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.
Trader Joe’s Mineral Sunscreen Stick (only!)
Overall
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Clean Ingredients
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Ease of Application
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Water Resistant
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Effectiveness
Details:
Price Range: $$$$ – $$$$
Where to Purchase: Trader Joe’s (no longer available online; uncertain about in stores) or Amazon
Very Important Note: Trader Joe’s also has a cream and a spray and BOTH are to be avoided. They are not mineral-based, but totally conventional. 🙁
SPF: 50
EWG Rating: not rated
Active Ingredient(s): 22% non-nano zinc oxide
Other Ingredients: Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Beeswax, Bisabolol, Butyrospermum Parkii (shea) Butter, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) Oil, Copernicia Cerifera (carnauba) Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (candelilla) Wax, Octyldodecanol, Persea Gratissima (avocado) Oil, Theobroma Cacao (cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate.
Antioxidants Added: avocado oil, cocoa butter (I wish there were more though!)
Ease of Application: + You can see where it goes on but then it rubs in magnificently. Hard to believe this is SPF 50 and 22% zinc! See for yourself in this video on Facebook demonstrating 8 of the sticks in this review!
Scent: Incredibly neutral, perhaps a note of the cocoa butter. Mmmmm.
Water Resistant? rated 80 minutes
My Experience: No burns noted on this one and we love it!
Star Feature: compact size and smooth, clear rubbing in.
My Review:
I grabbed this on a whim well in our local store, after assessing the ingredients and finding them to be completely satisfactory. It rubs in very well, albeit perhaps a bit greasy. Again, sometimes greasy or shiny is the trade-off if you don’t want to look white. I found myself grabbing it often throughout the summer, especially for children’s faces, because I knew I could trust it to go on so easily.
My husband also gave this stick high marks, saying that it went on well and didn’t allow him to burn.
This would be a great stick to pick up while in your local store, but I wouldn’t seek it out online or anything – simply because the other TJ’s products are NO good at all, and because the ingredients aren’t anything special — just nothing terrible either.
Pros
- rubs in surprisingly well
- compact size
Cons
- a bit greasy
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!