Health and beauty
Smarter sunscreen
Felicity Monk
New Zealand has the dubious honour of having the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, matched only by Australia. Our sun is fierce and burn times are short, due, in part, to the ozone hole above us, but also to our clean, fresh air, which lets through more light.
It’s clear that sunscreen is essential to help protect us from UV radiation – however there are good reasons to choose the kind of sunscreen you use carefully.
Most supermarket brand sunscreens contain chemical filters that work by absorbing UV rays and converting them into a less damaging form of radiation. One of the most widely used of these is called oxybenzone – an ingredient that has been the subject of mainstream scientific research into its endocrine-mimicking or ‘gender-bender’ properties.
Oxybenzone has been implicated in altering the sex of ocean fish, destruction of coral reefs, and perhaps most worryingly for users, it has been shown to break down inside the skin in ways that can damage cells. Some speculate that this damage may contribute to the very cancers that sunscreen is supposed to prevent.
Many conventional sunscreens also contain parabens, benzoate and other chemicals that it may be sensible to avoid.
The good news
Consumers are now increasingly looking to mineral-based sunscreens as a safer and more eco-friendly alternative. The active ingredients in these are zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which work by creating a physical barrier to UV light, and are less damaging to the environment. While they’ve been around a while – as a kid you probably sported a stripe of brightly coloured zinc on your nose – these days advances in technology have made them more cosmetically subtle.
The American non-profit organisation Environmental Working Group (EWG), which monitors chemicals for their environmental and human health effects, favours mineral sunscreens. The EWG ranks zinc oxide as its first choice for sun protection because it is stable in sunlight and can provide greater protection from UVA rays than titanium oxide and other active ingredients. However, it warns against powder or spray forms of mineral-based sunscreens, due to the inhalation risks.
Green Ideas reviewed 10 mineral-based sunscreens for sale in New Zealand (and one homemade recipe):
- All were oxybenzone-free.
- All used the active ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, or both.
- All were broad spectrum (offering protection against UVA and UVB radiation) with a minimum SPF30 (except the homemade product which wasn’t SPF-rated).
- All were paraben-free and where possible, we opted for fragrance-free.
- All claimed to be suitable for sensitive skin.
- None were tested on animals.
Oasis Sun Face & Body Sunscreen SPF30+ (our pick)
Active ingredient: Zinc oxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
Containing 94% natural or organic ingredients, Kiwi-made Oasis Sun has been around for a decade. Despite being quite a thick cream, it was easy to rub in and absorbed well without a greasy feel. It left a barely noticeable white hue and a slight medicinal scent.
From $17.50 for 50ml. Order online or find your nearest stockist at www.oasisbeauty.co.nz.
Soléo Organics All Natural Sunscreen SPF30+
Active ingredient: Zinc oxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
Soléo contains 100% organic plant-based ingredients and is made according to naturopathic principles. The Australian sunscreen has a very oily consistency (it contains numerous nuts, seeds and vegetable oils) which makes it very easy – and fast – to apply, and once rubbed in it was invisible. My skin was left feeling oily to touch but also moisturized, and the inclusion of macadamia oil lent a sweet, subtle fragrance.
From $28.90 for 80g. Order from selected websites.
Wotnot SPF30+ (our pick)
Active ingredient: Zinc oxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
Containing 100% organic ingredients, Australian-made wotnot was a pleasure to apply. Although thick, it spread very easily and absorbed quickly. It felt very moisturising, which I put down to the inclusion of aloe vera. It had a lovely delicate buttery fragrance and there was no white residue left at all.
$34.90 for 135g. Order from selected websites.
UV Natural SPF30+
Active ingredient: Zinc oxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
Recommended by the EWG? Yes
Australian-made UV Natural has been around for a decade. It’s a fairly thick cream and took quite a bit of rubbing in, though it did absorb well. It has a subtle, inoffensive scent and left a very slight white film. UV Natural has a number of other products in its range including one designed for use on babies.
$19.95 for 50g. Order from selected websites.
Skinnies Sun Gel SPF30
Active ingredient: Titanium dioxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
NZ-made Skinnies claim their point of difference is that their sunscreen does not contain water and as a result dries quickly on the skin (in “2 minutes”) and doesn’t need to be applied as frequently as it does not wash off easily. I found Skinnies easy to spread and it absorbed into the skin well without leaving a white film or greasy residue. It has a subtle nutty scent (apricot kernels) and my skin was left feeling pleasantly moisturised. Afterwards it took some vigorous rubbing to wash it off.
