ok with that, though! It’s good to have the comments here at this post to give even more great options for people.
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Wow I’m so glad Jo-Lynne steered me this way! I wish I knew about this 4 days ago before I ordered my sunblock! Still, I have to say I am happy with the Dr T’s Supergoop Spray I got – I specifically wanted spray. It rubs in nicely and has an EWC rating or 3. (Their stick has a 1 rating so I’ll get that one, too.)
I’ve used two brands that have ZO2 but the white finish they leave is just too much for my preference on anyone who is not the palest of white, which we are not.
Thanks for your hard work! Awesome!
.-= Grace´s last blog ..Fly =-.
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Katie Reply:
July 23rd, 2010 at 12:41 am
Grace,
Katie
It’s great to know there’s a spray rated fairly safe! A lot of people ask about that, so I’ll make a note of it in the post. Thank you!
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Grace Reply:
July 23rd, 2010 at 9:10 am
Just wanted to clarify that it’s a spray, but still needs to be rubbed in. But it’s a nice light consistency; not goopy, despite the name!
.-= Grace´s last blog ..Fly =-.
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babeigotanidea.com » Blog Archive » PS to what we put on our bodies // Jul 22, 2010 at 9:45 pm
[...] at Kitchen Stewardship has an excellent post about sunscreens, we personally use TruKid and she rates it well, check out [...]
Katie, this is such a perfect post, I had to point people here on my own blog (: thanks for the details.
We use Trukid here and really like it.
.-= Suzanne´s last blog ..What we put on our bodies is so important =-.
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Wow you did alot of work! This is helpful and I’ll refer back to it for sure. I purchase sunscreen from Dr. Ben Kim’s website and next time I plan to try Dr. Mercola’s. I have used California Baby’s products before and liked them.
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Excellent post, Katie. We’ve used (and loved) Badger for a couple of years at least, and have never been bothered by the smell. But for those who are, I wanted to mention that just yesterday I saw that Badger is now offering an unscented variety.
.-= Christina @ Spoonfed´s last blog ..My kind of carnival- Healthy kids No fried dough =-.
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Great post!
I found Mexitan 2 years ago and have loved using that when we need to use sunblock. I still have quite a bit left from when I ordered it two years ago (we don’t use sunblock often). Does mineral sunblock have an expiration date? I haven’t been able to find one on the bottle. It still looks and smells like it did when I bought it, so I’m assuming it’s OK.
.-= Beth´s last blog ..GratiTuesday – God gave us a Suburban! =-.
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Katie Reply:
July 23rd, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Beth,
Katie
I’ve kind of wondered about expiration dates, too. Maybe I’ll ask one of the retailers or companies for you and get back!
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Katie Reply:
July 25th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
Beth,
Told you all I loved Kabana’s info-driven site and founder. This is from Erik, the boss at Kabana:
“Per FDA requirements all sunscreens should have an expiration date, however since FDA is concerned about sunscreen effectiveness and the fact that mineral sunscreens don’t degrade, as long as a user can spread the mineral (zinc oxide preferably) on the skin, the sunscreen will be effective. Other components in the formula may go rancid, but to date I haven’t seen this occur with Green Screen. We fortify the formula against oxidation (rancidity) with vitamin e.
The issue with the petrochemical sunscreens is that they do indeed degrade with time, heat and sunlight exposure, so after a while they are no longer effective sunscreen active ingredients, which is the original concept behind expiration dates on sunscreens. Ours has a two year out date stamped into the seal.”
Sounds like unless it’s all gunky and gross, it still works! For me, that’s one more HUGE reason to go mineral, b/c I’m always wondering about the effectiveness of last year’s bottle…or two years ago…and balancing that with the cost savings of not throwing things away. I’m so glad you asked this question so that I could find the answer!
Katie
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http://www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2010/07/sunlight-myth-why-sun-is-your-friend.html
You don’t need sunscreen!
