The Best Sustainable Reef Safe Sustainable Sunscreens for 2024
You know what's cool? Protecting your skin & the ocean. You know what's not cool? Hitting the beach looking like Zuckerberg....
We all know by now that donning a daily spf is a must have for your skin. Protecting your skin from UVA and UVB rays is the best way to prevent aging after all, so you know I'm really into spf. If you're a regular reader you also know I'm really into helping out our planet too which is why choosing a reef safe sunscreen is an absolute must have. IKYMI - the toxic ingredients found in chemical sunscreens (like oxybenzone & octinoxate) have been found to be direct causes of the destruction of coral reefs globally. As with most things that are toxic to nature, these ingredients are also toxic to humans. Chemical sunscreen ingredients like oxybenzone are classified by the FDA as 'not safe' and are known endocrine disruptors (check out EWG's sunscreen guide to learn more)
So, what do you do if you want to protect your skin and the planet this summer? The solution is to opt for mineral / zinc based sunscreens instead of chemical based ones. The issue though is that many of these can make you look like a damn ghost. But I have good news! If you gave up on zinc sunscreen years ago it's time to give it another try because in recent years they have improved SO much thanks to new nano-zinc technology that makes today's mineral suncreens much more sheer. I consider myself a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to zinc sunscreens and have tested a ton of them! I rate them on how well they work, how smoothly they blend into the skin, how they feel and smell, and how sustainable the brand & packaging is. While there are certainly still a lot of duds out there - there are also some real winners. Here's the best reef safe sunscreens for daily use that I've tried so far this year.
The Best Reef Safe Sustainable Sunscreens
Best Daily Face Sunscreen
This is my overall pick for a daily SPF. It goes on sheer on just about every skin type and the texture is nice and light / non-greasy. Don't be fooled by the application- it does go on a bit 'milky' at first but after about 10-20 seconds it soaks right into the skin to give you a nice sheer glow (just don't put on too much, about 3-4 drops is good enough for me).
Sustainability: Summer Fridays has an excellent in house recycling program. Save up 5 empties & send them back for a $25 gift card. My only critique on their packaging is that it's not clear if they are using any PCR (post-consumer recycled materials) and that their packaging still has a lot of plastic.
Best SPF Serum
I've loved almost everything Rose Inc has released since it's launch in 2018 and this innovative SPF serum has quickly become a new favorite! It goes on very sheer even on darker skin tones and has a light & hydrating serum texture that soaks right into the skin. This serum was designed to be worn under makeup and I think it's the best option if you like to wear makeup and a solid SPF everyday.
Sustainability: I think this brand is really thoughtful about their packaging design, using less or zero plastic, using PCR plastic & glass, a few refillable items, and including detailed guides on how to accurately recycle its packaging. The SPF is housed in a beautiful + thoughtfully designed glass bottle with a plastic lid that can be taken apart to easily recycle. It's not perfect - I would still prefer a refillable system but overall well done.
Best Tinted Moisturizer SPF
This has been a staple in my routine for yeeeaaars. I love this CC cream and wear it almost every day. It gives you a gorgeous light coverage, feels good on the skin, and is packed with organic skincare ingredients like vitamin c, aloe vera, & resveratrol to treat and protect at the same time.
Sustainability: Juice Beauty tackled sustainability at every level of the business - from growing many ingredients on their own organic + solar powered farm, to supporting organic growers around the world, and thoughtfully designing packaging, providing detailed recycling instructions and utilizing PCR materials. The tubes for the CC cream are made with an innovative bio-resin instead of a fossil fuel based plastic.
Best SPF Stick
I've been so impressed with this brand! They get an A++ for sustainable packaging and I love the skincare forward formula that protects & adds a gorgeous glow to the skin. My favorite is the shimmer SPF stick. It goes on so smooth and is packed with hydrating ingredients like seaweed extract and vegan collagen. Plus the stick formula makes it perfect to keep in your bag for on the go touch ups.
Sustainability: This option has the most sustaianble packaging of any other suncreen on the list thanks to its plastic free FSC certified cardboard packaging that can be recycled or composted.
Best Powder Sunscreen
Powder sunscreens are great for dusting over makeup for spf touch ups and I love the compact + refillable packaging that Larkly uses. This spf is made in the USA, goes on smooth and transluscent, and won't make your skin feel chalky or dry. It also contains green tea, licorice root extract and resveratrol, three antioxidants that help to treat the skin to combat environmental damage.
Sustainability: While this brand isn't plastic free, they do offer lower waste refill options and utilize a simple design that is easy to recycle.
Best SPF Lip Balm
Don't forget to protect your lips this summer! This spf 15 lip balm from Sunly is budget friendly, fragrance free, and has a universally flattering tint for all skin types. At just $6 each, I like to stock up and put one in each of my bags so I'm never without one.
Best Sport Sunscreen
Another great SPF from Juice- this is my go to when I'm at the beach, hiking, or doing an outdoor workout. This water resistant formula can last up to 80 mins and is formulate with a sheer nano zinc + vitamin E & C for skin protection and and added glow. Just remember that with mineral sunscreens a little goes a long way and to really rub it in well. This one soaks right in and will last through even the sweatiest of workouts!
Sustainability: Juice uses organic + regenerative + vegan ingredients in all of their products and this reef safe spf is no different! All o f their plastic tube products are made with bio-resin instead of fossil fuels and include detailed instructions on how to recycle.
Best SPF for the Whole Family
This skincare forward line of SPF ticks all the boxes for me and I love how easy the application is for their spray sunscreen. I tend to avoid aerosols but do love the convenience of a spray application and it's perfect if you have kids you're chasing around to put on sunscreen too. This formula is 100% mineral based, goes on very sheer, no artificial fragrance, and is housed in a super eco friendly & lightweight aluminum bottle. This will be in my beach bag all summer long!
Sustainability: I love the lightweight + 100% recyclable aluminum spray bottle design that this brand uses. This is probably the best low plastic option I've found. The cap and spray piece is plastic and spray bottle pieces in general are too small to be recycled but the bottle itself being 100% recyclable is a huge win. To recycle, just separate the spray cap and bottle.
Best Budget Sunscreen
This is a great budget friendly option you can find at any Whole Foods. The formula is super clean made with 100% mineral nano zinc and 80% organic ingredients and is water resistant. A great budget friendly option for long days at the beach.
Sustainability: The plastic tube doesn't tick all the boxes on sustainability for me but I'd say if you have to choose between a PCR tube of chemical sunscreen vs this plastic reef safe sunscreen I'd go with the reef safe option every time. To recycle, just separate the cap and cut the end of the tube and wipe out any remaining sunscreen.
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