Shopping for the best brand of sunscreen can feel like breaking a secret code. With so many options and aisles full of sunscreen bottles, it’s hard to know which one to choose. You may find yourself wandering the aisle wondering what brand of sunscreen is the best.
It’s a good question and an important one to answer, as choosing a good brand can make a big and noticeable difference in your sun protection.
SimplySunSafe is here to help identify and educate you about the best sunscreen brands on the market. I have taken the time to thoroughly research the different brands, ingredients in sunscreen, which SPF to use, compared them, and identified their best features.
Check out this list of the top 5 best brands of sunscreen to help you decide where to start searching for the right sunscreen for you.
5 Best Brands of Sunscreens
1. Badger
Badger is a family-owned and family-run business that got its start back in 1994 with an idea and experiment to create a strong balm for workers’ hands, and has since grown into a full brand supplying many effective and trusted products.
One of the reasons that Badger has become so popular and trusted amongst customers is that it uses all-natural and certified organic ingredients in its sunscreens. Badger’s use of super mineral, zinc oxide, as its only active ingredient in its sunscreens is just the beginning.
All of Badger’s sunscreens are 100% certified natural by the Natural Products Association (NPA), which means that you don’t need to worry about any unhealthy chemicals when you use their products. There are no irritating ingredients and you get overall better protection.
Another reason to choose Badger products is because they are never tested on animals. This means that you can trust their cruelty-free production. Their products are all marked with the Leaping Bunny Logo for extra reassurance.
Don’t stop your awareness at just animals, though. Badger creates products that are environmentally safe and friendly. Many sunscreens contain chemical ingredients that are very harmful to the environment, including coral reefs.
Badger products have undergone and passed biodegradability testing so you can rest assured that you are not contributing to environmental harm with your sunscreen. These days, many eco-friendly location are requiring customers to use safe sunscreens, such as Badger.
It’s not only Badger’s products that are created with care, but also their work environment and ethic. It is a company which recognizes and values the importance of their employees’ happiness and satisfaction in the workplace. They promote a team environment without sacrificing their employees’ individual ideas and contributions.
Badger believes that they as a company hold social responsibility. They contribute to their community by practicing environmental responsibility and encouraging social healing. One way in which they connect with their community is by holding different workshops in their Ecology Center. They also tend to many flower gardens which are open to their employees and the public, as well.
Badger is SimplySunSafe’s choice for the best brand of sunblock. It is a brand you can rely on without worry. Check out a couple of their most popular sunscreens:
Recommended Badger Sunscreens
- Broad spectrum protection from UVA & UVB rays using the safe mineral Zinc Oxide – No oxybenzone, octinoxate, or other chemical active sunscreening agents.
- Water Resistant for 80 minutes and biodegradable.
- Ultra-moisturizing and soothing certified organic base of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Beeswax, Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter.
- BPA and phthalate-free stick is >35% PCR recycled #2 plastic.
- SIMPLY THE SAFEST SUNSCREEN FOR BABIES - Badger sets the standard for simple safe baby sunscreens that protect your infants and toddlers. This broad spectrum mineral sunscreen has only 7 simple ingredients: non-nano zinc oxide, organic sunflower oil, organic beeswax, sunflower vitamin E, organic chamomile, organic calendula, and organic seabuckthorn. Pediatrician tested, gluten-free & hypoallergenic this all-natural baby sunscreen is perfect for your babies delicate skin.
- PROTECTS WITH THE MINERAL ZINC OXIDE - Badger’s SPF 30 Baby Sunscreen Cream uses our original non-nano, large particle zinc oxide. This mineral stays on top of your baby's skin, scattering and absorbing UVA & UVB rays, and won’t absorb into their bloodstream. Naturally water and sweat resistant for at least 40 minutes it's perfect for the beach, pool, and light activities. The light chamomile & calendula scent is calming and relaxing.
- REEF SAFE SUNSCREEN - Safe for coral means safe for your baby too! Badger sunscreens are made without oxybenzone or any chemicals shown to harm coral or humans. All Badger sunscreen lotions and creams are top rated for safety and efficacy by the EWG sunscreen guide. This eco-friendly biodegradable mineral sunscreen protects you without endangering marine life.
