THE BEST NATURAL SUNSCREENS FOR FACE

I’m very excited to introduce you the best natural face sunscreens I know. Besides protecting from the sun and wrinkles in an environmentally friendly way (hello coral reefs),  these products also hydrate and even out the skin tone. Whether you want a matte or radiant finish, I got you covered.

Also: You can forget everything you think you know about organic/natural/mineral/physical sunscreens. These products don’t leave a white cast and they are not sticky, I promise. I’ve also noticed that natural sunscreens, being physical sunscreens, actually protect me better than chemical ones. I think it has something to do with the fact that they reflect the sunrays away from your face, rather than absorbing them, like chemical sunscreens do.

If you’re looking for the best sunscreen for your face, here are four awesome natural options!

 

Best natural sunscreens for face

And hey, if you’re shopping from Finland, I have links here.

Alga Maris Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30 – Tinted, lightweight, mattifying

alga maris tinted face sunscreen spf 30

Alga Maris Tinted Sunscreen is the most lightweight, liquid physical sunscreen I’ve tried. It’s also the only one on this list that mattifies the skin. That’s definitely a bonus, since most natural sunscreens are more on the creamy and glowy side. And even though it leaves more of a matte finish, it still doesn’t look or feel dry. The consistency is easy and quick to apply just with your fingers.

The product has some tint to it so it evens out the skin tone really nicely. You can also build it up a bit on the areas where you would like a bit more tint (coverage), since it dries down to a matte finish. I love to use it instead of foundation. It comes in three colors: Ivory, Beige and Golden. Beige is a better shade match for me, but I usually mix Beige and Golden together, because I want a bit more color and I do rock self tan most of the time.

Alga Maris Tinted Face suncream SPF 30 Beige VS Golden Swatch

Alga Maris tinted sunscreen is suitable for all skin types, but since it’s mattifying, I would choose another product for dry skin. My recommendation would be Madara’s cream. I have to also note that this has coconut alkanes in it, and some acne-prone skin types don’t take coconut oil that well. That said, with my hormonal acne background, I can use this product without problems. If your skin can’t take coconut oil, check the Mossa option below.

This product has a very subtle vanilla scent. Also available in SPF 50.

Alga Maris Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30

alga maris tinted sunscreen on face beige
Wearing Alga Maris Tinted sunscreen shade Beige.

 

alga maris tinted face sunscreen spf 30 golden
Wearing Alga Maris Tinted SPF 30 sunscreen in Golden & Beige. Note that the lighting is different, sunlight gives me glow.

 

Mossa 365 Days Defence Natural Sunscreen SF 30 – Tinted, lightweight & fruity

mossa 365 days tinted susncreen for face

Mossa’s tinted sunscreen has to be one of my favorites. It has a lightweight creamy consistency that is a joy to apply. Or maybe it’s the subtle sweet fruity scent that gets me?

This cream is tinted and the color is perfect to give a sun-kissed look for fair skin. The shade is warm and a bit yellow. As most tinted creams, it blends nicely with your own skin tone. I love to use this instead of foundation in summer.

Mossa Face Sunscreen SPF 30 color swatch - Madara Face Sunscreen SPF30 color Swatch

Since the consistency in this is light and it absorbs nicely on the skin, it’s ideal for all skin types. If you have oily skin, I would choose either this or the Alga Maris option.

Mossa 365 Day Defence Natural Sunscreen SPF 30

mossa tinted face sunscreen sf30

 

Madara Plant Stem Cell Age-Defying Sunscreen SPF 30 – Lightly tinted, nourishing, glowy

best natural face sunscreens madara spf 30

Madara’s Plant Stem Cell Age-Defying sunscreen is the thickest, creamiest option out of all these and feels the most nourishing on the skin. This also leaves the most beautiful glow on the skin. (And might I add, this was the first natural sunscreen I tried and fell in love with.)

This has a very subtle tint to it. It might look dark once you first squeeze it out of the tube, but once you spread it, the color is barely there. It’s just enough to give your face a wash of color. And that evens out the skin tone ever so slightly.

This has a subtle citrus scent to it. Since it’s moisturizing, it works for most skin types. I would think dry or mature skin would especially benefit from it. Though having combination skin I still love it, because it gives a beautiful glow. I notice grabbing either this or the SPF 15 CC-cream when my skin feels dry. I also like to mix this to my foundation.

Madara Plant Stem Cell Age-Defying Sunscreen SPF 30

madara sun spf 30 face sunscreen
Wearing Madara’s SPF 30 sunscreen on the face, no foundation.

 

Bybi Beauty Day Defence SPF 30 Moisturizer – lightweight, perfect for under makeup

Bybi’s Day Defence SPF 30 Cream is perfect for those, who want a sunscreen that just feels like a day cream. This has no tint, though it comes out of the tube very pale yellow (but I think that’s better than white, since it has zinc oxide and we don’t want a white cast). This cream is moisturizing and non greasy. It absorbs well onto the skin making it ideal to be used under makeup.

Not always do I want a tinted sunscreen, so this is handy for those days. Also, I can use it on on my hands, neck or shoulders if I’m on the go and need to have some product with me. For oilier skin it might be enough just as itself, but for dry skin I would use a regular day cream first.

Comes in a simple yet pretty packaging.

Bybi Beauty Day Defence SPF 30

bybi beauty spf 30 day defence

How to remove physical sunscreen from your face?

