8 best eco-friendly sunscreens: Ocean and reef safe SPFs
The first rule of sunscreen is to apply it generously and frequently. But not all sunscreen is created equal.
More and more of us are looking for ways to help protect the environment with our shopping choices. Global warming may be the biggest threat to coral reefs, but some of the chemicals found in our usual sunscreens certainly aren’t helping matters.
Up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen end up in coral reef areas every year. That’s why, in 2018, Hawaii became the first nation to ban sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate after scientists found that they were harmful to aquatic life. Octocrylene is another coral enemy to swerve, with all three also linked to potential health problems in humans.
If you’re looking for a more environmentally friendly sunscreen, enter mineral sunscreens, which reflect the sun’s rays away from the surface of the skin like a mirror.
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the most common mineral sun filters. They’re highly effective but tend to leave a chalky white powder on the skin. However, formulas have come a long way in recent years, and actually quickly disappear if you rub it in thoroughly.
Look for non-nano particles – uncoated nanoparticles are aesthetically superior but can enter and damage the cells of invertebrates and may cause allergic reactions in humans.
Manufacturers aren’t legally obliged to reveal the size of the particles but if you spot “non-nano” on the ingredients list, you’re onto a winner.
You’ll notice that these sunscreens are pricier than the high street chemical sunscreens you’re used to buying. This is because minerals – and especially zinc oxide – are significantly more expensive than synthetic chemicals.
It’s understandable if you can’t justify the price tag, but if your budget allows, the best mineral sunscreens perform brilliantly, look invisible on the skin and help protect the environment.
We tested the below environmentally friendly, reef safe sunscreens on some of the hottest days of the year and noted how travel friendly the packaging was, how easy they were to apply, how they looked and felt on our skin and, most importantly, how well they protected us from sunburn.
Where a product uses filters other than zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, we demanded certification or proof that they are reef safe.
Some of these reef safe sunscreens claim to be water resistant, but we didn’t have access to a pool or the sea during testing in lockdown, but in any case, no sunscreen can be 100 per cent water resistant.
It’s safest to assume that the sun protection factor (SPF) in sunscreen has dropped by at least half after swimming and reapply after towelling dry.
No sunscreen offers total protection from the sun, either. To be safe, stay out of the sun from 11am to 2pm and remember that UV rays can penetrate cloud and parasols.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
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Tropic great barrier sun lotion, 200ml
We were wary after reading that this sunscreen from British natural skincare brand Tropic contained “a hybrid of chemical and mineral filters” until we spotted that it had been given the trusted protect land + sea certification stamp of approval. There’s no oxybenzone, octinoxate or octocrylene in sight and the chemical filters that are listed in the ingredients list have undergone rigorous testing to ensure they are reef safe and effective against UVA and UVB rays. Concerns assuaged; our test could begin.
The glossy white tube with a bright yellow bird of paradise comes wrapped in a jazzy tropical sleeve – it stood out among sunscreens with much drearier branding and put us in a holiday mood. The lotion squeezes easily out of the tube and has the thinnest consistency of all the sunscreens we tried, but it doesn’t run everywhere, and the cap clicks back on securely. There’s a protective foil seal to remove before first use so you can pack an unopened tube in your suitcase worry free.
This lightweight body sunscreen couldn’t be easier to rub in – it glides across skin and absorbs quickly so you won’t waste precious relaxation time applying it. Its pale lemon colour disappears completely, leaving no white cast despite the inclusion of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It doesn’t feel sticky and is relatively grease free too, getting a big thumbs up from our tester who hates oily sunscreens.
The natural scent smells good enough to eat – think coconut and vanilla yoghurt – but we wouldn’t want it any stronger and some may find it sickly. Coconut helps keep skin soft, though, while vitamin E has anti-inflammatory qualities and green algae protect against those pesky free radicals that contribute to premature ageing.
Great barrier comes in SPF15, 30 and 50, with the latter also available in a 100ml tube for £18. We tried the 50 for maximum protection and left our sun lounger lightly tanned but not at all pink, even on our chest which usually burns first. Like everything by Tropic, all its suncare products are certified vegan and cruelty-free. The obvious downside is the cost – this sunscreen is a lot pricier than your bog-standard £6 bottle of chemical sunscreen. If you want a mineral only sunscreen, opt for the skin shade, and we also rate the ultra-light sun day facial UV defence.