- 98% ORGANIC INGREDIENTS FOR HEALTHY BABY SKIN - The certified organic sunscreen base ingredients are antioxidant rich, ultra-moisturizing, and great for your babies skin. Non-GMO and contains no dyes, parabens, or other artificial ingredients. Healthy botanical ingredients promote healthy skin for your baby.
- A BRAND YOU CAN TRUST - Badger is a family owned, women run B Corporation (Benefit Corp) making mineral baby sunscreens and other organic skin care products that we use on our own families in rural New Hampshire since 1995. We are the leaders in safe natural sunscreens. Don't just take our word for it, read our ingredients, see what others say about Badger sunscreens, and try them for yourself.
Last update on 2023-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
2. Raw Elements
Raw Elements is a sunscreen brand whose name truly personifies their products. They use only non-nano zinc as their active ingredient and their other ingredients are all certified natural and organic. The products of Raw Elements were created by one person who was motivated to make a difference in the way people interact with themselves and their environment.
Raw Elements offers their customers peace of mind with many environmentally and socially responsible certifications including the Leaping Bunny Logo and recognition from the NPA. This brand does their part in maintaining awareness of their carbon footprint and in protecting consumers.
This is a brand that thrives on creating products that are safe and comfortable for consumers. Their sunscreens do not cause any irritation and are comprised of only organic and natural ingredients, but this does not make them any less effective.
Another great feature of Raw Elements is that they care about spreading their message. They are passionate about educating you about what you apply to your skin and what it means for the environment. They provide educational material about sunscreen, how it works, and the effects it has right on their website.
As an environmentally conscious and responsible brand, Raw Elements doesn’t stop at educating you about sunscreens. Their website also provides information about the ocean, what it needs, and what harms it. This may help you better understand the consequences your choices can have and feel motivated to make better choices.
Raw Elements offers many different options for sunscreens. It is one of the best sunscreen brands for your face because its ingredients are so pure. See if you find a sunscreen you like:
Recommended Raw Elements Sunscreens
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3. thinksport
thinksport and thinkbaby are two branches of one big brand that is trying to change the way that consumers view products, like sunscreen, and the way that these products are created. With their overall mission being social responsibility, which affects different aspects on many levels, thinksport/thinkbaby is a brand that can be trusted in the long-run.
The main thing that this brand focuses on when designing their sunscreens formulas is safety. Through the lens of safety, thinksport has managed to create sunscreens that provide effective sun protection without using any of the many common, chemical ingredients which continue to be proven harmful.
thinksport and thinkbaby take care of their carbon footprint and the effects they cause their consumers by being extremely particular with the materials they use to create their sunscreens. They use mineral active ingredients for the best sun protection and the other ingredients included in their sunscreens are also as safe as possible.
They take note of verified and current research which explains and points to various chemicals and ingredients that harm consumers and the environment. By remaining updated on valid science, thinksport increases the social responsibility contributions.
thinksport/thinkbaby is a brand that really cares about its customers. They focus on creating sunscreens that are functional and sustainable, in terms of possibility for long-term use or recyclability alternatively, and products that are reasonably affordable. In addition, they cater to the majority of consumers’ desires by ensuring that none of their products are tested on animals.
True to their mission of being a socially responsible brand, thinksport/thinkbaby has created their ‘thinksocial’ program. Through this program, they create and provide products for different fundraising efforts such as child abuse, autism, and diabetes.
thinksocial focuses not only on providing supportive products to fundraising efforts, but they donate money to many organizations themselves. Through this program any non-profit organization can apply to be considered for donations. thinksocial then creates a potential list for the upcoming year and encourages the public (their consumers) to vote for the non-profits they desire to help.
This creates an opportunity for consumers to have a voice in where the proceeds of their sunscreen purchases will go.
thinksport/thinkbaby is a sunscreen brand that is family-friendly and reliable. You can see some of their most-loved products here:
Recommended thinksport Sunscreens
- SAFE, NATURAL PROTECTION: Thinksport sunscreen provides effective sun protection for athletes, sports and active use. The broad spectrum UVA & UVB sun cream is suitable for daily use on even sensitive skin, offering gentle defense against the sun’s rays.
- EASY APPLICATION: The hydrating body and face sun cream is quick and easy to apply, and protection from the sun begins instantly. The fast absorbing SPF 50+ sun lotion won’t leave your skin feeling oily or sticky, and has no unpleasant chemical scent.
