You’ve got this whole mineral sunscreen thing. How difficult can it be? Mineral is safer than chemical, use a facial sunscreen on face, body sunscreen on body, choose your appropriate SPF/Broad Spectrum/Water Resistant option as needed, and make sure you use safe sunscreen ingredients. Off you go into the UV bathed sunset.

Then you wake up and realize you have an issue or two with your bare bones sunscreen selecting method. Are non-whitening sunscreens invisible even on darker complexions? Will your facial sunscreen give you zits or dry your skin out? What if your sensitive skin doesn’t like your sunscreen? Do you put foundation over or under your sunscreen? Is it okay to wear foundation with sunscreen, is that even done?

Yikes! You’ve gotten yourself into quite the sunscreen conundrum. Not to worry, we are here to help. Yes, mineral is the safe sunscreen choice. Yep, it is best to use products designed for face on your face. Sure, SPF and Broad Spectrum protection are valid concerns. And of course, avoid toxic chemicals.

But there are other concerns to take into account too. Like skin type and tone. You wouldn’t purchase any old facial moisturizer and expect to be happy with the results, would you? Of course not! You would make sure it is designed for your skin type. Same goes for makeup. A foundation has to match your skin tone and it is equally important to use a sunscreen that does the same.

Lucky for you, there are options. Products for every skin type and tone that provide serious UV protection. Oh, and you are going to love them.

Safe Sunscreens for Face by Skin Type

Oily/Acne: Consonant The Perfect Sunscreen SPF 30 is made with aloe and ultra light oils to provide non-greasy hydration and is fragrance-free, so ideal for sensitive skin too. Pratima Skincare Neem Rose Face Sunscreen SPF 30 provides anti-aging benefits in a light, breathable formula. Bonus product: Use Kahina Giving Beauty Serum while not in the sun for anti-aging benefits along with spot and sun damage diminishment, all in a breakout-proof formula.

Dry/Mature: A rich formula that absorbs into skin, True Natural Sunscreen: Face Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is perfect under makeup. Karen’s Botanicals Lovely Lavender Day Cream SPF 15 is thick and creamy, hydrating to mature skin, but also gentle enough for sensitive skin types. Bonus product: Get max anti-aging support with absolutely no irritation with Yuli Modern Alchemist.

Sensitive: RawSkinCeuticals Rosacea Day Cream SPF 30 is strong protection for delicate skin in a super mild formula. (Also see products marked sensitive in oily and dry categories) Bonus product: Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Fruit & Seed Oil Blend calms and protects skin, while fading scars and spots. Perfect post-sun skin recoup.

Normal/Combo: Suntegrity Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen & Primer SPF 30 is a moisturizer, sunscreen, and makeup primer in one. Non-greasy and provides anti-aging benefits. Bonus product: Hailed as an anti-aging miracle, Tata Harper Rejuvenating Serum minimizes fine lines, improves texture and tone, and reduces inflammation.

Tinted Facial Sunscreens

Now about that makeup over or under sunscreen problem. How about nix the makeup and use a tinted, moisturizing sunscreen instead. If that sounds too good to be true, hold onto your bikini bottoms because these natural tinted mineral sunscreen moisturizers are going to makeover your summertime get ready sesh.

Suntegrity5-in- Natural Moisturizing Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 30 offers high quality sun protection, super natural color, and feels great on skin. Use in place of your daily moisturizer and foundation for ultra natch UV protection with light coverage. These tints are so blendable, they easily match any skin tone. Suited to all skin types, especially good for mature, dry, and normal/combination.

Those with sensitive or oily skin will love Ilia Beauty Sheer Vivid Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20. A semi-matte facial moisturizer with mineral sun protection and easy to blend tint. Six natural shades to suit all skin tones.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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With spring’s arrival, and summer quickly approaching, sunscreen is a hot topic. Many are touting the SPF effects of natural oils. Sounds good, but is it too good to be true?

We know that personal care products sans chemicals are better for our skin and health. This goes for sunscreen too. Chemical sunscreens easily absorb into skin and are linked to hormonal disruption and skin allergies.

Natural minerals, like zinc oxide, provide serious sun protection and are not harmful to our health. There are other natural ingredients that contain some sun protection, like some plant and essential oils, but are they effective enough to replace your sunscreen?

You’ve likely seen articles on creating your own sunscreen or simply using natural oils in place of a sun protection product. A simple, organic plant oil to protect you from damaging rays? Sounds good but before you replace that sunscreen with a bottle of olive oil, let’s take a closer look.

Do Natural SPF Oils Really Provide UV Protection?

Short answer…yes. But it’s how much protection they provide that is important.

There are two types of natural oils, volatile and nonvolatile. Volatile oils are extracted from plants and have an aroma or flavor, also known as essential oils. Nonvolatile oils are all other plant oils, like olive and almond oil. The main difference between the two is that volatile oils evaporate more easily, allowing us to experience their scent.

There are certain oils in both groups that contain some natural UV protection. Olive trees, red raspberries, and blue berries all have their own natural sunscreen and this benefit carries over to us when we use them on our skin. Theses oils are healthy and help to protect us from the sun. But don’t slather yourself in them and head out to the beach just yet.

