The BBQ is packed away and sustainable beach towels folded. The only thing to put a damper on a fun-filled day in the sun is a red, blistering nose. It’s only natural that we should want to stop protect skin from harmful UV rays a la natural sunscreen.
Chemical sunscreen, touting dubious sun protection guarantees, can be filled with harmful chemicals that either break down quickly in the sun or seep into your skin, leading to clogged pores and acne that’s less sun-kissed and more sun ticked.
No two organic sunscreens are made the same, so to ensure we’re picking the best for you and the planet, we’ll be reexamining this article in coming months in (sun)light of our new Brand Rating System. This now looks at brands across 22 criteria, like product safety and biodiversity impacts. Learn about our new-and-improved selection methodology here.
So whether you have acne prone skin, sensitive skin, are concerned with premature aging, or need a lightweight moisturizer to add into your skincare routine, we have you covered (or rather, slathered) with the best organic facial sunscreen options.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
The Best Natural Sunscreen For Face, Skin, & Reef Protection
ATTITUDE’s wide range of organic sunscreen, face and beyond, ensures you choose what is best suited to you, and your family without compromising on ethically sourced materials.
For mineral sunscreen that goes the extra mile with tested products that keep you and our planet safe, Activist is as transparent as their non-whitewashing biodegradable sunscreen.
Palm & Pine provides one-stop sun protection shop from UVA and UVB rays alike, and in a world where there’s something for everything, we like a simple zinc oxide sunscreen that works for your lips, lids and all over.
Index: Natural & Organic Sunscreen Brands
- Activist Jump to brand
- Forah Jump to brand
- Butter Me Up Organics Jump to brand
- 100% Pure Jump to brand
- ATTITUDE Jump to brand
- Palm & Pine Jump to brand
- Juice Beauty Jump to brand
- Acure Jump to brand
- All Good Jump to brand
Activist
Activist’s Non-Toxic Face Sunscreen
Activist Skincare’s Avasol Tinted Mineral Sunscreen, made of non-nano zinc oxide, comes in four shades, ranging from Light, Medium, Tan, and Deep to accommodate darker skin tones, too. If you’re not sure which one suits you best, they offer tiny cardboard sample pots.
This sunscreen and organic tinted moisturizer combo offers full spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays, and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. And unlike most chemical sunscreens, this mineral sunscreen starts working immediately when applied. Depending on the texture and thickness you prefer, this natural sun protection comes in a cream (via a lightweight refill pouch) or compostable cardboard stick.
No matter your choice, you’re getting things like argan and jojoba oils, without any parabens, nanoparticles, or GMOs.
About Activist
Activist takes care to ensure your sun-soaked skin isn’t the only thing they’re protecting. Animals and the planet are also on that list thanks to vegan ingredients and refillable or compostable packaging. All products are made in California.
This woman-owned powerhouse is a member of 1% for the Planet, and donates to other non-profits supporting the BIPOC community like Outdoor Afro.
Our personal review of Activist’s Mineral Sunscreens:
We’ve tested and loved them both, but when it comes to the best natural facial sunscreen, the Mineral Cream is our preference because of how quickly it absorbs with practically no residue, making it ideal for oily skin especially. Plus, the TSA-friendly pouch is perfect for on-the-go sunscreen. Or you can empty it into your own container.
Forah
FORAH’s Natural Face SPF 30
Toss your tinted tin in your beach bag and go foray in the wild with FORAH.
Their broad spectrum SPF 30 Surf Balm provides sun protection without chemicals, preservatives, emulsifiers and more harmful additives. Each tin comes with a medium tint thanks to organic cocoa powder and just three other natural ingredients: non-nano zinc oxide, organic beeswax, and virgin coconut oil.
These four ingredients combine to make one of the best non-toxic facial sunscreens that remedies any skin concern you may have while avoiding white cast (a common faux pas with natural face sunscreen). Aside from how simple the ingredient list is, we’re all for(ah) how it performs. When we put it to the test, we found it stayed put even after getting wet and sweaty when playing volleyball out in the sun for hours.
Still, don’t forget to reapply! Even the best all-natural sunscreen doesn’t last forever.
If tinted doesn’t turn your tides, you might pick up their Everyday Mineral Sunscreen, with a long list of organic, active ingredients, safe for everyday use. We find this one is easier to spread on the body and love the recyclable bright yellow aluminum tube that just screams ‘summer’.
