It feels like summer is absolutely flying by. I’m sure once our daughter, Reagan reaches school age, it will fly even faster!
Today I wanted to share with you a sunscreen brand that we were given the opportunity to test out from Block Island Organics. I was offered a free bottle of Block Island’s mineral based sunscreen for free in exchange for a review. All opinions are 100% my own.
Reagan has always had really sensitive skin, so I try to be really aware about using safe products on her skin. Many sunscreens are chemical based, which means the ingredients that are blocking harmful rays are actually being absorbed into your skin. A mineral sunscreen absorbs into just the topmost layers of your skin and works to deflect or scatter the harmful rays.
This option from Block Island is fragrance free, which also reduces the risk of skin irritation from harsh perfumes. Many mineral sunscreens leave a strong white “haze” on your skin when applied. (A lifeguard with a solid white stripe of paste down their nose comes to mind.) However, this sunscreen comes out thinner, so it smooths on much easier, and leaves considerably less of that snowy white “glow”.
In the interest of being fully honest in my review, I will say that on a regular basis I will reserve this sunscreen for myself instead of for Reagan. Being a nervous Nelly, first time mom, I prefer at least SPF 50 for her delicate skin, and this one is only SPF 30. Since I will be using it on myself, it’s even more important to me that it rubs in smoothly and looks invisible on my skin.
It’s best to work in small areas at a time with this product. Because the formula is fairly thin, it dries a bit faster than a thicker cream might. Once the product starts to dry, it can start to flake off as you’re rubbing in if you take too long.
As if safe sun protection wasn’t enough of a reason to love a sunscreen, this particular one is even a friendlier option for our coral reefs! Just this past May, Hawaii passed a bill banning the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate – two ingredients found in chemical sunscreens that are damaging to the ocean’s reefs. Unsurprisingly, nearly 14,000 tons of sunscreen make their way into the reefs every year, so it’s important that we do our part to reduce the risk of damage.
Block Island Organics has also appeared on the EWG’s list of top sunscreens for the past four years! Having the Environmental Working Group’s stamp of approval is just another comforting factor when it comes to protecting our skin from the damage of the sun.
As a special perk for all of you, Kelly and the team at Block Island Organics have given me a discount code to share so you can try this sunscreen out for yourself! You can enter the code CASSANDRA for 20% off at checkout from 8/15/2018-8/21/18! (Note: This code cannot be combined with other offers, but it’s a great opportunity to try out this sunscreen for yourself!)
What are your favorite sunscreens for yourself or your family?
little green pear 