- CLEAN MINERAL FORMULA: The first sunscreen to pass Whole Foods Premium Care requirements, Thinksport vegan, Leaping Bunny certified sun creams contain no PABA, parabens, phthalates, BPA, oxybenzone, avobenzone, petroleum, gluten, dairy, or toxic chemicals.
- WATER RESISTANT: Ideal sunscreen for sport and other activities that make you sweat. Our sun cream provides the highest water resistance per the FDA, offering continuous protection for up to 80 minutes in the pool or sea before the sunscreen should be re-applied.
- REEF FRIENDLY: Safe for you, and safe for the earth. Produced in the USA, our sunscreen’s active ingredient is non-nano Zinc Oxide, and the formula is highly biodegradable, non toxic and does not contain any known chemicals harmful to coral reefs.
- SAFE, NATURAL PROTECTION: Thinkbaby sunscreen provides effective SPF 50+ sun protection for babies. The broad spectrum UVA & UVB baby sunblock is suitable for daily use on infants’ sensitive skin, offering gentle defense against the sun’s rays.
- EASY APPLICATION: The hydrating sun cream is quick and easy to apply to even the most active babies, and protection begins instantly. The fast absorbing kids sun lotion won’t leave skin feeling oily or sticky, and has no unpleasant chemical scent.
- CLEAN MINERAL FORMULA: The first sunscreen to pass Whole Foods Premium Care requirements, Thinkbaby vegan, Leaping Bunny certified sun creams contain no PABA, parabens, phthalates, BPA, oxybenzone, avobenzone, petroleum, gluten, dairy, or toxic chemicals.
- WATER RESISTANT: Your baby can splash, swim and play in the water safely. Our children’s sun cream provides the highest water resistance per the FDA, offering babies continuous protection for up to 80 minutes in the pool or sea before the sunscreen should be re-applied.
- REEF FRIENDLY: Safe for babies, and safe for the earth. Produced in the USA, our sunscreen’s active ingredient is non-nano Zinc Oxide, and the formula is highly biodegradable, non toxic and does not contain any known chemicals harmful to coral reefs.
Last update on 2023-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
4. All Good
All Good is a sunscreen brand that was created and grown from the kitchen of one woman who believed that she could share and spread her belief in the importance of a balanced way of life using nature’s ingredients for skincare.
All Good focuses on making sure that your sunscreen is made from safe and effective ingredients that won’t affect your skin negatively. But it’s not only that. All Good is a brand that spends time researching and using specific organic herbs in their sunscreens. The herbs that All Good uses have specific purposes and uses.
All Good creates sunscreens and other skincare products that are nature’s medicines. This brand presents a strong case for choosing alternative, or natural, skincare products as opposed to the more popularized chemical products on the market.
The brand doesn’t care only about the safety of their consumers. They are also extremely environmentally conscious and responsible. All Good spends their time and resources promoting greater education about the effects of many common sunscreen chemicals on coral reefs.
Unbeknownst to many consumers, they are poisoning coral reefs as they explore because of the sunscreen they wear. All Good is committed to changing this. They promote the #ReefFriendly Sunscreen Pledge so that consumers learn about potentially harmful chemicals and change their choices to safe sunscreens like those from All Good.
More interested in sharing their safe and effective product than in keeping the secret for themselves, All Good offers the opportunity for private labeling on all of their products. This means that other brands, groups, or individuals can distribute a reliable product while also promoting their interests. This is a show of social responsibility and community interest from All Good.
All Good creates standard cream sunscreens, others in stick form, and sunscreens specifically meant for lips. Take a look for yourself:
Recommended All Good Sunscreens
- HYPOALLERGENIC & GENTLE FOR OUR KIDS: Zinc oxide is a topical that sits on top of your skin and won’t absorb into your body; it is one of only two ingredients that has been approved for general recognition of safety and effectiveness.
- SKIN-SAVING CERTIFIED: It’s made from non-nano zinc oxide and skin-saving oils like jojoba, coconut and avocado. Thanks to these gentle formula, this sunstick acts as a skincare moisturizer while still protecting against sunburn, harmful UV rays, break-outs and sun damage.