Buy now £28.00, Tropic
Ren Clean Skincare clean screen mineral SPF30 mattifying face sunscreen, 50ml
When it comes to facial sunscreen, look to acclaimed skincare brands who know how to formulate products that won’t irritate the more sensitive face. This mineral sun cream relies on non-nano zinc oxide to protect your skin from harmful rays and the blue light from screens. Rice starch gives it a matte finish, so you won’t look too shiny in your beach snaps, antioxidant passion fruit extract provides back up against free radicals and glycerin keeps your skin from drying out.
This sunscreen comes in a tube made mostly from recycled plastic. It’s vegan, too, so it ticks a lot of eco boxes. The formula is of medium thickness – it squeezes out easily, without dripping everywhere and a foil seal protects it before the first use. We found it easy to smooth in and the slight white film it left on our skin disappeared after five minutes. It doesn’t feel cloggy to wear and offers a decent base for makeup.
We liked the lightly fruity scent but did spot “parfum” on the ingredients list, which feels unnecessary, especially for those with skin complaints. The £24 price tag feels steep, too, but you only need a small amount to cover your face and it doesn’t feel remotely greasy or sticky. We wore it for a socially distanced picnic in the heat of the day and were relieved to cleanse a burn free face that night. We’ll be keeping one of these tubes in our handbags this summer.
Buy now £32.00, Cult Beauty
Pai Skincare British summer time sensitive sunscreen SPF30, 40ml
We were fans of Pai’s cleanser before trying its sunscreen, so our expectations were high. Our sticking point with this British skincare brand has always been its cost – you’re paying for the best ingredients that make up a certified natural, cruelty-free and vegan product, but the £32 price tag on this facial sun cream feels very steep for just 40ml. That said, if you suffer from sensitive and eczema prone skin and can afford to splash out on something that works, this won’t disappoint.
The sun filter is non-nano zinc oxide and we also spotted hydrating glycerin and antioxidant cotton extract on the ingredients list. We needed two small fingertip-sized squeezes of product to cover our face and neck before hitting the sun lounger. The fragrance-free formula has the texture and consistency of a light day cream and a pleasant, slightly nutty scent.
This sunscreen leaves a white sheen on your skin at first but is relatively easy to rub in and does end up sheer, as promised. It lives up to its non-greasy claim too and stopped us from burning, though we did add a touch more to our forehead, nose and ears after a few hours to be safe. One to splash out on for a beach holiday, we say.
Buy now £29.00, Look Fantastic
Green People scent free sun lotion SPF30, 200ml
This sunscreen from conscious brand Green People wins extra eco points for its recyclable sugar cane packaging. It’s mostly organic and is a smart choice for prickly heat sufferers as it’s fragrance-free and won’t clog your pores.
Rub it in with a bit of welly and the white cream disappears to the point of invisibility, which darker-skinned shoppers will appreciate. It feels calming on the skin, leaving a non-greasy finish that isn’t at all sticky or drying either.
We like that this sun cream is titanium dioxide-based, which is thought to be more reef safe than zinc oxide. Note that the formula does use nanoparticles, but they’re coated to make them non-reactive. Green tea, edelweiss and aloe vera are naturally rich in antioxidants and help protect sensitive skin, but the inclusion of water repellent beeswax means it’s not vegan-friendly.
We found this sunscreen protected us on test and would recommend it for a family that struggles with skin complaints in summer.
Buy now £24.00, Green People
Ultrasun body mineral sunscreen SPF30, 100ml
Consistency is important when it comes to sunscreen – too thick and it’ll take so long to rub in that you simply won’t bother, too thin and it’ll be messy to apply. This body sunscreen nails it – it’s lightweight without being runny.
Made by a trusted Swiss brand and formulated for “ultra-sensitive” skin, it relies on zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to reflect harmful UV rays. You’ll also spot the innovative “infraguard” on the ingredients list – this combines sunflower shoots and antioxidants from tara trees – shrub native to Peru – to guard against infrared and blue light.
It comes in a pump tube, which we love – making application easier and helps you control how much comes out, but you can still cut the plastic tube and get every last bit out (which you’ll want to do given the price). There’s a guide on the lid of the box showing you how to much to apply to each area of the body – a welcome touch not found elsewhere.