The amount of SPF these oils contain is far from what we need to adequately protect ourselves from UV damage. Studies show that SPF values for nonvolatile oils are in the 2-8 range, volatile oils are in the 1-7 range. For instance, olive and coconut oils ranked about an SPF 8, while sesame oil is only about a 2. Peppermint essential oil contains about an SPF 7, while rose oil is only about a 1. Cool facts, but these won’t do you much good in the sun on their own.

Raspberry seed oil is currently making blog headlines as having sunscreen powers that rival mineral protection, as high as SPF 25. This would be great, but until scientific measures have been done it is best not to rely on this oil solely as sun protection.

Natural SPF oils help to keep skin hydrated and many protect against free radical damage due to sun exposure. When used in a nontoxic sunscreen natural oils are super valuable. As we’ve seen, mineral sunscreens are the best choice for our health and sun protection. They protect against both UVA and UVB rays and don’t carry the health concerns of chemical sunscreens.

So for now, pass on the oils as sunscreen or diy methods and opt for safe sunscreens instead. Following are my faves. These work like a charm, offer safe protection, and won’t leave skin greasy or white.

Suntegrity 5-in-1 Natural Moisturizing Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 30

Suntegrity Skincare Natural Mineral Sunscreen For Body SPF 30

True Natural Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Caribbean Coconut

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There’s a lot of sunscreen out there, and there’s very little about it that makes sense. Between the sunscreens and the sun blocks, the UVA and the UBV, it’s easier to become more confused than a tourist during Mardi Gras. How confused is that? Let’s just say it involves a level of confusion that may cause someone to bolt across the parade route from one cop to another while that certain someone is just trying to catch the last bus back to Baton Rouge or is it Ponchatoula? Yeah, that confused.

At the center of this sunscreen spaz attack comes the seminal sun protection question – what the heck is in my sunscreen?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (pdf), sunscreen “protects your skin by absorbing and/or reflecting UVA and UVB rays.” Further, “broad-spectrum sunscreens often contain”¦UVA-absorbing avobenzone or a benzophenone.” Sunblocks, which block instead of absorbing the sun’s ray, include chemicals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

They may not sound so healthy, but we need titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to protect our skin and the organic skin care world doesn’t seem to be offering up truly organic substitutes. So that means you want to be sure that the rest of the product is as organic as possible.

We have taken a look at the latest sun protection the green world has to offer. They are all eco-friendly or organic in some capacity. But we’ve also put them to a much more rigorous round of questioning. What do they smell like? How well do they absorb? And do they leave you looking like Bozo the Clown?

Ultra Light Facial Moisturizer SPF 25 by Kimberly Sayer

This product is marketed as a “day cream” and a “moisturizer.” It has also become my “all-time bestest most favorite-ist” face cream for the summer. With a wonderful lemon scent and a lightness that is comparable to whipped cream, this is best of the batch. It smells great, absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave you with a residue. It contains oat beta glucan to protect against UVA. And its lightness allows an easy application under makeup, making it a good place to start on your daily beauty regime. $32.

Cucumber Face SPF 30 by Coola (shown at top)

Want your sunscreen to evoke a cool glass of water at the high-end spa?  Then this is the product for you. With a fruity, cucumber scent, you can treat it more like perfume than a sunscreen. In fact, I liked the scent so much that I have worn it indoors while typing away at writing assignments with the shades drawn. It also absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave your skin feeling sticky.  This organic product covers a UVA/UVB broad spectrum and is PABA/paraben/petroleum free.

Sunscreen Watermelon Face Cream SPF 30 by Korres

This fantastic face product is like a mini-facial. It felt more like moisturizer than sunscreen. It has a fun fruity scent, and it smooths on without a white residue. It is free of mineral oil, silicone, propylene glycol and ethanolamine. It also has “natural filter titanium dioxide and shea butter for broad-spectrum sun protection (UVA-UVB-IR).”

Anti-Age Sunscreen SPF 20 by Lavera

This product has a light, almost candy-like scent. And it protects against UVA, UVB, and UVC rays, is biodegradable and is paraben- and PABA-free. However, it does leave your skin with a bit of a white sheen. At least you know it’s working!

Purely Age-Defying Day Cream SPF 15 by Jurlique

This is a lightweight, moisturizing sunscreen that has a vitamin-y aroma. It leaves your skin feeling a little sticky, but it does absorb quickly without leaving a white residue. It is made from organic herbs and flowers grown on the Jurlique farm. This includes rose hallica, licorice root, chamomile, pansy and sweet violet.

Dual Nature Face Protection SPF 15 by Aveda

Want a great smelling product? Then this is not the sunscreen for you. I am not a fan on the smell, which comes off a bit like sour fruit. It also leaves you with a bit of a chalky residue. But it does get props for quick absorption. It contains organic geranium, jasmine and orange for aroma, and the container is made from 35% post consumer HDPE.

All Day Moisture with SPF 15 by Noah’s Naturals

This product has an easy, pleasant smell. It absorbs quickly and without white residue, but it does leave you a little gunky. It is paraben-free and contains minimal amounts of chemicals. Noah’s Naturals also practices 1% for the Planet, which means they donate 1% of their sales to environmental organizations worldwide.

Vitamin C Moisture Plus Lotion SPF 15 by Avalon Organics

This product has a fresh, fruity aroma and it absorbs fast. Score and score! But it does require a bit of elbow grease to rub in, so make sure you work it to avoid the Casper effect. It provides UVA/UVB protection, and it has organic aloe, rose hips and sweet orange oils.

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