- GREAT FOR SENSITIVE SKIN & WATER RESISTANT: All Good SPF 30 zinc sunscreen stick provides UVA/UVB broad-spectrum sun protection without leaving your face chalky or greasy. The oil and wax base goes on smoothe, absorbs well, and holds up against water (80 minutes water resistant).
- CORAL REEF FRIENDLY AND NO HARMFUL ADDITIVES: All of our All Good reef-friendly suncare products meet broad-spectrum standards. Our ingredients do not include chemical UV absorbers, parabens or harmful additives
- ALL GOOD INGREDIENTS: Zinc Oxide 20% (Non-nanoparticle), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Cera Alba (Beeswax)*, Sesame Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil*, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax*, Persea Americana (Avocado) Oil*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Tapioca Starch*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Mauritia Flexuosa (Buriti) Fruit Oil*, Non-GMO Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
- LIGHTWEIGHT, NON-GREASY & HYDRATING: Our SPF 30 Travel-Sized Sport Sunscreen Lotion covers the basics (broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, and water-resistant) but goes the extra mile with a commitment to reef-friendly ingredients that are lightweight, non-greasy, and actually hydrate and repair skin. All good, indeed.
- NO HARMFUL ADDITIVES: All of our All Good suncare products meet broad-spectrum standards and reef-friendly criteria. Our ingredients do not include chemical UV absorbers, parabens or harmful additives.
- REPAIRS DAMAGED SKIN: A sunscreen lotion that is super hydrating and easy to rub in thanks to a blend of coconut oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter. Other natural ingredients like green tea, rose hips, and buriti oil actually repair damaged skin from sunburn and windburn.
- GREAT FOR SENSITIVE SKIN AND WATER RESISTANT: This face and body sunscreen doesn’t leave your skin chalky or greasy, won’t clog your pores (sensitive skin, rejoice!), and blends in clear. This reef friendly sunscreen is water resistant up to 80 minutes. Surf, ski, hike, bike, or lounge with full UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum Protection.
- HOW TO APPLY: Start with a small dab and rub in completely before applying more. This will ensure full coverage and maximum absorption. Zinc will apply more smoothly on a well-hydrated surface, so if your skin tends to be on the drier side, moisturize beforehand. Apply every 2 hours or, if in the water, every 80 minutes.
Last update on 2023-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
5. True Natural
With True Natural, you get sunscreens that are effective, safe, and socially and environmentally conscious. Anyone can find a sunscreen that suits all of their personal necessities as True Natural works inclusively producing private labeling sunscreen options for those interested.
True Natural is an honest brand that you can trust. Feel safe knowing that all of their sunscreens are cruelty-free and made vegan from safe and natural ingredients. The sunscreens and other products made by True Natural are designed to support you in living a balanced and natural life.
The True Natural brand is committed to providing you with safe sunscreens, but also to teaching you without any synthetics to use natural ingredients. They aim to educate you to help improve your choices and overall quality of health.
The extent of their sunscreens’ naturalness and their mission to educate and inspire you to choose and use natural products proves their commitment both social and environmental responsibility. Their sunscreens and other skincare products are trusted by many and for good reason.
True Natural offers many variations of suncare, including creams, sticks, and lip balms. It is up to you to search their whole line and find the right product for you. Here are a couple of their most popular sunscreens:
Recommended True Natural Sunscreens
- Uncompromised PerformanceOur mission is to provide high performance, 100% natural skin care products that are effective & safe for you, your family and the environment
- True Natural
- Instant light protection
- No synthetic colors, fragrances or preservatives
- Free from paraffin, silicone and petroleum
Last update on 2023-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion
Next time you find yourself needing to find a new sunscreen, save yourself some trouble by searching within the best brands on the market.
SimplySunSafe recommends Badger as the best brand of sunscreen. But don’t hesitate to check out the other recommended brands on this list, as you will not be disappointed.
Remember, take the time to test any sunscreen on your skin before you commit to using it daily. You want to make sure that your sunscreen works well for your skin and fits your lifestyle.
If there’s another sunscreen brand that you rely on for great protection, share it in the comments. I love hearing ideas from the community as that’s how we help each other. I will be sure to check out the brand and maybe add it to this list!
If you’re after a more specific sunscreen recommendation, check out the SimplySunSafe choice for overall best sunscreen.
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