It does come out bright white and isn’t the easiest to spread, but it rubs in sheer and fulfils its non-greasy, non-sticky promise. We like the subtle fruity scent. Most importantly, we covered ourselves in this and didn’t burn while enjoying a doze in 25C sunshine.
Buy now £28.00, Holland & Barrett
Organii sun milk SPF50, 125ml
When we first tried this sunscreen in 2018, it had a frustrating leaking issue – the thin consistency of the lotion meant it would run out into the lid and drip everywhere when we opened it. While the certified organic formulation hasn’t changed, we were told that the bottle has, in order to address this issue. Unfortunately, we found the problem remained. Get around this by storing it on its side and opening it over the area of skin you wish to cover.
The big pro to this milky sunscreen is that it’s much easier to spread than many thicker creams out there. It feels a little greasy at first but rubs in well and the tell-tale white cast was barely noticeable (though we do have fair skin). Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide go into bat again, while argan, jojoba, linseed and marigold oils offer soothing benefits.
This gentle, fragrance-free sunscreen is fit for babies and children as well as adults. It served us well in the hot afternoon sun and we’d use it again, despite the bottle issue making application messier than we’d like. It’s vegan-friendly and comes in SPF15, 20 and 30 too.
Buy now £24.95, Organii
Aethic sôvée SPF50 mother and baby fragrance-free sunscreen, 150ml
What makes London-based brand Aethic so trustworthy is that every individual ingredient in this sunscreen has been scientifically tested on coral to ensure that it’s reef-safe – not just the final formulation. It’s the world’s only patented eco-friendly sunscreen and the fragrance-free SPF50 formula is gentle enough for babies to use.
This sunscreen has a medium consistency and squeezes out of the bottle easily. It’s marketed for use on the face as well as the body, but it takes a fair bit of rubbing to get rid of the white sheen, with some pilling, so we wouldn’t want to wear it under makeup. It eventually went sheer and wasn’t remotely sticky – you’d never know you had any on – though we could still see tiny particles of white powder close up.
There’s no zinc oxide or titanium oxide in this sunscreen – the key filter is a naturally occurring compound found in seaweed that was proven by King’s College London to absorb UVA and UVB rays effectively. It didn’t irritate our skin (no itching or stinging) and we didn’t burn at all over five hours outside.
Ok, so the price tag – nearly £60 for 150ml – is a lot. But its three sun filters are longer lasting than many competing sunscreens as they are more stable in the sun, so you shouldn’t have to top it up as much (please do after swimming, though). If it helps, the SPF25 is cheaper at £44, while the SPF40 is £53.
Buy now £58.00, Aethic
Holland and Barrett nature's block mineral SPF30 sun cream, 150ml
We were happy to try Holland & Barrett’s own-brand mineral sunscreen, feeling safe in the knowledge that a health food retailer would take sun protection seriously. Our trust was rewarded as this all-natural cream successfully stopped UVA and UVB rays in their tracks when tested under a clear blue sky.
However, there’s no getting around the fact that this sunscreen is as thick as paint. Unsurprisingly, it’s an effort to squeeze enough out of the tube and its bright white colour is disconcerting. It took some welly and patience to rub it in enough to make the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide filters look sheer, but we got there eventually, and a small amount spread a long way. On the plus side, it didn’t feel at all sticky or greasy, giving it a matte finish, and the consistency is so heavy that we wouldn’t worry about it leaking in our beach bag.
Nature’s block is vegan, cruelty-free and safe for children. Its subtle grassy scent is inoffensive, and the jolly orange and white tube is easy to spot. It’s only available in SPF30 but we found this offered adequate protection for our fair skin in 26-degree heat.
This sunscreen is supposedly formulated for use on the face as well as the body, but we prefer a much lighter lotion for the former, where our skin is more sensitive. Its £10 price tag puts it in a similar ballpark to the leading chemical sunscreens, which we appreciate as ethical shopping can often feel inaccessible on a budget.
Buy now £10.00, Holland & Barrett
The verdict: Eco-friendly sunscreen
We’ll be using Tropic’s great barrier sun lotion, sun day facial UV defence and sun stick this summer – these are all such a breeze to use that topping up and keeping ourselves protected from the sun doesn’t feel like much of a chore. Holland and Barrett’s own-brand nature’s block offers the best value for money in what is sadly still an expensive niche of skincare.