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Katie Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 1:21 am
DD,
Katie
I read the entire post, and at the end it says “just don’t get sunburned.” That’s exactly why one needs a good sunscreen as a backup for when you’re really going to be out all day! I don’t advocate sunscreen all the time, every day, but when you are going to get burned without it – ouch. I want to have some available!
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Wow! Thanks so much!
I bought some Cocoon Organic Baby sunblock that I like quite a bit, but I can’t find it on skin deep. I mostly bought it because it was one with mineral based ingredients that my grocery store had. But I’m quite happy with it. It smells yummy and gingery. It felt expensive at the time, but looking at some of these others I think I got off lightly. I also just made the same mistake with the Jason brand and bought the 45 spf that is chemical and mineral based. Dang it! I wish I had read this first. My main problem with some of these is that I tend to be sensitive to some scents (especially floral), so I want to be able to sniff before I buy. I really appreciate that you included that info in your reviews.
.-= nopinkhere´s last blog ..Is Walking a Father’s Day Present =-.
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We don’t use sunscreen. I don’t put any on my young sons. None of us has burned.
If you eat alot of healthy fats, you’re not going to burn.
And why would anyone want to use sunscreen? How the heck are you suppose to get your Vitamin D?
BTW, we live in Colorado – a mile closer to the sun.
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Katie Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 1:16 am
Tina,
Because sunburns hurt.
We eat a lot of healthy fats, but apparently not “enough” to prevent burns after 6 hours in the sun, even me with my olive complexion. I’ll take my Vitamin D for part of the day and use sunblock at the beach when I’m there all day. Everyone needs something to fall back on.
Katie
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tina Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Maybe the difference is that we are on the GAPS diet.
We spent a weekend in the mountains (Winter Park) and swam in the pool and still no sunburn.
I grew up in Michigan and remember getting burned a little there but the MI sun is no where near the intensity of the CO sun.
We do eat loads of fats as is essential on GAPS.
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Katie Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 12:23 am
Tina,
Katie
I am looking into some cod liver oil…maybe that will make a difference for us!
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Thank you so much for this post!!!
How do you succeed in washing OFF the mineral sunscreens? Especially on your little ones faces? We’ve used California Baby, and one reason we aren’t a huge fan is it repels water so well, and is so noticeable. Even after bathing, sometimes we can still see it a day (or two) later…
Again, your attention to detail is appreciated and thank you for doing all of this research!
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Katie Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 2:34 am
Sarah-Anne,
Katie
You’d think that attention to detail would have extended to the clean-up, but either my kids somehow get it off during the day by rubbing their faces, or I just don’t notice it at night. Whoops! I have no idea how I get it off! We do have some nice castille soap based stuff that I would use on a face if I had to get the sunblock off with soap. It’s from Keys Soap, but I wonder if just castille would do it as well. Sorry ’bout that bad answer!
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Great information if you have to use a sunblock. However the complex chemical factories that are our bodies need some sunlight to absorb and manufacture all of the various types of vitamin D (and sunlight has other benefits as well). While it is not good to sunburn sunlight is essential to our health.
Check out the last two posts on Dr Michael Eades blog. http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/.
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Katie Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 2:53 am
Scott,
Katie
Absolutely! I linked to Dr. Eades’ work at my sunscreen information post and discussed vitamin D. I couldn’t say everything in this post; it was long enough already!
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My experience has been similar to yours, when I became a parent 7 years ago, I diligently applied sunscreen to my babies – even before their twice-a-week preschool. It was just this last year that I started taking a look at what was in the sunscreens and thinking about how long we could play without the sunscreen. We are fair skinned and have skin cancer in the family. I have been putting my 3 oldest in Coolibar swim clothing since they can remember. They ask me “why do some people swim naked?” (Meaning, without a shirt!)