About FORAH
This Canada-based member of 1% of the Planet takes where they come from and pours it into a lightweight moisturizing sunscreen that’s cruelty-free, certified organic, and reef safe. Canadian safety standards for cosmetics are also far more rigorous than US ones.
Butter Me Up Organics
Butter Me Up Organics’ Natural Sunscreen & Facial Moisturizer
At Butter Me Up Organics, the entire premise of their product line is “don’t put anything on your body, you wouldn’t put in it”. Not only is this natural face sunscreen organic, it’s edible—though they admit not very tasty.
The Organic Sunscreen Stick is made of non-nano zinc oxide, certified organic shea butter, coconut oil, mango butter, non-GMO grapeseed oil, vitamin E, and beeswax, providing water-resistance for up to 3 hours in the sun (or waves!)
Because of the Shea and mango butters, we’ve found this to be some of the best facial moisturizing sunscreen (natural or otherwise) that we’ve tried. This makes it our go-to sunscreen for winter outdoor adventures, too, when our skin needs extra protection from the harsher UV rays and dry air.
If you’re not married to the cardboard push stick, try the vegan cream option which excludes the beeswax and comes in a glass jar.
PS: they also offer several kinds of organic face cream to rehydrate after.
About Butter Me Up Organics
If you’d like to one-stop-shop for your list of holistic skin care choices for body, bath or home, you’re in organic, natural heaven with Butter Me Up Organics. This shop doesn’t compromise on ingredients or the way they’re made—which is why they’re so safe, we have no qualms recommending them for organic baby skin care.
Plus, each of their products is cruelty-free and palm oil-free, come in compostable or reusable packaging, and supporting causes like animal welfare and wildfire prevention.
100% Pure
100% Pure’s Organic Sunscreen
Treat your skin to complete protection with 100% Pure’s sun protectiom is also made to soothe skin with its natural ingredients, such as cucumber, raspberry seed oil, green tea, and aloe vera.
Even with the added organic oils, 100% Pure’s sunscreen line is fragrance free and non-comedogenic, designed to go on light and non-greasy. Zinc oxide is the main active ingredient but naturally sun protective raspberry seed oil adds some extra facial SPF to the mix.
About 100% Pure
Relying on the magic of plant nourishment and pigments to revamp our beauty routines, 100% Pure is an organic makeup company. This company ensures their ingredient list is as clean as the places the ingredients themselves come from.
Skin and animal-friendly, they’re completely cruelty-free and vegan. Speaking of their commitment to Fido, 100% Pure works with shelters to supply shelter dogs with their next (vegan) meal option.
They also plant trees, use recyclable and compostable materials, and offer a packaging recycling program.
ATTITUDE
ATTITUDE’s Best Natural Mineral Sunscreens
Whether opting for kids’, body, or natural facial sunscreens, ATTITUDE’s mineral-based formulas are all certified vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe, meaning you won’t be washing harmful chemicals into our beloved deep blue sea.
If your skin was sensitive before sun exposure, their Sunly line of colorful cardbaord sunscreen sticks offer gentle mineral SPF protection with no white cast or oily residue.
Made with EWG-verified natural sunscreen ingredients like non-nano zinc oxide and a mix of coconut oil, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, sunflower seed wax, and castor oil, you’ll never see parabens, PEGs, or reef bleaching chemicals on the list.
About ATTITUDE
ATTITUDE’s in-house Canadian laboratory and factory ensure all items are made in a safe and supportive way for the workers. Sunlit rooms, common areas, and lunch spaces encourage a positive work environment while saving on electricity.
With a firm policy against conflict minerals and animal testing, they’re a member of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies and give back by planting trees with One Tree Planted and Eden Reforestation. Some products do contain palm oil, they opt for RSPO-certified sustainable versions.
Palm & Pine
Palm & Pine’s Natural Facial SPF 50
Palm & Pine’s natural sunscreens deliver broad spectrum protection in a fragrance free, naturally tinted cream, varying slightly in ingredients between SPF 30 and SPF 50.
