Now that summer is in full swing here in New England (finally!) I want to let you all know about a new natural, chemical free sunscreen that I found and LOVE. It is called “goddess garden organics natural mineral sunscreen.”
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Goddess Garden organics natural mineral sunscreen – a chemical free sunscreen
I happened upon this sunscreen when I was walking through Walmart. Maybe it was the endcap display, the pretty colors, the hummingbird on the packaging, the “organic” label. Anyway, I stopped and picked up the bottle. I read through the ingredients quickly and it looked pretty mild to me.
I scanned the barcode in the Environmental Working Group‘s app and found this sunscreen listed as a 3 (on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being best). Other than the titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which are the active ingredients, all ingredients were a 1. Great!
I researched titanium dioxide and zinc oxide again to refresh my memory on their health risks. Both ingredients are a moderate health concern, but only when aerosolized, or when the particles become airborne. In sunscreens, the titanium dioxide powder and zinc oxide powder are mixed thoroughly into the inactive ingredients. This makes it impossible for the particles to become airborne.
Also, the particles used in sunscreens are “non-nano,” meaning that the particles are too large to be absorbed into your skin. Basically, unless you decide to eat this sunscreen (yes, I know kids may do this), I personally do not believe that either ingredient is harmful.
My Review
I decided to give this Goddess Garden Organics sunscreen a try. When I got home I read the instructions on the bottle. I shook it well and sprayed some into my hand. Unlike traditional spray chemical sunscreens, this sunscreen came out as a more lotion consistency than mist. It’s like a slightly watered down sunscreen cream. It’s very easy to apply and spread over your skin. And it feels cool and smooth, not sticky like most of the chemical free sunscreens.
I have used this sunscreen on numerous occasions for short outdoor excursions, and it works very well for me. It’s definitely protected me from burns, which is my main concern.
This Goddess Garden sunscreen is mild and gentle enough for my very sensitive face. I have experienced no itching, burning, or redness – it’s as gentle as my every day coconut oil moisturizer! This sunscreen is a definite win in my book.
Notes: Because this sunscreen is thicker than the regular spray chemical sunscreens, it is not as easy to apply as those sprays that you may be used to. It’s fine for an adult and probably older children, but don’t expect to be able to spray this on your toddler as he or she runs past.
Also, because this sunscreen is more watery than other natural sunscreens, I make sure to apply it extra thick to make sure I get enough coverage of all areas of my skin.
A Caution – Shake well!
It’s very important to shake spray mineral sunscreens well, and to know what this sunscreen should look like (see photo). I have heard that these mineral based spray sunscreens separate more easily than chemical based. If the spray is a clear/less white liquid, it’s not providing the sun protection benefits of the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Based on my experiences with home made sunscreens, this separation is more likely to occur if the sunscreen gets very hot, such as in your car or in the sun at the beach.
Cost
One 6-oz bottle of Goddess Garden Organics Natural Mineral Sunscreen costs around $13. Amazon seems to have the best price I have seen at $12.95 (as of the time of the writing of this post). I have also seen this sunscreen at Walmart and Stop & Shop. I’ve even seen rebates in some of my couponing apps for this sunscreen, so you might be able to get it for an even better price!
Comparison
Previously I wrote about Raw Elements natural suncreen. It’s currently about $16 for 3 oz on Amazon. Based on the spreadability and potency of Raw Elements (active ingredient zinc oxide is 23%) versus Goddess Garden (active ingredients titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are combined 12.4%), I think the cost per usable volume is pretty similar, though I prefer Goddess Garden because it is so much easier to apply and feels better on my skin.
I also wrote about my own home made sunscreen which to me is very similar to Raw Elements as far as effectiveness and feel. It’s only about 12% the cost per volume of Raw Elements (much better deal in my book!) but isn’t as easy to use as Goddess Garden. I am inspired to improve my recipe, and I will be reporting to you soon!
Do you have a favorite natural sunscreen? Tell me about it in the comments!