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.
Maelove
Overall
-
Ease of Application
-
Clean Ingredients
-
Water Resistant
-
Effectiveness
Details:
Price Range: $$$$
EWG rating: not in database
SPF: 30
Active ingredient(s): Zinc Oxide (18.6%)
Other ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, butylene glycol, glycerine, glyceryl stearate, PEG 100-Stearate, cyclohexascyloxane, polyglycerol 3 polydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone, sorbitan stearate, Dimethicone, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sodium lactate, polyacrylamide, C 13-14 isoparaffin, laureth-7, caprylyl glycol, hexylyne glycol, imperata cylydrica root extract, PEG-8, carbomer, triethoxysilylethyl, polydimethylilsyloxyethyl hexel dimethicone, cetyl alcohol, lecithin, tocopherol, ethylhexlglycerin, absorbyl palmitate, ascorbic acid, xanthan gum, tocopherol, linoleate/oleate, teprenone, phoenix dactylifera (date) fruit extract, polygonum aviculare extract, disodium EDTA, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, arabidopsis thaliana extract, plankton extract, miscrococcus lysate
Antioxidants added: Vitamins C and E
Where to purchase: Maelove
Ease of application: This simple, unsuspecting tube of sunscreen has got to be one of the best ever for rubbing in a clear, and quickly at that. It reminds me of a normal moisturizing lotion. There are more ingredients than I am used to appreciating, but none of them are hazardous, so if aesthetics and a very clear lotion is your ultimate goal along with safe mineral protection, this one is a huge winner. We even had marginal success rubbing it on to my husband’s wet head through his hair. It was developed by a group of post-college friends in many different disciplines, from medical to chemistry to engineering. That alone is kind of a cool story, and I think they are going to do a great job building the brand.
Scent: quite neutral
Water resistant? +
Star Feature: Definitely how easily it rubs in!
My experience: Sometimes I can tell what creams are really worth their salt by how quickly we use them as a family. We had two tubes of Maelove, and they are both nearly gone after just half of summer, and that is with over 20 other sunscreens being tested. That means we reached for this one a lot when we just needed something quickly and might not have been side-by-side testing. If I had to choose one brand to take with me on vacation, I would not hesitate for it to be this one… I just might take two tubes!
We also are confident that it genuinely protects from the sun because both my little boys got stripes of burned skin where their swim shirts crept up and showed unprotected skin accidentally. There was no evidence of pink where the Maelove had been applied. It also protected better on my two-year-old when Adorable Baby on the other side allowed a burn.
Our tip for you is that although it does rub in well, it can go on thick. This means your best strategy is to apply little dabs all over and rub them in together, because it won’t spread far.
Pros
- rubs in great
- very lightweight
- doubles as makeup primer
Cons
- goes on thick
- higher price point
- small tubes
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!