Exposure to the sun is absolutely crucial to prevent disease and for optimum health, as opposed to what we have been told for years. That being said, not every product that claims to be a natural sunblock really has the safest or organic ingredients you expect.
More emphasis is being placed on green living today and including the right products that provide protection from the sun; UVA rays mainly.
Just about all sunscreens, I’ve suggested were required to be free from Parabens, SLS/SLES, Propylene Glycol, Phthalates, PEG’s (polyethylene glycols), Phenoxyethanol, and a multitude of other chemical compounds that I am not even going to mention. Essentially, they should contain organic and safe ingredients.
The sunscreen ingredient that I highly suggest you avoid is the synthetic chemical oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is an endocrine disruptor that affects the nervous system, is known to cause cancer in some laboratory research studies, and fosters free-radicals when exposed to the sun which happen to be very harmful and unsafe.
The best sunscreens are those made with the safe – natural or organic ingredients and without harmful chemicals.
They should stay on even when you are active, and not only keeps you safe in the summer but actually improve the look and feel of your skin. Get ready to protect your skin with confidence, with these top picks carefully chosen from the Environmental Working Group’s 2017 guide to the safest sunscreens.
3rd Rock Sunblock (1 Pack) Natural Organic Zinc Sunscreen/SPF 35+ / UNSCENTED
- Natural, organic and toxin free SPF 35+ sunblock sunscreen – Made with food grade ingredients only
- Patented Zinc Sun Protection Formula – Independently tested and shown to have the most robust UVA and UVB protection of ALL sunscreen brands
- Maximum sweat and water resistant – Great for on the beach and off
- Hypoallergenic, perfect for all skin types – No Burn or Sting
- PETA and Leaping Bunny Approved – Neither the product nor any of the ingredients tested on animals
Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Sunscreen
There are a lot of excellent ingredients found in Aubrey Organics Natural Sunscreen (Try Aubrey Organics here) which allowed this product to make our top pick. It features aloe vera, green tea, jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil, and several flower extracts which can improve the softness of your skin while the SPF 30 keeps the sunburn away. Those who place big emphasis on environmentally-friendly products will approve of Aubrey Organics and their range of organic sunblock because all of the ingredients the company uses are fully biodegradable.
They never test on animals. The price is also an attractive feature of this brand of sun protection products. They even have sunscreens for baby care. Below you will find a list of safe sunscreens, and a link to our ShopNaturally amazon store where you’ll find those + dozens more.
Beauty Without Cruelty BS Sunscreen SPF 30
The name of this product alone is enough to attract enthusiasts, but there is more to Beauty without Cruelty sunblock (Try Beauty without Cruelty here
Raw Elements USA Sunscreen
Raw Elements Sunscreen comes packaged in an attractive green label, representing the company’s devotion to a green lifestyle. Of course, not everything about a product can be deduced from the color of label. The sunscreen Raw Elements Eco Formula Sunscreen (Try Raw Elements Eco Formula Sunscreeen here ) has brought to the market boasts some attractive features and benefits.
For example, this is the number one rated sunscreen when it comes to safety and efficacy. Not only do they offer powerful skin protection from the sun, but their natural sunscreen comes in skin tone colors, enhancing users’ appearance. This is one organic sunblock that will never cause stinging in the eyes. It does not run when your sweat, but is utterly waterproof for up to 80 minutes.
Babo Botanicals 30 SPF Clear Zinc Sunscreen
No longer do those seeking to protect their skin from sunburn and other harmful effects of UV rays need to suffer when it comes to scent. Babo Botanicals 30 SPF Clear Zinc Sunscreen (Try Babo Botanicals here
There are several other great things found in the mix, such as Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice, Water (aqua), Camelia Sinensis (Green Tea) Extract*, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Fruit Oil*, Buriti (Mauritia Vinifera) Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, and many more ingredients that help make this natural sunscreen quite impressive.
For those of you that enjoy water sports or the beach there is the Sports version Babo Clear Zinc Sport Stick
Now if you want to go the ultra natural route use Organic Coconut Oil which according to latest claims serves as a skin moisturizer. That being said, you must make sure you wear protective clothes and make sure not to get a sunburn.
Warning: I wouldn’t try this approach on infants and children under 12 (use common sense always). UVB rays (the good rays) are at their peak around noon, and they are more easily filtered in overcast and cloudy weather.
UVA rays are not filtered as well, so even when it’s cloudy outside, these rays are still shining through. Also, UVB rays are not as strong early and late in the day, but UVA rays are. Something to keep in mind if you enjoy outdoor activities early in the morning or in the evening. You can find more information and a recipe to make your own Homemade Coconut Oil Sunscreen Recipe at the (Source).
It feels good to put this list together with confidence in knowing that these products have been tested, and evaluated by the authority in safest natural products; The Environmental Working Group (EWG) .
So these are some of my favorite natural sunscreen options when I must. Did I miss any? I’d love to hear what your favorite natural or DIY sunscreen you use.
Thank you for helping me spread the word on everything safer/healthier, sharing, and liking my posts. While the community is still growing as healyounaturally gets discovered, it is always a pleasure to hear your thoughts and questions.
To your best health,
Hi
Thanks for sharing valuable information and for saving me time in doing the search myself. We at home are well aware of the EWG’s guides… I’ve been looking for a safe sunscreen for my 9 m/o daughter for the longest, and finally found it. I just purchased the Babo botanicals spf30. Can’t wait to use it on myself too!
Lori-
My pleasure! Glad the article was of help in finding a safe product for your little one!
This article really opened my eyes.
I was under the impression and trusted those sunblocks as safe for my grandchildren. So glad I found this. I think raw elements sounds like a good one. Going to refer my daughter in law to this site for more good info like this. bookmarked!
Hi Dorothy~
We all thought that sunblocks were safe. The EWG has done an incredible job with the research. That is my go to site to get safe products, and well I share that with my lovely readers as such 🙂 Yes, I use that and badger for my toddler “on occasion” as I purposely expose him and myself to the sun at the right times; say noon. Yup, you read it right :). Awesome tell her to come by and say hi.