Last updated on December 19th, 2023 at 02:26 am
It’s been summer for a while, and you need to be finding out about cruelty free vegan sunscreen. I have been planning to go scuba diving, since I haven’t got around to it yet this year. I did play around on the beach loads, and it was in the tropics. Gasp! No worries, though. I used sunscreen responsibly.
Quick guide:
Most recommended Stream2Sea Sport Sunscreen Best for Delicate Skin BeautyCounter Countersun Daily Sheer Defense Best for Sports All Good Sport Sunscreen Best Organic Sunscreen Raw Love All Natural Mineral Sunscreen Best for Kids Earth Mama Organics Uber-Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
- Why Do We Need Sunscreen?
- What SPF is best?
- What is Cruelty-free Vegan Sunscreen?
- The Best Cruelty-free Vegan Sunscreen Brands
- The Search for Sunscreen that the Coral Reefs Like
- What Are Reef Safe Sunscreen Ingredients?
- 17 Reef Safe Sunscreen Brands
- The Safe Sunscreen Council
- Tips to Protect Your Skin from the Sun
Why Do We Need Sunscreen?
As a water baby, I spend hours in pools and lakes and the ocean, enjoying the water as well as the marine life that call it home. However, over the years, I’ve come to realize the importance of protecting my skin while enjoying this breathtaking experience. Sunscreen has become my trusty companion, ensuring that my skin stays shielded from the harmful rays of the sun.
Before I discovered the wonders of sunscreen, I would often find my skin burnt and irritated after a long day in the sun. And if you’re a diver, then know this: the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be particularly potent when you’re underwater, as it reflects off the water’s surface, intensifying its effects on your skin. Sunscreen acts as a protective barrier, shielding my skin from these harmful UV rays, and preventing sunburn and long-term damage such as premature aging or even skin cancer. With sunscreen on my side, I can focus on exploring the underwater world without worrying about the consequences of excessive sun exposure. It’s my go-to solution for ensuring a safe and enjoyable diving experience.
What SPF is best?
When it comes to selecting the best SPF for your sunscreen, there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, it’s important to understand that SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, measures a sunscreen’s ability to block UVB rays, which are responsible for causing sunburn. The higher the SPF, the greater the protection. However, it’s worth noting that the difference in protection between an SPF 30 and an SPF 50 is not as significant as it may seem. While SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays, SPF 50 blocks around 98%. So, unless you have extremely sensitive skin or are prone to sunburn, an SPF 30 or 50 should offer sufficient protection.
Another crucial aspect to consider when choosing the best SPF is your skin type and the intensity of sun exposure. If you have fair or sensitive skin, or if you’re going to be in the sun for an extended period, opting for a higher SPF may be beneficial. Additionally, factors like altitude, latitude, and time spent in the water can affect the effectiveness of sunscreen. In these cases, selecting a higher SPF, such as 50 or above, may provide added reassurance. However, it’s essential to remember that no matter the SPF, regularly reapplying sunscreen is key to maintaining protection throughout your outdoor activities.
What is Cruelty-free Vegan Sunscreen?
Vegan sunscreen is sunscreen that is free from any animal-derived ingredients or by-products. Cruelty free sunscreen is sunscreen that has not been tested on animals. I am always on the lookout for products that are not only safe for me but also align with my values. Vegan cruelty-free sunscreen offers an ethical and eco-friendly option that allows me to protect my skin from the harmful rays of the sun without using animal products.
One of the key advantages of vegan sunscreen is that it is often formulated without the use of harsh chemicals, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are commonly found in non-vegan sunscreens. These chemicals have been shown to have negative impacts on coral reefs and marine life. With vegan sunscreen, I can dive into the crystal-clear waters without worrying about any potential harm to the delicate underwater ecosystem. Plus, many vegan sunscreens also come in eco-friendly packaging, further reducing their environmental footprint.
In addition to being cruelty-free and eco-friendly, this type of sunscreen also offers the same level of protection as traditional sunscreens. It typically contains mineral-based ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which create a physical barrier on the skin to deflect and scatter harmful UVA and UVB rays. This means that I can enjoy my swims without worrying about sunburn or long-term skin damage. It’s a win-win situation – I stay protected, and the environment stays safe too.
The Best Cruelty-free Vegan Sunscreen Brands
Here are the best sun protective options for you!