This summer I have only used sunscreen if we are going to be in direct sunlight for longer than 30 minutes. We generally play early in the morning, so this isn’t an issue. We have used Soleo Organics all summer and it is great. We can play in the pool all day with one re-application and have had no sunburns.
Thanks for road testing the others. I didn’t know about the spray with the 3 rating, I will be getting that for my bag. Love this series, thanks for your hard work!
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What a great post! We love Burts Bees and Badger (w/insect repellent). Both stay on so much better and protect so much better than any “conventional” sunscreen! I was really surprised, I have been happier with those than any other I’ve used, and I expected going natural to be a compromise! Thanks for the post and the giveaways! I look forward to trying some of the others you mentioned!
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Katie Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 2:45 am
Dawn,
Katie
I checked out my friend’s Burt’s Bees this week, and it has some ingredient that was no good in it, but I can’t remember which one now. It’s a 5 at EWG, just FYI.
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Thanks for this great article! Bought some TruKid for the whole family <3 vacation in a bit under 3 weeks
!!!
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Thanks so much for putting in the time for the rest of us! I burn extremely easy and while I avoid spending excess time in the sun often vacations involve sun and the beach. I have switched to natural bug spray but haven’t switched to natural sun screen because of my fear of burning!
Thanks, thanks, thanks!
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Super helpful! I’ve had an eye out for this since hubby spends so much time in the sun. Which would you recommend the most for someone like him? Runs around all day and sweats a lot but has to wear a white uniform so he can’t have something that will stain easily. Also works in a service-type industry so he can’t look like he’s wearing a white mask
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Katie Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 12:14 am
Anne,
*grin* You’re right, Casper shouldn’t teach tennis. I don’t think the zinc oxide will stain white clothing, just dark stuff, and only if you’re careless when applying.
That said, the ones I liked that don’t look too white include: Mexitan, Sol Kid, TruKid, Kabana tinted, and Melansol, and Alba Botanica (Mineral!). I am updating the post about Badger, as it really does make you look kind of purple…
Hope that helps! 
Katie
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Thanks for doing all this hard work. I have two different mineral sunblocks and both of them float right off my son when he’s in the pool. I just thought that was how mineral sunblocks are. It’s good to know there are some that are actually waterproof. I’ll have to remember this for next year. These are just too expensive to throw away for one that might work better.
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Hello! Just read your thorough report on sunscreens and sunblocks!
I also tried Annares Natural sunblock, and it was the only sunblock I took with me on a week-long trip to Mexico. While the texture was indeed not as soft and creamy and I’d have liked, I found it to be perfectly effective. So, that’s weird that you actually *burnt* on the side of your body that had it, and didn’t burn on your naked side! – I might suggest a re-test.
Thanks for this review!
Dee
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Katie Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 12:06 am
Dee,
Katie
I did a retest, and I’m starting to think it’s simply not water resistant at all, and I just washed it right off within 10 minutes of hitting the beach. ??
Thanks for chiming in!
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great sites of the week 7.29 « Parent Planet // Jul 29, 2010 at 5:14 am
[...] treasure of sunscreen [...]
Finer Things Friday: Summer Bliss // Jul 30, 2010 at 4:09 pm
[...] The Fifth Street Palace (fabric and lattes) 8. The Frugal Family Manager (I Have a Daughter!)9. Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship (Finally Figuring out Natural Sunscreens – Review)10. Earthbound Farm @ Delighting in the Days11. No Sew Lavender Bags! Red Ted12. In my [...]
Too bad you got the wrong Jason product! We love Jason Sunbrellas Mineral Based Physical Sunblock! I use it on our whole family (2 boys age 2 and 4) and we’ve never had a sun burn! It’s fairly inexpensive (compared to others) as well and that was key when I was looking at mineral based products.
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I agree that sun protective clothing is wonderful! I much prefer it to rubbing sunscreen on my wiggly girls (ages 1 & 3).
For sunscreen, we’ve been using Episencial’s Sunny Sunscreen. Have you tried it?
