The Best Natural Sunscreen Options
We all know I’m not quite a beauty blogger (not at all actually!), but I am so passionate about wellness and nourishing your body and mind from the inside out. This started with exercise and food and has evolved into mindset habits, lifestyle habits, and now skincare (and working into cleaning products). With the skin being the largest organ, it’s important for me to look into what I’m actually putting on my skin that is getting absorbed into my body.
Did you know that hormonal imbalances are often caused by harmful ingredients in cleaning or skincare products (called endocrine disruptors)? If you’ve been following me for a while you know that this past year or so I’ve been on a hormone and gut healing journey (click here and here to read more about that). Why do I hate the word journey? It sounds so cliche...anyway!
A lot of my research touches on paying more attention to your skincare products. While this wasn’t a main focus for me in my hormone and gut healing journey, I do want to be more mindful of it. It can’t hurt right? I can’t say I’ve gone 100% in to the all natural skincare routine, but I’ve made some major changes and I’d say my routine as now about 80% natural which is a win for me!
Which brings me to sunscreen. Does anyone else feel like the search for sunscreen that’s good for the environment, good for your skin, protects, and applies well is like an impossible search? That’s how I’ve felt! So I thought it would be a great idea to do all of the research for you so that you can find exactly what you’re looking for this summer when it comes to your sunscreen routine.
All of the sunscreens I’ve listed are mineral formulas, meaning they do not contain endocrine disrupting ingredients, and are reef safe options. I did my best to find options with reviews that mentioned an easy application that don’t leave that annoying cakey residue.
Personally, I like to have one lightweight option for daily wear on my face, another higher SPF face option for the beach, and of course one for body.
My current favorites are:
Daily wear: drunk elephant
Beach Face: Coola
I love my daily-wear drunk elephant option, but this year I want to try the EltaMD face and body options for being in the sun all day long. I also just love Coola and will probably rotate the two! Okay let’s get into the best products according to various experts (Goop, Allure, the Skin Care Edit, and more).
The Best For Your Face
Click the image above to shop!
Click the image above to shop!
What The Experts Say
In all of my research, dermatologists recommend the following when it comes to finding a sunscreen that works for you and how to wear it:
At least SPF 30
Wear it every day, even indoors!
Stick to broad spectrum labels (UVA and UVB protection)
If you have sensitive skin (me!) look for mineral formulas (everything above)
Natural generally means using a mineral formula to block UV rays by reflection, and it does not contain oxybenzone which is said to negatively affect hormones and can kill or bleach coral reefs.
Look for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
Okay friends that’s it! Did I leave one of your favorite sunscreens out? I’d love it if you left it in the comments so I can give it a try too!
*Of course, do your own research as I am not a professional doctor. But I hope you found this helpful and pointing you in the right direction!*