1 // Stream2Sea Sport Sunscreen
Price: $29.37
SPF 30 | Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB | Water Resistant | Eco-Packaging
This non-greasy sunscreen is water-resistant (for up to 80 minutes) and biodegradable, and super easy to apply. It’s a paraben-free broad spectrum sunblock with non-nano titanium dioxide. Stream2Sea also uses recycled or recyclable packaging, so that’s awesome. The Stream2Sea Sport Sunscreen was recommended by Rolling Stone in their list of top reef safe sunscreens.
2 // BeautyCounter Countersun Daily Sheer Defense
Price: $46 (50ml)
SPF 25 | vegan | cruelty-free | EWG certified
Countersun is a light, SPF 25 mineral-based sunscreen that uses non-nano zinc oxide. It provides protection from UVA, UVB, and HEV blue light rays, and is a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula for all skin tones.
If you’re a fan of spray sunscreen, Countersun’s SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Mist has a non-aerosol air-powered propellant mechanism (eco-friendly, woot!).
3 // All Good Sport Sunscreen
Price: $13.99
Broad spectrum SPF 30 | water resistant (up to 80 minutes) | B corp
This company is founded and run by an all-woman team in California. They’re a member of the Safe Sunscreen Council and 1% For The Planet. With thoughtfully mixed anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and moisturizing ingredients, the sunscreen packs a punch and is great for sweaty, sporty activities in the sun.
4 // Raw Love All Natural Mineral Sunscreen
Price: $16.99
SPF 35 | water resistant | FDA-approved | certified organic ingredients
Created by marine biologist Jenna Davis in Hawaii, this sunscreen is organic and plant-based, and smells fresh and minty. It’s effective, and gentle enough for babies. It comes in an eco-friendly tin container.
5 // Earth Mama Organics Uber-Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
Price: $15.99
SPF 40 | water resistant (40 minutes) | EWG rating of 1 | sensitive skin
Earth Mama’s Uber-Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion was created for sensitive skin (especially kids) and tested by pediatricians. Also, this sunscreen has an extra recommendation: the Environmental Working Group (EWG) gave the Uber-Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen a hazard rating of ONE, which is the lowest hazard rating a product can achieve.
Earth Mama’s Lady Face sticks are also worth checking out. They come in two shades, and work as a concealer or bronzer as well, which is just so convenient!
THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.
The Search for Sunscreen that the Coral Reefs Like
Sunblocks, or sunscreens, are guilty of causing massive damage to the environment, and to coral reefs in particular. And chemical sunscreens are not exactly great for your health, either. Now, instead of going over the super-complicated product list of existing sunscreens on the market, I thought I’d simplify my search by sticking to a few key requirements. So what did I look for? Reef safe, cruelty-free vegan sunscreens. They’re not damaging the reefs, they haven’t been lab-tested on animals, and they contain no animal products or derivatives. Are they made of natural and organic ingredients? Not always. If you are able to access and purchase the very best, most natural, reef safe, cruelty-free vegan sunscreen, then that’s great. But there are other options, which, while not ideal, are definitely better than the toxic alternatives.
What Are Reef Safe Sunscreen Ingredients?
What is reef safe sunscreen? First, some definitions:
Chemical VS. Mineral Sunscreen
Chemical sunscreens are not only toxic and bad for coral reefs, but they ‘absorb’ the sun’s rays like a sponge (the UVAs and UVBs). Physical or mineral, on the other hand, sunscreen uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to bounce the sun’s rays back off your skin. This is not only cooler, but safer for everyone concerned.
Nano VS Non-nano
At one point, apparently, sunscreen manufacturers thought nanotechnology would come to the rescue. Physical sunscreens were made with nanoparticles, which, being very small, get ‘trapped’ in the nano zinc oxide and don’t penetrate the skin. Good for us, right? But, unfortunately, these nanoparticles cause quite a bit of damage to the environment and to marine life.
So, go for non nano sunscreen, which is made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and is not harmful to marine life.
Reef Safe Sunscreen
What is the meaning of reef safe? These sunscreens do not contain oxybenzone and octinoxate (both of which cause coral bleaching and were banned in Hawaii in 2018 and in Key West, Florida, earlier this year). They also do not contain parabens or petrolatum/mineral oil, or high concentrations of titanium dioxide. Read more here.
Vegan & Cruelty-free
Beeswax seems to be pretty common in sunscreen, so even if a brand claims to be dairy-free, it may not be vegan. So, please check the ingredients. [There are additional complicating factors, such as multinational companies testing on animals in certain countries and not others, corporations that participate in worker exploitation and ecological destruction, etc. So, your best bet is to go with small & local businesses, locally sourced products, and a strict audit of all the ingredients that make up the product.]
