Raw Elements Eco Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen Untinted

I think ECO FORMULA 30+ is the best natural mineral zinc oxide sunscreen for you if you're a highly athletic outdoor enthusiast and serious about wanting a 100% natural, eco-conscious sun screen. It's rated in category #1 by the Environmental Working Group and that means that you can't find a more environmentally friendly, all natural product, period.

Raw Elements Eco Formula is a high performance sunscreen that binds tenaciously to your skin. It contains a serious 23% non-nano zinc oxide so you KNOW you're protected when you wear it. I use it gardening when I expect to be rubbing off my sunscreen taking my gardening gloves on and off and crawl around in the dirt and shrubbery. I need something that will stay put through it all and Raw Elements does. At the end of the day I actually have to scrub it off my skin it stays on that well. It's also my new favorite for the back of my hands and neck when I swim laps at 12 noon, which is my favorite time to swim AND a really bad time to be out in the direct sun (the rest of me is covered by a full body swim suit).

Product Highlights:

• 30+ SPF
• Broad spectrum protection
• Biodegradable and reef safe!
• Safe for all ages
• Never runs or stings eyes
• Water resistant to 80 minutes

As a performance driven sunscreen, you can trust that this product is very water resistant, quite possibly even beyond the usual 80 minutes (but you still need to reapply as directed by the FDA). It is also so gentle and moisturizing that it's perfect for the sensitive skin of little kids! The Eco Formula is made with a thick base that binds well to skin and will require some effort to rub it in for an almost clear application on your skin. The effort it's worth it because you'll know that you're well protected by an entirely natural product that's used by surfers and other really active outdoor water sports athletes (and seriously sweaty gardening dermatologists)!

Dr. Cynthia Bailey Wants You To Know These Important Facts About Sunscreen
It's my opinion that zinc oxide is the best sunscreen ingredient for broad spectrum UVA and UVB sun protection.

Zinc oxide, and its cousin titanium dioxide, are considered mineral sunscreens (and are also called physical sunscreens). When applied to your skin these mineral/physical sunscreens sit on top of your skin and bounce off the UV rays just like bouncing a ball off of a wall. They provide non-irritating, hypoallergenic broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection that you can trust. Nano technology made it possible for mineral sunscreen to be applied invisibly to your skin. New zinc oxide technology has made it possible for even non-nano zinc oxide products to create nearly invisible protection too.

Mineral sunscreens are the only sunscreens that I trust and recommend. That's because the other type of sunscreens, called chemical sun screens (and also confusingly also called ‘organic' sunscreens!), actually absorb into the top of your skin and block the sun rays with a chemical reaction that occurs within your skin itself. The reaction creates a little heat, which make you feel even hotter in the sun. More importantly, it breaks down the chemical sunscreen ingredients so that they aren't there to protect you anymore. Thus, your skin steadily runs out of the chemical sunscreens when you're in the sun.

The mineral sunscreens on the other hand last longer on your skin because the UV rays don't break them down like this. They're also more stable in the sunscreen bottle than ‘chemical' sunscreens, which break down while they sit on the bottle waiting for you to buy them and use them.

Of the mineral sunscreen ingredients, I recommend only zinc oxide and not titanium dioxide because it rubs onto your skin better and gives better broad spectrum protection.

Remember, harmful and aging UV sun rays come through most windows. You need to apply sunscreen to the all exposed areas of your skin every day even if you don't plan to spend time outdoors. Applying a mineral zinc oxide sunscreen should be part of your daily skin care routine!

I recommend that everyone apply sunscreen to exposed skin every day. As with all zinc oxide sunscreens, I recommend you apply your sunscreen after your other skin care products. (Make up, if used, goes on after sunscreen as the last skin care step.) Please see my tips for using sunscreen below.

Dr. Bailey's Sunscreen Application Tips:

Apply mineral zinc oxide sunscreens last, after all other skin care products but under make-up. This is because the zinc oxide particles sit on top of the skin where they reflect light. All skin care products that work by penetrating into the skin must be applied first.

Zinc oxide sunscreens will be invisible on the skin if you warm the cream and disperse the particles before applying the product. To do this, place the amount of cream to be applied in the palm of one hand. Vigorously rub your palms together then apply the cream to your skin by patting it around various places in the area to be covered. Finish by rubbing the cream on your skin until it is evenly applied and invisible.

Eye sensitivity is not typically a problem with pure zinc oxide sunscreens. Raw Elements is made with only zinc oxide and a non-irritating and hypoallergenic base appropriate for even the most sensitive skin complexions.

The quantity of sunscreen you apply is critical to the amount of protection you have created for your skin. Current recommendations are 1 tsp for the adult face and 1oz. (a shot glass) for the average sized adult in the average sized bathing suit. Raw Elements products are made with thicker and more tenacious bases. Play with the amount you need for good sun protection. It is especially important to reapply after swimming or rubbing product off of your skin and every 2 hours during sun exposure if you are relying on sunscreen alone to protect your skin during times of intense sun exposure.

• Active Ingredient: Non Nano Zinc Oxide (23%)

  Inactive Ingredients: Sunflower Oil*, Green Tea*, Black Tea*, Coffee Bean*, ¨Cocoa Butter*, Mango Butter**, Beeswax*, Rosemary Oil Extract**, Vitamin E**, Iron Oxides

  * USDA Certified Organic

  ** Certified Natural