Best Non Toxic Sunscreen

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Woman with non toxic sunscreen on her back.

OUR FAVORITE NON TOXIC SUNSCREEN OPTIONS

Taking care of your skin is a big deal. Whether you’re trying to keep your skin looking younger or concerned with the health of your skin, it’s important to lather up with sunscreen – especially during the hot summer months. All of our instructors at the retreat use sunscreen and we encourage our guests to make sure they apply before coming out to the morning beach workouts. Skin damage is a real thing and can wreak havoc on your body so protecting your skin is huge. Finding the best non toxic sunscreen for you can help keep your skin safe from harmful sun damage without adding chemicals to your body.

If you’ve been reading my blog posts, you know that I love non toxic products for myself and use them as much as I can. Whether it’s non toxic products for the home or for my body, I consider which is the best option for my health.

WHY IS NON TOXIC SUNSCREEN IMPORTANT?

Did you know that your skin can absorb what is applied to it? There is much debate about exactly how much of a product is absorbed or penetrated and it seems to vary based on the product and ingredients. Percentages range anywhere from 30 – 70% in terms of how much is absorbed through the skin. There’s also debate as to how deep these ingredients can go – how much is penetrated and into what layer of the body. Some products are formulated to stay in the first layer of the skin while other ingredients can penetrate way beyond that. That being the case, considering what you’re putting on your body is important to the health of your skin and your body.

BEST NON TOXIC SUNSCREEN

I’m out in the sun almost every morning with our fitness retreat guests so I have tried a ton of non toxic sunscreens. Here are my favorite products and why:

Alba Botanica Sport Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45

First of all, I love Alba Botanica products. I’ve used their shampoo and conditioners, body wash, body lotion, lip gloss and sunscreens. I love this company and all of their products and scents. This sport mineral sunscreen is one of my favorite sunscreens to use when I’m working out because it provides enough coverage so I don’t have to worry about sun exposure for over an hour. 

From Alba Botanica:

  • Offers biodegradable, reef-safe, very water resistant (up to 80 minutes), broad spectrum protection

  • Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation

  • 100% vegetarian ingredients

  • No animal testing

  • NO: parabens, phthalates, or synthetic fragrances

COOLA Organic Suncare

COOLA is a little newer on the market and I just tried it for the first time a few weeks ago. I love it! It’s easy to apply (and re-apply) because of the aerosol application and lasts for a while – two big wins for someone who sweats a ton and is working out in the outdoors daily. COOLA has everything from lip coverage and sunscreen for the face to full body.

The Upsides to COOLA:

  • Easy spray-on, Infused with anti-aging antioxidants, Water Resistant (80 min), No nano-sized particles

  • Hurray for spray spritz your sunscreen on the go with this clear, unscented continuous spray. *Awards: Best Natural Sunscreen, Redbook MVP Awards, 2014

  • Offering broad spectrum spf 50 protection, this farm to face sourced spray will nourish and hydrate skin with 70 percent plus certified organic ingredients like cucumber, algae and strawberry extracts. Have your fun in the sun and then some with coola.

I picked one of the COOLA sport sprays but they also have a cute little 4 piece travel kit that I have my eye on.

Kiss My Face Spray Natural Sunscreen

Kiss My Face definitely has some of the best non toxic sunscreen out there. I love the fact that this Kiss My Face spray sunscreen is spray rather than aerosol. I’m not opposed to aerosol if it’s a good quality product and it works well but a spray is always going to be better for the environment. This spray sunscreen makes it super easy to apply on skin without any of fuss. This is also easy to re-apply when you’ve just gotten out of the water or are a little sweaty. It also actually feels like it hydrates my skin when I have it on which is great because most sunscreens feel like a glaze on top of your skin.

About Kiss My Face Spray Sunscreen:

  • Practice safe sun with this Vegan & Cruelty Free formula blended with nourishing, Safflower-based Hydresia.

  • Broad Spectrum spf 50 protection & Water Resistant for 80 minutes.

  • Fragrance Free, fast-absorbing, moisture rich formula nourishes as it protects – also has a convenient twist & lock trigger spray.

  • Vegan, Cruelty Free, Oxybenzone Free, Paraben Free, Fragrance Free, Gluten Free & Phthalate Free. Leaping Bunny Certified.

Laguna Herbals Face and Body Sunscreen

Laguna Herbals definitely has some of the best non toxic sunscreen out there. It’s super clean and has only 5 ingredients. I use this for my face because it’s easy to dab on and reapply if needed. It’s spf 50 so it provides some really good coverage for up to 80 minutes.

About Laguna Herbals Sunscreen:

  • Laguna herbals sunscreen is one of the “cleanest” and “greenest” on the market

  • Made with non-Nano zinc oxide and just 5 certified organic, and non-gmo ingredients

  • A powerhouse of protection, LGuna herbals sunscreen is spf 50+ and water resistant up to 80 minutes

  • The formula will not run into and sting your eyes

  • Our sunscreen is hypoallergenic (for most) and safe for babies over 6 months of age

Sun Bum

I love Sun Bum products. They have a great range from body to lip care. I have used both their all over 30 spf for body as well as their face stick which is also 30 spf. I really liked the feel of both products. The coverage lasted well over an hour and I never burned with them on. I still keep a Sun Bum face stick around for regular use because it’s so easy to swipe on.

From Sun Bum:

  • Ideal for everyday use, by adults and children with even the most sensitive skin

  • Broad Spectrum UVA / UVB Protection, Water Resistant (80 Minutes)

  • Hypoallergenic & made with reef friendly, vegan ingredients that are designed to protect against UVA rays, prevent premature again, and moisturize skin. Parsol 1789 & Vitamin E Enriched

  • Excludes ingredients that clog pores or causes common allergies – Non-comedogenic, Oxbenzone & Octinoxate Free, Paraben Free, Cruelty Free, Gluten Free, PABA free & Oil Free.

WRAPPING IT UP

Some ingredients to AVOID when choosing your sunscreen are:

  • oxybenzone

  • avobenzone

  • octisalate

  • homosalate

  • oxtinoxate

  • Titanium dioxide

  • Retinyl

  • Palmitate

  • Retinol

  • Parabens

Some wording to look for in healthier sunscreen options:

  • Broad spectrum (yes, you still want this in a more natural form of sunscreen)

  • Water resistant (and for how much time)

  • Reef friendly

  • Paraben free

  • Naturally scented

  • Hypoallergenic

No matter what your reason for needing non toxic sunscreen, I hope these options give you some good direction for all natural skin protection. Enjoy being outdoors without the worry of chemical sunscreen! If you have questions or comments about this blog post, please leave them in the comments below. - Margot

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