Sustainable Sunscreen: Suntribe

I’ve shared before which sunscreen I use. Today I’m sharing this again since I switched! I have shared another sunscreen once before, it was a good option back then. Right now it isn’t anymore and so I deleted that post. I’ve switched to Suntribe! Today I want to share with you why I switched to sustainable sunscreen Suntribe.

Why Another Sunscreen?

Before I learned more about the damage conventional sunscreens cause to corals reefs, I just used the cheapest sunscreen I could find. But then, I found that these harm our environment and coral reefs. So, first things first, I decided to switch to a sunscreen that at least doesn’t harm the environment by its ingredients, leaving packaging aside. This is something easy in my opinion, a thing you can do today for the earth. You have to refuse at least four important ingredients. Oxybenzone, Butylparaben, Octinoxate and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor. These were proven to cause coral bleaching (which sounds like the coral reefs just change colour, but it means they die).

Coral bleaching is also caused by climate change, but anything I can do directly matters in my opinion and so I do it. Even though it seems like just four ingredients harm the coral reefs, I don’t really trust any of them until research proofs they’re safe for the reefs and humans. This website from Badgerbalm shows a little more about all the ingredients that may cause any harm.

Sun and Aging

Maybe this will surprise you, but I put sunscreen on every single day. Yes, that means I also put it on in winter. The sun shines every day, also during winter. I do use a low SPF in winter, 20 SPF. In summer I use the highest possible. I avoid getting a tan. Why? I’ve read in multiple books that this affects your skin. I’ve seen pictures (like the one below), where you can clearly see the difference in people who do use sunscreen and those who don’t.

High exposure to sun increases you risk to cancer and your skin ages. I personally try to avoid that. Not because of beautify standards, but because I think it’s healthier. If you use a day cream you might use sunscreen in winter without even knowing, it’s usually put in day-cream too. I just use sunscreen because that’s what I only need, I don’t need none of the other ingredients they put in day-creams.

Suntainable Sunscreen: Suntribe — The photograph is from the book ‘Veroudering Vertragen’ by Kris Verburgh. The caption says: ‘two women, both 71 years old. The left lady was exposed to sun way less than the woman on the right’.

My Previous Sunscreen

So, I made the switch to Lovea. This brand doesn’t contain the most harmful ingredients that I know of. This was the best option I could find, since most of the ingredients were also organic. But, yes, there were two ‘buts’. First, it was packaged in plastic. That’s big disappointment to me. Second, the list of ingredients was still so long, which in my opinion is not necessary. Can’t you just put in one filter which will protect me and some organic cream to make it liquid? It seemed like that was impossible. And then, on top of those things, I read an article from the Dutch Consumer Association. They had tested sunscreens and Lovea got a 3/10, it didn’t protect me agains UVA-radiation. I was stunned. My health is the most important thing, and it wasn’t protected. Time for a change.

Finding the Perfect Sunscreen

I did some research and found an extensive article about sunscreen from a Dutch blogger, Zaailingen. She gave a whole explanation of sunscreens and the ingredients. Now I knew what I wanted. But, as concluded from this article, the perfect suncream didn’t really exited just yet, but she did gave a long list of good options. Good for the environment and yourself. Then I discovered another article about zero waste sunscreen from two other Dutch zero waste bloggers. They had found a zero waste sunscreen that didn’t harm the environment. Sustainable sunscreen from Suntribe!

Sustainable low-waste Sunscreen

Suntribe has a sunscreen in a tin, so it is plasticfree! It has just three ingredients: Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Beeswax, Non-Nano Zinc Oxide. So, it’s not vegan. But, for this time that’s okay. The first two ingredients are simple and clear. The third is the filter which protects you against UVA and UVB radiation. Perfect! It’s non-nano, which means that the particles are not that small, great! Also, it’s safe for the coral reefs and yourself, so it’s all good.

There is one disadvantage: it’s only 30ml. So, I used it only for my face. They also have a 100ml and 50ml bottle, but those are in plastic. The tin of 30ml is 14.00 euros so I did also buy a 50ml bottle for my body of 17.99 euros. That one has more ingredients: no-nano Zinc Oxide, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Cacao Seed Butter, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Beeswax and Vitamin E. It’s more, but the extra ingredients are all safe and good in my opinion.

My Opinion

I’ve ordered it just before my last holiday to Crete and I’m in love with both of them! The 30ml in tin is very matte and that’s amazing. Normally, sunscreen gives you a shiny look, which is horrible in my opinion. So, that’s a big plus. It is 30 SPF and I didn’t get burnt. The 50ml for the body was perfect in my opinion too, it lubricates easily and you don’t stay white, it’s also 30 SPF. Not sticky, but smooth and it smells good. I’m in love. The only thing I still want is a 100ml tube which isn’t in plastic, but for now it’s okay to me.

It’s been a long journey, but I have found the perfect sunscreen!