Top 4 Reef Safe Mineral Sunscreen Sticks for Surfers: Tried and Tested
As surfers, we spend a lot of time under the sun, so lathering up before hitting the waves is as crucial as waxing your board.
Mineral sunscreens protect your skin with physical blockers like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which reflect harmful UV rays away. It’s essential to choose products containing non-nano zinc oxide, ensuring the particles are larger than 100 nanometers so they can't be ingested by corals.
Finding a mineral sunscreen stick that stays on in the water, doesn’t sting your eyes, is reef-safe, and sustainable can be a real challenge.
We've personally tested a slew of them and have curated a list of our current favorites. All the products featured here are SPF 50+, certified reef-safe, and use non-nano zinc oxide.
BEST COVERAGE EiR NYC Surf Mud Pro SPF 50+
- Price: $38 for 1.5oz stick
- Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 25%, Titanium Dioxide 5%
- Why We Love It: I personally love this because it’s sticky AF; it stays on so well that you actually need an oil-based cleanser to remove it. The ingredient list is short and natural, with components like beeswax and cocoa butter that keep your skin moisturized and protected. The compostable cardboard packaging is eco-friendly, although you have to be mindful not to just chuck it in your surf bucket with all your wet stuff.
- Order online at eirnyc.com, you can also find it on Amazon.
BEST FOR DARKER SKIN TONESAvasol Surfer's Barrier Stick SPF 50+
- Price: $19.95
- Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 24.5%, Titanium Dioxide 6%
- Why We Love It: Finally a mineral stick that comes in multiple shades! This stick is available in four shades that suit a variety of skin tones. It's a little greasy so it glides on easily with good coverage. Formulated according to traditional medicinal wisdom and cutting-edge green chemistry, it's made with ethically sourced fairly traded organic ingredients and comes in a sturdy recycled cardboard tube. Don’t forget to keep it dry since the packaging is biodegradable.
- Order Online at avasol.com
BEST SUSTAINABLE PACKAGINGUtu Moisturizing Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+
- Price: $38 for 1oz stick
- Active Ingredient: Zinc Oxide 24%
- Why We Love It: The sleek, chic aluminum packaging is refillable and won’t get all soggy in your surf bucket! Enriched with organic jojoba oil, vitamin E, and vitamin C, it’s hydrating, soothing, and restorative. It has nearly invisible coverage, making it great for out-of-the-water activities too, like hiking and climbing, where looking like a mime is less socially acceptable.
- Order online at utu-sun.com
BEST FOR CONVENIENCESunBum Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Face Stick
- Price: $13.49 for 1oz stick
- Active Ingredient: Zinc Oxide 19.2%
- Why We Love It: This is the cheapest on our list and is available almost everywhere, from surf shops to pharmacies, so if you're on the go and forgot your face stick this is a great option. It provides pretty decent coverage, although it is pure white with no tint. The huge downside is the plastic packaging. We hope Sun Bum will step up their sustainability game soon!
- Get it at your local surf shop or order online at sunbum.com