A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog post about the best sunscreen for under makeup. I also wrote many blog posts over the years reviewing different sunscreen brands, but never really wrote an overview post about the different sunscreens. Today I’m going to discuss three different products, which are considered environmentally friendly sunscreen products
What is environmentally friendly sunscreen?
So I can imagine you are thinking what makes a sunscreen environmentally friendly or what is eco friendly sunscreen? Well, there are a couple of things that make them friendly for the sea or reef safe. First of all, it’s always wise to check the ingredient list on the back of the bottle. The two most common harmful ingredients in sunscreen are oxybenzone and octinoxate. These chemicals are very harmful to marine life, including the coral reefs in the sea. Therefore in 2018 Hawaii banned this to protect the reef.
What’s the eco friendly alternative to these ingredients?
Basically any sunscreen that is oxybenzone and octinoxate free, would be considered reef safe. These chemicals are designed to absorb UVA and protect you from getting sunburned. While mineral sunscreens, by the use of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, reflect the UVA rays. This is a different way of protecting the skin from getting burned by the sun. The minerals are added into the white pasty consistency, which’s called sunscreen, so the skin could absorb it better. The amount of these ingredients decide how well the sunscreen is being absorbed by the skin.
Do I need UVA or UVB protection?
The difference between UVA and UVB protection is quite significant and you ideally want a sunscreen that protects you from both types of rays. If you just take a broad spectrum sunscreen you’re usually on the safe side! UVA penetrates a lot deeper into the skin compared to UVB. UVA rays are the cause of wrinkles and the loss of skin elasticity. It’s also a major contributor to skin cancer. Another fun fact is that UVA rays can penetrate through glass, whereas UVB rays can’t. So even if you’re sitting behind glass it’s important to wear sunscreen.
As I already mentioned there are two different types of sunscreen: reef friendly sunscreen or econ friendly sunscreen that contains nano zinc oxide and harmful sunscreen that contains oxybenzone and octinoxate. I’ve tried 3 different eco friendly sunscreens that I want to share with you!
3x environmentally friendly sunscreen
Australian Gold Active and Chill SPF 30
This sunscreen is a reef safe sunscreen and new in the product line of Australian Gold. If you’re on the hunt for a nongreasy tinted SPF 50 check out the post I wrote about it! This sunscreen is super easy to use because it is in an aerosol. This sunscreen is also water-resistant, so perfect if you’re going for a swim! I love the fact of how easy this sunscreen is to apply. It’s not greasy at all and it absorbs really quickly into the skin! This one is also available in sunscreen SPF 50.
Garnier Ambre Solaire Eco Designed Protection SPF50
This is a new sunscreen from Garnier, which is a natural mineral sunscreen lotion. It has a broad spectrum UVA and UVB protective sunscreen perfect for sensitive skin. The bottle is completely recyclable since this product is created in collaboration with Ocean Conservancy. This is also a very hydrating, but nongreasy sunscreen that absorbs into the skin very quickly. This is a sunscreen lotion in comparison to the Australian Gold one. So I think it comes to preference, which type of sunscreen you prefer.
Loveli SPF 30
This is also a UVA and UVB protective sunscreen, which is completely made of organic ingredients. It’s a Dutch brand, so I’m not sure if it’s available in the rest of the world. This sunscreen is definitely good for the environment and for the sea! It makes your skin feel very soft, which is due to the avocado and argan oil. You can use this sunscreen on both your body and face. Although I find that it is a little bit too greasy for my face.
I hope you loved reading about these different reef safe sunscreens that I’d recommend this summer! Let me know which sunscreen you’ll be using!
Goede info voor Rhodos 🏝🏖☀️😘
I must admit while looking for environmentally friendly alternatives to everyday items, sunscreen isn’t something I’d usually think of. It’s good to know there are enviro-friendly ones out there and I will definitely have to make the switch 🙂
These sound like great products. It is important to switch to eco-friendly products where you can. Thank you for sharing this blog post.
Lauren
This is such great info about environmentally friendly sunscreen. Thanks so much for sharing it!
These all sound like amazing alternatives! I never thought about toxic chemicals in SPF until I read it a couple of months ago, so it’s great to know there are options out there!