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Katie Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Stephanie,
Katie
I hadn’t heard of that one until after my review, when someone on Facebook mentioned it. It’s good to know there are so many good options!
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I make our own sunscreen and have been for almost a year. We live in S. Florida and haven’t ever had a burn. Just mix 25% (by volume) zinc oxide into your favorite lotion (I make that, too). It isn’t as waterproof as some chemical sunscreens, but because it is so cheap to make I don’t mind reapplying
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Did you test, or do you have particular thoughts on face lotions with sunscreen? I’m notoriously forgetful for putting sunscreen on, and I become dreadfully burnt after only a tiny bit outside (living at 7,000 doesn’t help matters). Like you, I prefer mineral sunscreens, but I’m unfamiliar with a face lotion with sunscreen. Did you stumble across any in your research?
Thanks, by the way, for your helpful response to getting the sunscreen off
We’re using Dr. Bronner’s, and that’s working well. Once we run out, we’ll search for the castille soap you recommended 
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Katie Reply:
September 13th, 2010 at 7:50 am
Sarah-Anne,
I didn’t specifically test face lotions, although Suntegrity (above) is a facial moisturizer. I only reviewed it poorly b/c of the high price, but for a facial item, it’s probably more in line with average. Sunsibelle also is for use on the face.
I bet facial moisturizers would have trouble using minerals b/c of the somewhat white sheen you often end up with.
Katie
The Annares lotions with coconut oil (natural SPT 4-15) might be another good option for a daily moisturizer.
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I read your reviews a while back but actually had an opportunity to do a little testing of my own. We had previously tried Burt’s Bees and found it very difficult to spread and kinda flaky.
On our recent vacation in Hawaii I took a bottle of Perfect for the Sol, SPF 25, that I had purchased online from Chinaberry (books). I was very pleased with their research and commitment to healthy products with no nano technology.
It seemed to work fine but I actually gave it to my daughter-in-law to use on my newest grandson… definitely want to be choosy for baby skin!
What we replaced it with was Beyond Coastal, Kids SPF 30, that we found at the local health food store in Kailua.
I was very pleased with how it spread, smelled and worked on my crew, including my 16 yo daughter who is fair and freckled. She actually got a lovely tan, which she has never accomplished before (well we do live in Alaska!) with only a couple instances of turning a bit pink.
One thing I learned about mineral sunscreens: you definitely want to avoid trying to spread in direct sun because it dries on contact and is impossible to spread!
My second piece of advice is to apply with damp hands or to damp skin. Spreads so much more evenly and smoothly.
I tried to maintain a basic schedule of staying out of the midday sun, 11-3, as often as possible. Everyone used hats and rash guard shirts for at least part of the time if they WERE out in the strong sun.
All in all we ended up with nice tans, minimal burning and had a LOT of play time on the beach and in the water.
I hope I stored up a little reserve of vitamin D too for my return to the north!
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Katie Reply:
March 7th, 2011 at 2:06 am
Awesome additional review – thanks, Bebe!
Katie
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Where would one buy zinc oxide?
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Thanks for the article! I have been searching for a natural sunscreen that won’t turn my caramel brown skin ghostly white and your reviews have been very helpful
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Just went back and read this, thanks so much! My current challenge is that I am looking for a reasonably natural moisturizer with some SPF protection without the whiteness and heaviness that seems to come with most mineral sunblocks. I am out in the Phoenix sun all day and my doctor just recommended that I use something with an SPF on my hands, arms and face. Given my level of sun exposure (and the fact that long sleeves aren’t an option when its 110*F outside), I’m inclined to agree with her but I’m having trouble finding something that fits my requirements (light, rubs in easily, no white coating, no sunscreen smell), isn’t horribly expensive and isn’t overly toxic.