Earth- and Ocean-Friendly Sunscreen
Sigh, even if a sunscreen is a mineral, creamy concoction that is reef friendly, cruelty-free, vegan and it goes into the ocean and gently rocks baby corals to sleep, it may still not be eco-friendly. WHAAAAT?? Yeah, it needs to be non-toxic and biodegradable. It may not damage the reef, but it needs to also not cause any harm to the rest of the ocean.
17 Reef Safe Sunscreen Brands
Reef Safe Sunscreen | SPF | Price | Purchase |
---|---|---|---|
Alba Sport Sunscreen | 45 | $7.97 | BUY |
Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen | 30 | $13.30 | BUY |
Babo Botanicals Zinc Sunscreen | 30 | $13.04 | BUY |
Badger Clear Zinc | 30 | $17.99 | BUY |
Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Lotion | 50 | $14.96 | BUY |
Blue Lizard Sunscreen | 50+ | $15.00 | BUY |
C’Est Moi Sunshine Sunscreen | 45 | $18.89 | BUY |
Elina Organics Sun Day | 35 | $32.00 | BUY |
Green People Edelweiss Sun Cream | 15 | £12.00 | BUY |
Hello Bello Mineral Sunscreen Spray | 30 | $9.78 | BUY |
Jason Family Sunscreen | 45 | $10.41 | BUY |
Kokua Sun Care Zinc Sunscreen | 50 | $30.00 | BUY |
Odylique Sunscreen | 30 | £15.00 | BUY |
REN Clean Skincare Clean Screen Mineral | 30 | $40.00 | BUY |
Sun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion | 50 | $14.99 | BUY |
Suntegrity Natural Mineral Body Sunscreen | 30 | $36.00 | BUY |
Thinksport Safe Sunscreen | 50+ | $21.95 | BUY |
The Safe Sunscreen Council
The Safe Sunscreen Council is a coalition of companies working to raise public awareness about the impact sunscreen ingredients may have on people and the planet. Members include many of the companies in the table below, including Kokua Sun Care, Mama Kuleana, ThinkSport, and more.
Tips to Protect Your Skin from the Sun
With all that out of the way, let’s learn how to protect our skin! Let’s just try our best, ok?
First, take care of the basics: wear appropriate clothing, and protect your head with a hat or a wrap. Spend time in the shade between time in the sun (some recommend not staying in the sun for longer than 15 minutes at a stretch. This seems very subjective. But each of us knows our own skin the best, so please decide for yourself what the safe amount of time to stay in the sun is.)
After all this is taken care of, the final step is the sunscreen. You may have many questions: What are the best reef safe sunscreens? Is Sun Bum sunscreen reef safe? (Yes.) Can you buy eco friendly sunscreen at Walmart? (Yes, Walmart has reef safe sunscreens.) How is Nature’s Gate vegan sunscreen? (Pretty good.) What are the best non greasy vegan sunscreens?
This post was about cruelty free vegan sunscreen
See, while you’re getting baked in the sun this summer, you do need to protect your skin. And while you’ve probably been protecting your skin with sunblock since you were a little kid, it’s now way past time to ask this question seriously: what is the safest sunblock to use – for the oceans and for yourself?
Other brands to try: SURFYOGIS, Suntribe, New Layer
Know of any other reef safe sunscreens? Let us know!
Let’s try to preserve all of this:
for as long as possible <3
If you liked this post, please share it with your friends. Thank you!<3
THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.
NOTE: All brand photographs belong to the respective brands/businesses.
Claire says
hard to take this seriously when you’re providing links to buy thing on Amazon.
EcoAnouk says
Hi Claire,
They’re reef safe sunscreens, and you can buy them wherever they are available, the most convenient of which is often Amazon. I understand your skepticism/disdain towards Amazon (and I probably share a lot of it), but Amazon is an aggregator marketplace that makes it convenient to buy certain things that are not available in every corner store. Where Amazon is being problematic, I will not use them. But where they provide a useful service, I will include that option since purchasing from Amazon is a reality for most of us in mainstream society, whether we like it or not. I’m simply providing a link to buy the reef safe sunscreen (or other eco-friendly products listed on this site) via Amazon; I’m not forcing anyone to make that choice. If you can order directly from the brand website, that’s awesome. But if you cannot, you have the Amazon option. And if you don’t have even that option, then that gives me the next topic to write about: making your own reef safe sunscreen at home;)
Thank for stopping by. This is a complex world, and ideas change all the time. Thank you for challenging me on something I’m not convinced entirely about yet but continue to remain open to.