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The Best Vegan & Cruelty-Free Sunscreens
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Like any good sunscreen, the best vegan sunscreens have an SPF of at least 30 and are water resistant for (ideally) up to 80 minutes. Whether you follow a vegan diet or you just prefer to use vegan skin care products, truly vegan sunscreens don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients, even the sneaky ones that often make their way into beauty products, like lanolin, beeswax, and honey. Every sunscreen featured here ticks all of these boxes, though certain ones, like the powder sunscreen and SPF lip balm, don’t offer the 80-minutes of water resistance (all of the face and body lotions do, though). And though cruelty-free and vegan don’t always go hand in hand, all of these picks are cruelty-free, so you can rest assured that they’re truly animal-friendly.
Of course, SPF comes in many forms — so ahead, you’ll find a nice variety of sunscreens, from classic lotions to kid-friendly formulas to sprays, powders, and balms. Don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen every two hours for maximum protection, or even more frequently if you go swimming or tend to sweat heavily.
With that in mind, scroll on to shop seven of the best vegan sunscreens for every part of your body.
1. The Best Vegan Sport Sunscreen
Formulated with an SPF of 30, this sport sunscreen from All Good won’t run or drip, even if you’re sweating or swimming — though you will still have to reapply it every two hours, just like you would with any sunscreen. It’s water resistant up to 80 minutes and made with nourishing ingredients like calendula, green tea, and olive oil, in addition to non-nano zinc oxide for mineral sun protection. The brand is Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free and their sport sunscreen is vegan. However, not all of their products are vegan, as some contain beeswax, so just be sure to double check here before trying out any of their other sunscreens.
2. The Best Vegan Sunscreen For Babies & Kids
Though it’s marketed for babies, everyone can use this unscented mineral sunscreen from Babo Botanicals. When a sunscreen is designed with younger children in mind, that means it’s been formulated to be extra gentle, so that even adults with super-sensitive skin shouldn’t find it irritating. Made with non-nano zinc oxide, it offers SPF 50 protection and 80 minutes of water resistance. Note that Babo is a PETA-certified cruelty-free brand.
3. The Best Vegan Sunscreen Spray
This vegan sunscreen spray from Australian Gold’s Botanical line has a nice, strong SPF of 70 and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. It’s formulated with lots of antioxidant-rich botanicals to really double down on the skin protection, like kakadu plum, eucalyptus, and red algae. Though spray-on sunscreens are extremely convenient, you’ll need to make sure to apply enough product to coat every exposed part of your body, and then rub it in thoroughly. Finally, keep this away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you want to use it on your face, spray it into your hands first and carefully apply it that way — or, pick up one of the tinted face sunscreens from the same line, which can be found in light, tan, and deep shades.
4. The Best Vegan Face Moisturizer With SPF
While all of the products above are sunscreens that can be used on your face or body, this is a face moisturizer with sunscreen in it — so if you’re cautious about the things you put on your face, this is an especially safe bet. Featuring an SPF of 30, it’s formulated with lots of soothing and moisturizing ingredients, like allantoin, aloe, squalane, shea butter, and niacinamide. This absorbs instantly and invisibly into skin, and wears beautifully under makeup. And to top it off, ACURE Organics is a 100% vegan and Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free brand.
Interestingly, a study showed that people don’t always apply enough of their SPF moisturizer near their eyes, so be mindful to hit all the key spots on your face (and pair with sunglasses and a hat, for extra protection). Don’t forget your neck and anywhere else that will be exposed to the sun.
5. The Best Vegan Sunscreen Powder
Though sunscreen powders shouldn’t be used as your primary form of sun protection, they’re convenient for midday touchups and dusting onto your hairline and part, since you likely don’t want to goop up your scalp with a sunscreen lotion. This translucent sunscreen powder with SPF 30 leaves behind a matte finish and helps absorb excess oil using mica and silica. Other key ingredients in here include vitamin E, green tea, and chamomile. All DERMA-E products are vegan, and the brand is PETA- certified cruelty-free as well.
6. The Best Vegan Lip Balm With SPF
Sun Bum’s popular SPF 30 lip balms are enriched with vitamin E and aloe to keep your lips moisturized and soft. They come in a range of fruity flavors, including coconut, key lime, mango, pineapple, and watermelon, but you can also pick up a variety pack if you’re looking to stock up. Sun Bum is PETA-certified cruelty-free, and though this lip balm is vegan, some of the brand’s other sunscreen products do contain beeswax. (You can read more about their vegan products, here.)