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Katie Reply:
April 5th, 2011 at 12:46 am
Stacy,
Katie
Some of the “regular” lotions from Annarres Natural Health are supposed to be low SPF, maybe 4 or 12 or so? My husband likes the Mexitan because it goes on really smoothly, even in his buzzed hair, without a white residue. Hopefully you find something that works for you! Also watch MadeOn Lotion http://www.hardlotion.com/ because I think she’s coming out with a light sunscreen, too. Good luck!
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Melissa B Reply:
May 22nd, 2011 at 1:05 am
I know it’s a bit expensive, but I had been using the Sanre Organics supple sunshine moisturizer with SPF. It’s rated highly. It **is** rather expensive, but it lasts a long time and if you apply it over toner it spreads well. I didn’t notice any whiteness. I’ve run out & reordered.
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I just have to say, you are the most thorough mom researcher I have ever “met.” I love coming to your blog because I can always count on you answering the questions floating around in my brain in detail. Perfect timing with this article. Many thanks!
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Has anyone tried KidsUV Natural Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 – Pink
They sell it at Target.com and it runs a little over $2 an ounce.
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Katie Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 3:32 am
Michelle,
Katie
That’s not one I’ve heard of, but I’m definitely curious to read the ingredients. There are more and more quality mineral sunblocks coming out all the time now!
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Hi,
I researched mineral based sunBLOCKS extensively 3yrs ago when my very white self and family (3 small kids and new baby) moved to Hawaii. Previously living in New York, Alaska and Chicago we never used sunscreen so as to get essential Vitamin D. But for intense sun all day we needed something to keep from frying. I went with Mexitan because not only is it safe for us but for the fish and reef as well. Also the price is a HUGE selling point for me. You listed the price at over $2/oz and it is $2.13/oz when you buy an 8oz. bottle, but if you buy it in bulk (and this is the ONLY brand I could find even after using your list that sells a giant bottle) it is only $1.40/oz on the mexitan.com website if you get the half gallon 30SPF. Now I know that sounds like a lot of sunscreen, but it only lasted us 6 months and we didn’t use it every time we went out. Having that much available (and at that price) made it very easy to share with the rest of our group at the beach or tons of kids in the yard. Of course someone with a shorter beach season could split it with another green mama or it would be perfect for a church or daycare. It worked very well for us with only one application (we never remembered #2). In the Hawaiian sun it allowed some light pinking on my very white skin at first until I built up a little tan which I actually appreciated. Eventually it separated in the bottle after many months, but still worked. It did leave a white film at first but once I got the hang of putting it on, it was only slightly noticeable up close. This is probably standard but it does dry quickly so only put a small amount on your hand and smoothly and evenly apply all that before getting more. Also, just smooth it on evenly don’t try to rub it in too much or it seems to clump up like bits of lint. I think that probably goes for most mineral based non-chemical sunblocks and just has a small learning curve but it is well worth it. Other than Mexitan the only other one I tried was the Blue Lizard (while I waited for my Mexitan to ship – FREE shipping). I liked the bottle but wasn’t thrilled with the product.
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Katie Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 3:37 am
Now THAT is a great bulk deal – thank you for sharing! We used Mexitan last week in Florida and I was VERY pleased with its performance. Good to hear another momma researcher come to that conclusion as well!
Katie
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Becky Reply:
June 7th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
where do you find it in bulk?
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Ella Reply:
June 8th, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Mexitan 30SPF half gallon, Free shipping
http://www.mexitanproducts.com/HalfGallon30.html
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Larisa Reply:
June 30th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
I also just ordered and received Mexitan (now the product is called Tropical Sands on the bottle) SPF 30 in the gallon bottle. We have a family of 5 and lots of cousins, friends, etc. that come over so figured we’d use it. Also ordered two of the 8 oz bottles to carry with us that we can refill. So far, I’m still getting the hang of applying it, but it seems to work great. Only caveat is you have to be sure that if, like me, you have a baby (mine is 9 mos) be sure you get it spread and dried before they wiggle and wriggle it all off. I’ve found it’s best to apply while my little guy is sitting in a stroller or high chair and then wait till it dries so he doesn’t rub it off while crawling around. Thanks so much for your research. EWG is great, but I’ve always wanted to really try the different products, so I’m living vicariously through you.