$34.95 for 100ml. Order online or find your nearest stockist at www.skinnies.co.nz.
Goddess Garden Organics Sunny Body Natural Sunscreen SPF30+
Active ingredients: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
Recommended by the EWG? Yes
This American brand contains 92% organic ingredients and was created by a mum whose daughter suffered from skin allergies. This product left a definite white film on my skin and did not absorb well. It also has a strong natural lavender fragrance which could become quite overpowering, especially near the face. There are a number of other sunscreen products in this range, including ones for babies and kids.
From $16.55 for 100ml. Order from selected websites.
Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunscreen Fragrance Free SPF30
Active ingredients: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
Recommended by the EWG? Yes
This is one of a number of sunscreen products American brand Alba Botanica offers. We found the cream quite difficult to apply due to its thick consistency, then once on the skin it turned a bit watery. It did, however, absorb well without leaving a white sheen. Thanks to the sunflower seed oil, jojoba seed oil and aloe vera, my skin felt soft and moisturised.
$19.99 for 113g. Available from selected pharmacies.
Coola Plant UV™ Body Sunscreen Unscented SPF 30 (our pick)
Active ingredient: Zinc oxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
Recommended by the EWG? Yes
This American sunscreen is made with 70% organic ingredients and contains recently patented SPF enhancing plant cells (derived from buddleja davidii stems and the lilac leaf). It is a lightweight lotion that was very easy to apply and absorbed quickly without leaving a greasy feel. The inclusion of shea butter and coconut oil left my skin feeling moisturised. Coola sells a wide range of products, including chemical-based sunscreens.
$65.00 for 90ml. Order from selected websites.
Badger All Natural Sunscreen unscented SPF34
Active ingredient: Zinc oxide
List of full ingredients available? Yes
Recommended by the EWG? Yes
Certified natural and organic, this American-made sunscreen was probably the most difficult to spread due to its extremely thick consistency. We imagine it would be a challenge to put on kids, as it wouldn’t be a fast application. Although, thanks to the obvious white film it leaves, you’re able to clearly see if you’ve missed any spots. It has a sweet, nutty fragrance. Badger has a number of sunscreen products in its range.
$27.95 for 87ml. Order from selected websites.
Invisible Zinc Face & Body Sunscreen SPF30+
Active ingredient: Zinc oxide
List of full ingredients available? No
Despite the thick, sticky consistency of this popular Australian-made sunscreen, it spread reasonably easily. It has a medicinal smell and left a fine chalky film on the skin (Invisible Zinc advises that you resist the temptation to rub it all in as it is important to keep a thin film of sunscreen on your skin to maximise effectiveness). There are a number of other products in the Invisible Zinc range.
From $29.99 for 75g. Purchase online or buy from selected Countdown supermarkets.
Make your own sunscreen
I thought I’d try making my own and followed Wendyl’s Green Goddess Sunscreen recipe. I spent about $75 on ingredients but this would make many batches.
With a zinc oxide base, it has only eight ingredients and was simple and quick to make. The resulting product is a light cream, which was easy to apply and absorbed nicely and transparently. It has a pleasant lavender fragrance (from lavender oil), though this could easily be substituted with another essential oil, or none at all. I used this sunscreen in the garden over a sunny weekend without getting burned.
Find Wendyl’s recipe here: wendyls.co.nz/sunscreen-2/
Our picks
There were three products that stood out to us. All had the preferred zinc oxide base, were SPF30 and were easy to apply, absorbing well without leaving a white film. They were: Wotnot, Oasis Sun and Coola.
Worth trying but out of stock at the time of review:
Green People Scent Free Sun Lotion SPF25
Natural Instinct Micro Mineral Sunscreen SPF30+
What about nanoparticles?
One of the downsides to mineral sunscreens is they can leave a visible white sheen on the skin from the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. To combat this, some manufacturers use ‘nano’ sized particles of these ingredients so the sunscreen is more transparent to visible light, while still blocking harmful rays. Some people are concerned that these tiny particles could cause cell damage from increased free radical production in the skin and in response many companies are selling products advertised as ‘non-nano’ titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Currently, sunscreens (indeed all cosmetic products) sold in New Zealand do not have to declare whether they contain nanomaterials, but this is due to change in July 2015.
Don’t go without!
Green Ideas believes the proven risks of sunburn outweigh the unclear risks of conventional sunscreens. If you don’t have an ‘eco’ product handy, a conventional cream is better than nothing!
Further reading
Sunscreen's effect on coral
Gender-bending effects of sunscreen on fish