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 options 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.
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.
Stream2Sea Original Sunscreen and Tinted Sunscreen
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:
Note that because the “Water Sport” varieties only use titanium dioxide, my recommendation is just for the EveryDay varieties of this sunscreen.
Price Range: $$$$
EWG Rating: “EWG Verified”
SPF: 30, 45
Active ingredient: Non-nano zinc oxide (19%)
Other ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco – Caprylate/Caprate, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root* Extract, Deionized Water, Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl – 3 Dimer Dilinoleate, Ethyl lauroyl arginate HCl, Antioxidant Blend (Extracts of Alaria Esculenta (Wakame Seaweed) (and) Camellia Sinenis (Green Tea) Leaf* (and) Ocimum Tinuiflorum (Tulsi) Leaf* (and) Olea Europa (Olive) Leaf*), Isoamyl Laurate, Jojoba Esters , Magnesium Sulfate, Mica, Tocopherols, Olive Squalane Oil, Polyglyceryl – 3 Oleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Propanediol, Silica, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Vegetarian Glycerin, Xanthan Gum *ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
Antioxidants added: aloe, turmeric, jojoba, vitamin E, and others
Where to purchase: Stream2Sea site (use code kitchenstew for 10% off), Amazon – Everyday, Sport, Tinted
Ease of application: +/-
Scent: light and clean, very understated
Water resistance: Rated for 80 minutes
My review: Stream2Sea did not fare well a decade ago with their old formula, but the reformulation is absolutely fantastic. It performed very well in side-to-side tests versus other brands. It does take a little extra work to rub in. When you first put it on, you will think, Oh no, what a total failure. But just give yourself a good massage, and eventually, magically, it disappears. At first, it will look like paint drying and all splotchy–but trust me, it does rub in. It could be a bit troublesome on a man’s hairy arms, so take that into consideration.
The options from Stream2Sea are fantastic.
- Everyday Active is extra waterproof!
- Tinted looks great on faces, and is one of the only brands with a large enough tube that I feel I could put tinted on the whole body.
- Shimmer is just fun with very small glitter in the whole tube.
I’m beyond thrilled with the new Stream2Sea formula, and it’s become one of our family’s go-tos.
Pros
- effective against sunburn
- neutral scent
- tinted option rubs in well on different complexions
Cons
- extra effort to rub in, but the result ends up clear
- Water Sport version only uses titanium dioxide
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!