One final note is I LOVE California Baby — it’s my all-time favorite for protection, smell, ease of spreading, how it looks when applied and safety. However, I decided I can no longer buy 2 oz. bottles for $15 or more now that I’ve moved back South and am taking the kids to the pool every day. Bulk for cheaper is hugely key for me.
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Katie Reply:
June 30th, 2011 at 4:13 pm
Great to know – excellent baby tips, too!
Katie
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My favorite natural sunblock/screen is coconut oil! I do warn that it can get hair greasy, but we use it at the lake, when on vacation, sports and summertime when the kids are hanging out at the pool most of the day.
When using it at Disneyland one hot week, the only one who got a burn with coconut oil was the toddler in the stroller with her legs out in front of her. I apparently didn’t apply it quite enough for her, but the burn was very mild and was gone the next day.
I love it! If used, instead of forgetting it, we fair-skinned ones don’t burn and I grew up with a constant blisters on shoulders and peeling nose during the hot months.
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Katie Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 3:41 am
Cheryl,
Katie
I also tried some coconut oil last summer, but I have to admit I wasn’t comfortable allowing my fair-skinned children to use it exclusively, since the SPF is only somewhere between a 4 and 8. If we weren’t in midday or constant sun, yes, but not for the beach or pool at noon. That’s just me being nervous about burns, though. Thanks!
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Green screen has a lot of good things in it, but they’ve done a pretty tricky, underhanded thing with their label. Read here to find out why “vegetable emulsifying wax” is not something you want in your sunscreen: http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/todays-chemical/2009/1/17/vegetable-emulsifying-wax-nf.html
Considering Badger Balm’s completely organic ingredients, and ESPECIALLY since they reformulated to include non-nano, non-micronized Zinc Oxide, it is hands-down the best sunscreen in the entire industry.
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Katie Reply:
April 28th, 2011 at 1:34 am
Laura,
Wow, that’s a new one on me. Certainly a lot of research to be done in every aspect of green living, isn’t there? I’ll see if the creator of the green screen can comment on this. Thanks for your insight – Katie
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Erik Kreider Reply:
April 30th, 2011 at 11:00 am
Unfortunately there exists quite a bit of misinformation on the web about “emulsifying wax” which often gets extrapolated to apply to all emulsifying waxes, many of which are proprietary blends that contains innumerable chemicals, often with potential exposure issues. The link cited and information presented that describes vegetable emusifying wax NF, which is used in Green Screen, is INACCURATE. The NF stands for National Formulary, which stipulates and standardizes the compounds that can be present in the formula, namely the cetearyl alcohol and polysorbate 60, ONLY, not the PEG or steareths that clearly have dermal exposure issues and rate in with higher risk factors. Our use of the term ‘vegetable emulsifying wax’ in the ingredient list was not intended to be misleading but reflected the best description available at the time of tube production, which requires 10,000s of units to be made at a time. Clearly times change, consumer education increases and people have higher expectations, which is very good to see. We’ll be updating this in the next iteration.
We use the vegetable emulsifying wax NF because it’s currently the safest way to create a non-greasy emulsion (cream) that provides a matte finish vs. a greasy one as do many competing products. Currently there are no certified organic emulsifiers available. We may be switching this ingredient in the future for beeswax, however choosing this ingredient precludes our vegan status and opens the possibility of immunological sensitivity. Sunflower lecithin has also been investigated but hasn’t proven adequately stable.