Their best non-toxic sunscreen for face application is the SPF 50, both because it’s slightly tinted and has a higher SPF for your more sensitive face skin. It’s also safe for your lips and even eyelids thanks to the water-resistant waxed-based formula. Simple ingredients like zinc oxide, jojoba oil, and avocado oil make it good for your pores and dry skin, while the reusable or recyclable aluminum tin makes it good for the planet.
About Palm & Pine
When the founders of Palm & Pine moved to Portugal, they needed a sunscreen that would protect their skin while doing all the things they love, like hiking, swimming, and snowboarding, so they created Palm & Pine’s mineral sunscreens.
Their sunscreens are vegan and cruelty-free, so while you’re protecting your skin from UV radiation, Palm & Pine protect the critters you might see on your adventures.
P&P is palm oil free “now and always” and COSMOS certified, this brand adheres to a strict ingredient list, sources from a sustainable supply chain and opts for low emission shipping options like large quantities by sea.
Juice Beauty
Juice Beauty’s Organic & Natural Sunscreen
While many sunscreens are made with natural materials, few are made with almost all certified organic ingredients, making Juice Beauty’s range of every day and sport options some of the best organic face sunscreens around.
The Prebiotic SPF45 Glow especially. Made with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, jojoba seed oil, vitamin E hyaluronic acid, and a number of plant-based ingredients like emblica fruit, viola tricolor, and inulin. Unlike chemical lotions that absorb the sun’s UVA and UVB rays, mineral sunscreens repel it, reducing the likelihood of skin cancer. If you have sensitive or acne prone skin, the inulin can help to reduce redness and inflammation.
Their All-In-For-All-Skin-Tones, ensures this broad spectrum sunscreen melts into your skin, leaving no white cast, and is suitable for any skin tone.
About Juice Beauty
Juice Beauty’s origins began in Sonoma County, California, and hasn’t stopped evolving in the last 15+ years.
Their Farm to Beauty standard means ethically sourced materials handcrafted into healthy body lotions, natural sunscreens, vegan foundation, and more—all certified vegan and Leaping Bunny cruelty-free, down to the fact that they only sell into China online, bypassing their animal testing mandate.
Organic ingredients come from Juice Beauty’s own organic farm, and are concocted into your favorite products in their solar-powered headquarters. Some products contain palm oil but only from sources that are RSPO certified.
All of Juice Beauty’s boxes are made of FSC paper, with Bioresin containers and reusable glass jars. For those still packaged in plastic tubes, remember to recycle.
Acure
ACURE’s Non-Toxic Face Sunscreen
ACURE’s Radically Rejuvenating SPF Day Cream does more than make their face sunscreen natural.
They also make it ultra restorative to damaged and aging skin types, being free of mineral oils, parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, and formaldehyde. This reef-safe rejuvenating cream is made of non-nano zinc oxide and with antioxidant-rich ingredients like turmeric, ferulic acid, and vitamin C.
Though it’s packaged in a plastic tube, you can recycle them for free via their Terracycle partnership.
About ACURE
ACURE’s theory is building a brand encompassing the highest quality fair trade ingredients, with thoughtful ingenuity and sheer passion.
Each of their facilities is SMETA audited, focusing on four factors, being labor standards, health and safety, business ethics, and the environment. Each facility makes different eco-friendly hair products and skincare while all adhering to strict compliance regulations.
All Good
All Good’s Natural Sunscreen
All Good is just what their name sounds like, thanks to non-nano zinc oxide and other Oregon Tilth Certified organic and non-GMO ingredients.
Their anti-aging Mineral Facial Sunscreen utilizes moisturizing aloe vera and argan oil along with skin calming calendula and green tea leaf extract—on top of providing SPF 30 sun protection against UVA and UVB rays. If you want a zero waste sunscreen (instead of a post-consumer recycled plastic tube), the thicker Tinted Zinc Sun Butter provides a little color to counter white casting and comes in an aluminum tin.
These don’t contain aluminum, parabens, phthalates, or reef bleaching chemicals. It does, however, contain beeswax, which gives it its water-resistant quality.
About All Good
Women-owned All Good’s Leaping Bunny and PETA certified cruelty-free products are made in Morro Bay’s Community Center, which is powered by renewable energy.
Green America approved, a Certified B Corp, and a member of Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and 1% for the Planet, All Good is a leader in ethical standards, choosing fair trade ingredients and recycled packaging, paper, and shipping labels when possible.
