Even just a few years ago, finding a good cruelty-free sunscreen wasn’t that easy.  Luckily, more companies these days are launching sun protection products that are not only good for us but also good for the planet and for our animal friends.

You can listen to us discuss cruelty-free sunscreens in this episode of the podcast…

…or read on for a quick summary of what we mention.

Quick note: This has been updated for 2021.

Skin Protection All Year

Summer isn’t the only time we need to worry about protecting our skin from the sun. While it’s true that most of us spend a lot more time in the sun during the summer months, our skin is exposed to the sun almost every day of the year. A good quality sunscreen plays a BIG role in skin protection.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation:

Regular daily use of SPF 15 sunscreen can reduce your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) by about 40 percent, and lower your melanoma risk by 50 percent.

Before we dive into our discussion of the best cruelty-free sunscreens, let’s define a few terms. This will help you understand what to look for in sunscreen in case you decide to try a different brand.

 

What Does “Cruelty-Free” Mean?

For a product to be considered “cruelty-free,” neither it nor any of its ingredients can have been tested on animals. This term can be very confusing and some companies try to fool consumers into thinking their products are cruelty-free when, in fact, they’re not.  For a more in-depth understanding of exactly what “cruelty-free” means, check out Vegetarian Zen episode 64, Cruelty-Free 101.

 

What Does “Vegan” Mean?

Simply stated, a vegan product does not contain animal products or animal derivatives. Animal derivatives, or byproducts, include ingredients such as honey, whey, and leather.

 

What Does SPF mean?

“SPF” is short for “sun protection factor.” On a sunscreen label, the number that follows SPF is best explained by The Skin Cancer Foundation:

The SPF number tells you how long the sun’s UV radiation would take to redden your skin when using the product exactly as directed versus the amount of time without any sunscreen.

 

What are Sunscreen Nanoparticles?

Back in the day, sunscreens were white and chalky (and not at all appealing to use). In order to increase the likelihood that consumers would wear their sunscreen every day, manufacturers found ways to shrink down some of the mineral ingredients in their sunscreen products. The result was a less chalky film on your skin. Yeah! But wait!

Some studies have shown that these nanoparticles can have adverse effects on your health, especially lung health. This is a big reason that some companies make it a point to say that their products do not contain nanoparticles. The issue here is that, like “cruelty-free,” nanoparticle regulations are somewhat loose, and “no nanoparticle” claims can be misleading.

While there is still ambiguity around this topic, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has stated that, in general, sun protection made with the minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are usually safe because they provide strong sun protection with few health concerns.