Regarding the Badger formulas – a problem with using essential oils and extracts is that there are many individual chemicals in these oils that a) can artificially boost SPF due to the presence of UV-active compounds but that are not FDA approved for sunscreen use and b) actually increase oxidative free radical damage in the skin because these various chemicals are not UV-stable and breakdown after high energy UV absorption. Green Screen contains NO essential oils or questionable extracts for this reason.
Keep in mind that any naturally sourced ingredient is inherently complex chemistry, whether it’s shea butter or lavender essential oil, and will contain thousands of chemicals that are not listed in the ingredient list.
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Katie Reply:
May 1st, 2011 at 12:44 am
Erik,
Katie
I love it when real scientists talk science! Thank you so much for answering; just confirms my choice that Kabana is worth the purchase and one of my top choices, especially for babies – who might have sensitivities to the oils and such you mentioned.
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Laura Reply:
May 1st, 2011 at 8:29 am
The problem, in my mind though, is that you’re replacing those essential oils and extracts with not-so-natural stuff. I have NO problem spreading the products of God’s green earth on my skin. It’s more natural, and that’s my litmus test for everything. Vegetable emulsifying wax, which is something you must use because you don’t use beeswax, is not natural. This is one problem that sometimes crops up with veganism. Rather than using the natural thing, the beeswax, you’re forced to use a chemical substitute. I’m trying to find a sunscreen WITHOUT chemicals, not just different ones!
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Erik Kreider Reply:
May 1st, 2011 at 9:40 am
I hear what you are saying, however would like to point out that the most toxic and mutagenic chemicals on the planet are 100% natural ones. Just because something is natural, does not mean it’s good for you or harmless. There are numerous highly toxic chemicals present in many common essential oils.
Nor is there such a thing as chemical-free anything, because everything in the universe is made from chemicals, you, me, the earth, everything. Essential oils in sunscreens are inadvisable because the chemistries present in these ingredients are not UV stable and will cause more oxidative damage to skin, which a good sunscreen seeks to prevent. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
The best option to avoid UV damage is to stay in the shade. I’m a big fan of shade and recommend it over sunscreen.
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I would suggest trying Goddess Garden Sunscreen. It is the best that I have found out there. http://www.GoddessGarden.com
I love this stuff!!
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hi~ i have a question
are they wash off well??
i don’t want to use cleansing
oil
because i have a acne skin
i live in korea so i can’t use lucktvitimin
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Katie Reply:
May 24th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
They all act a little differently, really. You wouldn’t need a special oil or cleanser, but for some of the creams, a little soap doesn’t hurt. Good luck!
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kim young ae Reply:
May 25th, 2011 at 2:36 am
but some of the creams
do i need a cleansing oil or cleansing form??
oh i’m korean so i can’t english well ..
in korea most of water proof or water resistance sun block
need a double cleansing
first cleansing oil or soap
second cleansing form
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Katie Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:50 am
No, just soap really gets the creams off well.
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Katie, thanks so much for all the time you put in to this. This information is so helpful as I try to pick a good sunscreen for my family this summer!
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I bought Sol Kid Care, per this article and we’ve been using it over the past few days in the sun and pool (record high heats here in AL, my car thermometer said 98 yesterday!). So far no burns!
We do protective clothing, hats, sunglasses too! All worked together to keep us protected!
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Crystal Reply:
June 1st, 2011 at 10:54 am
I might add that last year we used Jason Sunbrellas (I don’t think you reviewed it because you got the wrong kind?) and really liked it too! But I think I like the Sol Kid Care better!
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Katie Reply:
June 1st, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Crystal,
Katie
Thank you SO much for coming back to add your review, and I’m happy (relieved) to know it’s doing well for your family.
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Crystal Reply:
June 1st, 2011 at 5:09 pm
The Jason product that we used last year was the Sunbrellas SPF 30, with a EWG rating of 2. It is a great product as well and pretty comparable in pricing, but I think that the Sol Kids went on much smoother and smelled nicer. Thanks for all of your research! I shared this on FB!
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