Australian Gold’s Botanical Sunscreen SPF50
Why this sunscreen?
A little over a year ago I learned that sunscreens can cause a lot of harm to the environment, particularly to coral. I personally burn very easily, and everyone is at risk of sun damage to skin, which can potentially lead to skin cancer, so skipping the sunscreen isn’t an option. What to do?
Some research on the Diver Alert Network (DAN) turned up a useful article on sunscreen ecotoxicity and things to look out for, and I began looking for a sunscreen that was, first and foremost, oxybenzone free. (Oxybenzone is considered the most potentially harmful sunscreen chemical both for reefs/aquatic life and for human health.)
I found Australian Gold’s Botanical Sunscreen and Mineral Lotion.
Options
Australian Gold sells a variety of products in this line, including spray versions, varying SPFs, and even tinted face lotion. This article is specifically about the (non-tinted) Mineral Lotion SPF50 variety of Australian Gold’s Botanical Sunscreen.
Features
Australian Gold Botanical SPF50 Mineral Lotion protects from both UVA and UVB radiation, is non-greasy, and lasts up to 80 minutes in water. The tube recommends you reapply every two hours, or every 80 minutes if you’re in the water or sweating a lot. Its active ingredients are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, non-nanotized (which, according to DAN, “don’t readily exhibit acute toxicities.”) It is free of several compounds warned of in the DAN article I read, including oxybenzone, and parabens. Its labels declare it reef friendly, hypoallergenic, pediatrician and dermatologist tested, and free from animal testing, among other positive-sounding declarations (which I can no longer find the articles supporting).
Price
It costs $15.99 for 5 FL OZ on Australian Gold’s Website but this size container is also available for $7.19 from Target, Walmart and Amazon.
In short: it sounded good, and I was ready to give it a try!
My Experience
Prior to using this sunscreen, I typically used high-SPF spray on sunscreens to protect my light skin and to make it easy to reapply frequently. It had been a long time since I’d used rub-on sunscreen, so I was a bit apprehensive.
The first thing I noticed upon removing the lid was a very pleasant, mild scent, one that I actually found appealing even though most scents bother me. Chemical sunscreen smells don’t set off my allergies, but I can’t say they’re very pleasant, either. The lotion has a nice texture, similar to some moisturizers I’ve tried, and is white.
There was a bit of a learning curve to rediscovering the best way to apply lotion as opposed to spray-on sunscreen. I discovered the fastest technique was to smear a couple lines down one arm, rub them in, smear a couple lines down the other arm, rub them in, smear a couple lines down one leg, rub them in, etc. I put a blob in my hand and dipped a finger or two into it to do my face and neck. With practice I became nearly as fast at putting on lotion as I had been at putting on spray!
One of my favorite things about this sunscreen is that it rubs in smoothly and really lives up to the “non-greasy” claim on the bottle. It’s the least-greasy sunscreen I’ve ever had the pleasure to use, and rubs completely into the skin, leaving no trace of white or grease behind. I actually thought it felt nice!
Unfortunately, if you DON’T rub the sunscreen in all the way, it can leave white smears on your clothes or swimsuits that don’t come out with water. They typically come out in the wash, but sometimes stubborn marks need to be handwashed with dishsoap to get them out. Just being careful to rub all the sunscreen in prevents this, however.
This sunscreen worked well for me while I lived in Bermuda working a mostly-outdoor internship for four months in the summer, so I’m pretty confident of its protection. Do be careful to reapply, however.
I tried some other sunscreens when my supply was running out, including a spray-on zinc oxide sunscreen and a different rub on kind, but none smelled as nice or went on as invisibly and comfortably as the Australian Gold Botanical Mineral Lotion.
Pros
- Oxybenzone-free
- Environmentally friendly
- UVA and UVB protection
- Mild, pleasant scent
- Non-greasy
- Good sun protection
Cons
- Takes practice to apply quickly
- Can leave white marks on clothing if not rubbed in completely
Recommendation
I highly recommend this sunscreen. It’s the most pleasant and comfortable sunscreen I’ve ever used, and is environmentally friendly to boot! I don’t plan to change sunscreens any time soon. Give it a try!
Alternatives
If you can’t find this sunscreen or ate looking for something else to try, Stream2Sea offers biodegradable sunscreens and personal care items that I am curious to try someday, and you can look for brands with the relatively recent Protect Land + Sea Certification offered by a nonprofit scientific organization to find the sunscreens on the market most rigorously tested for safety — both ecological and human. Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen Mineral Lotion has not been tested by this certification that I know of, but none of the listed ingredients are on the Protect Land + Sea’s list of dangerous ingredients.
