Best Natural Sunscreens!
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We’ve talked a lot about sunscreen lately and you may be ready to stock up on the best natural sunscreen as we head into the spring. I know before I even realize it summer will be here and I’ll want my natural sunscreen stock ready to go by the front door!
With so many options out there for sunscreen, what should you choose? Whether you’re looking for an all-around sunscreen, the best sunscreen for your face, the best sunscreen for your body, or the best sunscreen for your kids, I’ve got you covered!
As a highly enthusiastic sunscreen consumer and promoter, I’ve tried many sunscreens for many purposes and I’m here to report. Additionally, because my main focus is choosing products that are effective but also toxin-free and good for your health, all these recommendations hit the mark for clean ingredients and efficacy.
On the clean ingredient note, while I think that sun protection is more important than reducing the minimal toxins that sunscreen may contain, I do prefer to utilize mineral sunscreens, as they are the cleanest and they’re effective. With that, let’s get into the best natural sunscreens!
Best all-purpose mineral sunscreen
Best all-purpose mineral sunscreen
Pipette Mineral Sunscreen
I really love Pipette as a brand and this sunscreen is no different. This sunscreen goes on really well, uses titanium dioxide, and leaves a minimal white cast. It’s also fairly affordable!
I don’t mind using this on my face, though I typically use face specific products for that. Because of its fair price, clean ingredients, and ease of application, this is one of our top daily sunscreens. I feel comfortable using this on myself and even my youngest kids.
(Another option I really love but is somewhat pricier is the Badger Mineral Sunscreen. It applies well, leaves very minimal white cast and works amazingly. The ingredients are also insanely clean.)
Best 100% natural sunscreen
Sky & Sol Tallow Sunscreen
I’ve talked about Sky and Sol products before. They are a company that shot to fame on Tik Tok and I wanted to make sure they were legit. You can check out that post for more information, but long story short, they are. Their tallow sunscreen is an amazing option for those who want to find the most natural and effective product. It’s not cheap, as tallow tends to be pricey, but it is super moisturizing and effective.
(This version from Toups & Co. is another great option.)
Best face sunscreen
WellPeople Daygleamer Mineral Face Sunscreen
If you’ve seen any of my posts about nontoxic makeup, you’ve seen that I love WellPeople. They have amazing products that are nontoxic, effective, and look beautiful. This face sunscreen is no different. This product is my new obsession as we head into the warmer months. It not only provides great sun protection, but it contains rejuvenating ingredients like niacinamide and aloe to leave your skin looking absolutely beautiful. This is a great no makeup day product (though it goes great under product as well). I love a product that goes above and beyond its simple job to deliver a beautiful result.
Best tinted sunscreen
ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF40
Again, if you’ve seen my nontoxic makeup posts, you’ll see ILIA quite a bit there. They aren’t the most hippie brand out there but they are clean and their products are amazing. This tinted sunscreen is probably one of my favorite products out there. Since I don’t typically wear any foundation or concealer, this product is the perfect way to just even out my skin tone a bit at the same time as providing the SPF I need in the brutal Texas sun.
(Another tinted sunscreen I swear by is Elta MD https://amzn.to/43yr9kW . This is a combination sunscreen that uses octinoxate, which is something I choose to limit. But as I’ve said, the benefits of effective sunscreen outweigh toxin concerns to me given that this ingredient is proven safe. There is the possibility that it could have endocrine effects, and for that reason, I have switched from this product. However, it’s still a great option for those looking to bridge the gap and reduce their use of chemical sunscreens but still get the benefits. And it’s actually ranked a 2 by EWG, which is great!)
Best sunscreen for kids
This is my favorite sunscreen for my kid because it’s affordable, goes on well, and works. I love that it is fragrance free and isn’t insanely white. The ingredients are clean, it’s EWG verified and just all around a great product.
I also appreciate the size because it’s easy to fit in a diaper bag.
They have a “baby” version but the formulation is the same. It’s just different packaging.
Best sunscreen for water or sweaty activities
Badger Active Mineral Sunscreen
As a very active person, I’ve tried quite a lot of sunscreens specifically in the context of sweating and swimming. Honestly, I kind of feel like a sunscreen is a sunscreen in that situation. I don’t care too much if I’m white, I really just want something that works. But if I don’t have to be white that’s a bonus! There are several brands I could list here, because there are a lot of great options. But Badger is a great option that I really love and would fully recommend for your active uses. You definitely still need to reapply every couple hours (there’s no sunscreen that doesn’t need to be reapplied) but it holds up really well to sweat and water and the white tint isn’t ghostly.
Best budget sunscreen
Thinksport SPF50+ Mineral Sunscreen
This wonderful product is squeaky clean, EWG verified, and super affordable. This is a great option for really anyone, even if budget isn’t a concern. That being said, it’s one of the more affordable options you can find and it works just as well!
Because we wear sunscreen so frequently in my house, this is one of our go-to’s. I will say, it does leave a bit of a white cast but it blends in over time. However, it goes on easily so it’s a good fit for us with kids who hate to have sunscreen applied.
They have a kid-marketed one and a baby marketed one. I’m including this because some people prefer to have products marketed for their kids. However, these formulas are exactly the same. The reason is because the formula is just generally safe and effective. It doesn’t need to be changed for kids.
This should be true of most of your products across the board and should honestly clue you into the problem with our personal care products market. But that’s a conversation for another day…
One caveat is that this sunscreen contains “natural fragrance oil,” which means it is naturally derived but somehow processed in a lab before being put in the product. I’ve discussed concerns around fragrance before and consider this to be safe. But if you prefer to avoid all fragrance, this is not the product for you.
So there you have it. People have varying opinions on chemical versus mineral sunscreen. I say that, in the end, the most important matter is protecting yourself from sun damage and that means wearing sunscreen. If it takes you being exposed to Avobenzone to do that, I think it’s worth the risk.
However, there are so many amazing mineral options that are both safe AND protect you from the sun that I think it’s a no-brainer.
I hope you were able to find a product that suits your needs!
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