Organic sunscreen options

by Kate Spirgen | July, 2012
Keep UV rays at bay.

Sunscreen can prevent a blistering sunburn, but what else is in that tube?

Many sunscreens claim to have broad range protection and some even claim to be ‘sunblock.’ But many sunscreens block only UVB rays and contain a host of other chemicals that may cause hormone disruption and other problems.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer states that “sunscreens should not be the first choice for skin cancer prevention and should not be used as the sole agent for protection against the sun.” And there are several ongoing studies about the possible harmful effects of the chemicals found in those tubes.

Here are a couple sunscreen options with organic ingredients and broad spectrum coverage.

Raw Elements Physical Protection Sunscreen

Developed by an Ocean Rescue lifeguard, Raw Elements is biodegradable and protects against both UVA and UVB rays. By using non-nano zinc oxide, it scatters UV light and absorbs UV radiation.

All inactive ingredients are 100 percent natural and certified organic. The sunscreen is water proof up to 80 minutes, hypoallergenic and biodegradable. You can even apply to wet skin or underwater, and it still works.

Badger Certified Organic Sunscreen

Badger’s sunscreen line also uses zinc oxide to offer a broad spectrum of protection. The unscented SPF 35 is water resistant without any harsh chemicals. The base is made of certified organic ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, jojoba and cocoa butter. There is even an option without beeswax for vegans.

2 Comments

  1. 1 Richard Foster 01 Aug
    Thanks for pointing that out.
    You're totally correct and we'll make that correction in our content. 
  2. 2 Garrett 24 Jul
    I'm looking at the ingredients for the Coola and Aubrey sunscreens mentioned here, and it looks like they both have lots of chemicals in their formulas (the other ones look good). 

    Just because a sunscreen has some organic ingredients doesn't mean it is an "organic" sunscreen.  The "chemical-free" tag is really the most important when looking for a safe sunscreen since the term organic can so easily be greenwashed!

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