6 Natural Sunscreens to Protect Your Skin

The oh-so-important sunscreen. Even skincare aficionados can line up an impressive regime of cleansers, toners, exfoliators, and vegan lotions while forgetting how important an effective non-toxic sunscreen is for the daily health of your skin. No matter the season – and cloudy days included – the right natural sunscreen is a must-have addition for every skin type.

If you begin any amount of research into the safety of sunscreen, there’s a good chance you’ll be hit with a myriad of misleading or confusing information. That’s partly because non-toxic sunscreen regulation depends on your country. For instance in Europe, they proposed regulations on certain chemicals that have very little, if any, regulation in the US. Chemicals such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, and octisalate – that absorb into the body – are safe only in tiny concentrations. Much smaller amounts than what many American sunscreen formulas use. In other words, the information you may be seeing is confusing because it differs depending on where you’re looking. So what is there to do? Let’s take a look at what we know.

Different Types of Sunscreen

Through scientific study it is known that titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in natural sunscreen do not penetrate layers of the skin which makes toxicity and absorption highly unlikely. The only time you would be at risk is when using a spray chemical sunscreen, as this is the only point you might inhale these minerals. Therefore, when looking for sunscreen, opt for a lotion or stick, with an active ingredient of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. This way, you’ll be minimizing absorption of chemicals while using the most effective formulas for sun protection. For one of the best organic sunscreen options, try Coola’s Mineral Lotion. It also makes a great sunscreen for sensitive skin.

The Best Natural Sunscreen Criteria

Priorities such as non-toxic, reef-safe ingredients and biodegradable sunscreen formulas are at the forefront of our product research. The brands we feature are doing a great job creating clean products to protect your skin. We’ve found the best choices to ensure you healthy skin all year-round.

Looking for more non-toxic natural beauty? Try natural mascara or natural eyeshadow for more clean beauty inspiration.