Physical sunscreens really stay on the skin, so it’s important to wash your face properly. I use an oil to remove it and do double cleansing. That means using an oil first – and then another face cleanser.  My favorite oil cleanser currently is Patyka’s Melting Cleansing Oil.

The best natural sunscreen for body

If you need a natural sunscreen for the body, my favorite is Alga Maris SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray. Other favorites listed here.

best organic face sunscreen

Have you tried any of these products?

5 reasons to choose a natural sunscreen

natural sunscreens beauty

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I almost solely use natural sunscreens, also known as mineral sunscreens. A few years ago I made the decision to use more eco-friendly sun protection and every year the feeling of that just grows and grows. I think natural sunscreen is the best choice not only for the planet, but also for your skin. Why? Well, I’m gonna tell you five good reasons.

 

Mineral sunscreen reflects the sun’s rays away from the skin using white pigments.
UV-filters used in natural sunscreens:
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide

Chemical sunscreen absorbs the rays and turns them into thermal energy.
UV-filters used in chemical sunscreens:
Oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone

why to use natural sunscreens

Why I choose to use natural sunscreen

1. Natural sunscreens offer widespread UV-protection and they’re more effective than chemical ones.
This is based solely on my own experience. I have found that natural sunscreens tend to stay on my skin really well and therefore they offer better protection. The slightly sticky consistency, which is typical to natural sunscreens, is actually a good thing. It makes it lock onto the skin well. This also means you need to wash the sunscreen off your skin really well, but oil based makeup removers work great for that.

2. Chemical sunscreens are linked to health hazards.
This is actually scary. Studies show that some of the ingredients used in chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin and bloodstream, causing hormonal disruption and other health hazards. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are not known to absorb into the skin. Therefore they’re much safer.

 

“In just two instances do we have enough safety information about ingredients to determine whether they’re safe and effective: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. For 12 other ingredients, the FDA has said there isn’t enough data to determine whether they’re safe.” Source: ewg.

 madara sun shimmering bb body spf 15

3. Natural sunscreens are more eco-friendly and don’t harm our marine life.
Multiple studies have shown that chemical sunscreens are harmful to our marine life, causing coral reed bleaching, damage and deformation. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide have not been found as harmful. Their nanoparticles can be harmful, but certified organic products don’t contain them. So choosing a natural, eco-certified is my choice.  Source.

 

“Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are considered biodegradable and safe, although mineral substances are by definition, non-biodegradable. In addition, the nanoparticle form of zinc oxide is now known to be toxic and not necessarily ‘reef friendly’.” Source: ICRI study.

 

4. Natural sunscreens are suitable for all skin types.
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are not known for causing skin allergies or irritation – whereas the most of the chemicals used in chemical sunscreens are known to cause skin irritation. Source.

5. Natural sunscreens offer a beautiful glow to the skin.
The sunscreens that I use give me a great glow and I’m all about that. I actually use Madara’s SPF 30 sunscreen and their City CC SPF 15 all year round, because of the glowy skin finish. They act a my makeup products, which is why wearing them doesn’t feel like such a task. They simply make my skin look a tiny bit better.

 

Now, if you already bought a chemical sunscreen, don’t worry. You shouldn’t stop using sunscreen, since the harm from the sun exceeds the potential risk of the chemicals. Most important thing is to wear a sunscreen. But I think it’s good to know why a mineral sunscreen might be the safer choice.

My favorite natural sunscreens

My favorite natural sunscreen brands are Madara and Alga Maris. These are the products that I use. I know the SPF number doesn’t sound that high in some, but I didn’t burn myself at all last year when I was using Madara’s products! I really feel like the mineral UV filters work well for me. Also – I don’t really sunbathe and I try to protect myself with clothes.

The three things I recommend actually are: staying in shade, wearing protective clothes and sunscreen.

I take my tan from self tanners. Best ones are listed here!

ALGA MARIS SPF30 Sunscreen Spray
Super lightweight and lightweight consistency. I was actually pretty amazed when I tried this! Also love the sweet coconut scent.

*MADARA SUN20 Weightless Sun Milk SPF20 (US, CA)
*MADARA SUN20 Weightless Sun Milk SPF20 (UK)
Your basic colorless sunscreen for the body. It has a milky consistency, which is easy to blend to the skin and it doesn’t leave a white cast.

*MADARA SUN 15 Beach BB Shimmering Sunscreen SPF15 (US, CA)
*MADARA SUN 15 Beach BB Shimmering Sunscreen SPF15 (UK)
For special occasions I use this, since it contains some shimmer and tint to it. Perfect for my legs or decollete area!

*MADARA SPF 30 Plant Stem Cell Age-Defying Sunscreen For face (US, CA)
*MADARA SPF 30 Plant Stem Cell Age-Defying Sunscreen For Face (UK)
My go-to face sunscreen. This is also what I wear if I’m staying in the sun for a longer period of time. It has a tiny amount of tint to it, which is genius, because it doesn’t leave a white cast. I love the subtle glow that this product gives me!

*Madara City CC SPF 15 (US, CA)
*Madara City CC SPF 15(UK)
This has been my go-to base product for forever and it’s especially good for fall/winter/spring, since the SPF is lower. It evens out my skintone and leaves a natural glow to my skin. I adore this!

I have full reviews on the Madara products here!

What is your opinion on this whole sunscreen thing? I know there needs to be more studies, but it doesn’t look promising for chemical UV-filters. Do you wear chemical sunscreens or do you opt for natural ones?

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