I put my heart and soul into finding the best natural mineral sunscreen over the last 10 years. My family of 6 has personally tested over 100 reef-safe sunscreen options, putting two on our bodies every time we are in the sun.
Our a/b tests have been stringent, and we really know what mineral sunscreens are effective, rub in well, and last a long time.
Of all those well over 100 choices, we only have about a dozen that we love and this brand is one of them.
If you’re looking for one of the best natural sunscreens, you’re in the right place!
As you’ll read in the full review below, this zinc oxide sunscreen covers all the bases and keeps your family safe from sunburn. It uses pristine ingredients to the highest standard, goes on smooth, and actually lasts.
If you’d like to see how it stacks up against other natural mineral sunscreen brands that use reef-safe zinc oxide, then head over to my ultimate guide to natural mineral sunscreens for the complete list of safe sunscreen reviews.
Kabana Bali Bloc Sunscreen Sticks
Overall
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Ease of Application
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Clean Ingredients
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Water Resistant
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Effectiveness
Details:
Price Range: $$$$
EWG rating: 1
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): 25% non-nano zinc oxide
Other ingredients: Certified Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Certified Organic Vanilla Extract, Certified Organic Beeswax [Vanilla stick]
Certified Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Certified Organic Cocoa Powder, Certified Organic Beeswax [tinted stick]
Antioxidants added: coconut oil
Where to purchase: Kabana
Ease of application: – The consistency is rather awful, especially in warm conditions. It got too soft and was nearly impossible to get on nicely. I felt as if we needed to just use our finger as if it was in a tube anyway. The stick applied way too thick and would have been uncomfortable for an adult on the face. My boys didn’t care though, so they got to test it out. As far as transparency and rubbing in, it’s really just so-so. It takes quite a bit of rubbing to get it to be passable. And it’s possible that because of that, we ended up with some pink singeing using this product.
Scent: Kabana sticks are very yummy, basically smell like earthy ice cream. Don’t let a toddler try to eat them!
Water resistant? Rated up to 80 minutes
My experience: The version including cocoa powder in this stick looks like it will never work on the face at first glance. We all thought we would be the wrong color. But surprisingly, once rubbed in it seems to blend on most Caucasian facial complexions. There’s still a bit of a statuesque sheen, but if you’re going to use this stick on faces, I would highly recommend using the cocoa powder version, because the white one is really quite white. This stick is wider than an average stick, so it would be possible to use across the whole body.
If you just “dabba dabba” like sponge painting instead of trying to rub the stick up and down your arm, it actually works fairly well. I’m looking forward to continuing to test this product after a winter to see how it holds up. I think as long as you get enough on, you’ll be protected from the sun, but there is a risk with a stick of applying too little product.
Pros
- tinted formula works
- wide stick can be used for the whole body
Cons
- too soft to apply in warm weather
- untinted difficult to rub in, very thick
Wondering if this one is the very best natural sunscreen for your family?
I organized alllll the sunscreens we reviewed in each one’s recommendation category – one page, at-a-glance to find out what is safe to buy AND works! Print it or save to your phone for reference!
The guide also includes answers to questions people ask me all the time:
- Which brand rubs in the clearest?
- What’s the best for all day outdoor sports?
- How do I save money on natural sunscreens?
- What looks good on ladies’ faces?
- Is there an option that is FAST to apply to wiggly kids?
I’ll send a copy to your email so you can see it right away and find it again later!