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Summer is on its way, and so is the sun. Here are the best sunscreens for grown-ups and little ones alike, protective lip care, and reef-friendly sun care picks for the season ahead.
By Lisa Ehrhardt
Enjoying the Sun, Worry-Free
The last snow has melted and April’s fickle skies are giving way to sunlit May afternoons. Those first warm rays feel like a gift — they lift our mood and give our skin a dose of vitamin D. But even as we soak it in, sun protection deserves real attention. UV rays don’t just cause sunburn; over time they accelerate skin aging and raise the risk of skin cancer. A sunscreen that’s both effective and free of harmful additives is non-negotiable.
Why Sustainable Sun Care?
Conventional sunscreens often rely on chemistry that’s tough on more than just your skin. Many contain microplastics or are built on a petroleum base — a choice that drives up CO2 emissions and puts pressure on the environment.
Sustainable sun care takes a different approach, built on natural, environmentally sound ingredients. These formulas protect against UV rays while treating the planet gently too. From biodegradable formulations to packaging made of recycled materials, sustainable sunscreen is that rare win-win — good for your skin, good for the earth.
With so many options on shelves, finding a product that’s both effective and genuinely eco-conscious isn’t always easy. Here are our favorites for the season.
Junglück — Sonniger Tag SPF 50+ Duo
Unlike conventional sunscreens, which often lean on mineral UV filters, Junglück’s sun fluid is built entirely on organic filters that sink into skin quickly, with no greasy finish. The filters work deep within the skin, converting UV radiation into heat rather than leaving behind the telltale white cast.
Its featherlight texture doubles nicely as a makeup base, and the fluid delivers full broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB damage. Junglück deliberately leaves out microplastics, environmentally harmful UV filters, and drying alcohols, relying instead on a blend of reef-friendly, organic UV filters.
For complete aftercare, the Aloe Vera Gel makes an excellent companion. With 91.9% organic aloe vera, it delivers intensive hydration, calms redness, and counters inflammation — a genuine relief after a long day in the sun. Both products are available as a set in the Junglück online shop.
Price: €60.80
Speick — Sun Sonnencreme SPF 50+
Speick’s SPF 50+ sunscreen offers intensive, reliable protection against UVA and UVB rays for both face and body. Its rich yet fast-absorbing texture makes it especially well suited to sun-sensitive skin, children, and high-exposure settings like the water or the mountains, with mineral micropigments ensuring protection across all skin types.
The formula is built entirely on natural mineral sun filters, primarily zinc oxide, and skips chemical UV filters such as octinoxate or oxybenzone altogether. As a sustainable sunscreen, it does more than shield skin from the sun — it actively cares for it. A skin-barrier complex featuring sugar beet extract, soothing reed extract, and pomegranate cell-protection compounds delivers moisture and calms the skin, while a rare extract from the high-alpine Speick plant, harvested through controlled organic wild collection, lends further support and protection. The sunscreen is available online here.
Price: €20.89 / 60 ml
Eco Cosmetics — Vegan Lip Balm SPF 25
Eco Cosmetics’ SPF 25 lip balm offers ideal protection for lips, built on a purely natural mineral sun filter that reflects harmful UV rays to guard against sunburn and dryness.
Enriched with valuable organic ingredients like sunflower oil, sea buckthorn oil, and pomegranate seed oil, the balm nourishes lips intensively and protects against moisture loss. The mild formula absorbs quickly, leaving a pleasant feel without any stickiness or greasiness.
The balm is produced carbon-neutral and contains no alcohol or synthetic colors, fragrances, or preservatives. It’s also cruelty-free, reflecting both environmental responsibility and care for the people who use it. Find it at the natural cosmetics online shop.
Price: €5.99
Eco Cosmetics — Baby & Kids Sunscreen SPF 50+ NEUTRAL — Fragrance-Free
Babies’ and children’s delicate, highly sensitive skin calls for dependable sun protection. Eco Cosmetics’ Baby & Kids Sunscreen delivers exactly that: mineral broad-spectrum defense against UVA and UVB rays that starts working the moment it’s applied.
The gentle cream absorbs quickly without leaving a white cast, and it’s free of aluminum salts, nanotechnology, PEGs, and parabens.
The premium formula is packed with organic ingredients — shea butter, olive oil, sea buckthorn oil, and jojoba oil — that hydrate and nourish. Its natural composition makes it especially well suited to sensitive, sun-reactive skin. Available at Pure Schönheit.
Price: €22.90 / 50 ml
Laboratoires de Biarritz — SPF 50+ Sun Spray for the Whole Family
Laboratoires de Biarritz’s SPF 50+ sun spray delivers instant protection for every member of the family. It combines mineral filters with Alga-Gorria®, a patented red algae extract from the Basque coast that helps guard against premature skin aging.
Enriched with organic sunflower oil, the spray hydrates and nourishes skin while effectively shielding it from the sun’s harmful effects. The formula is 100% natural, water-resistant, and reef-safe.
Its light, fluid texture makes application effortless, and it’s suitable for adults and children from six months old. It’s a particularly good match for fair skin and sensitive, sun-reactive skin types. With no added fragrance, it’s gentle enough even for the most sensitive skin, including that of pregnant and nursing women.
Laboratoires de Biarritz is committed to environmental responsibility through eco-friendly packaging and a short production cycle. Its skincare line is developed in Biarritz and manufactured entirely in France. The sun spray’s tube contains recycled plastic, and its airless pump delivers precise dosing with no waste; the packaging is also fully recyclable. Find it in the Laboratoires de Biarritz webshop.
Naïf Care — Mineral Sunscreen and Sun Spray Duo, 0% Fragrance
Naïf’s sunscreen deliberately leaves out questionable ingredients like oxybenzone, offering reliable UVA and UVB protection without burdening the skin. Rather than chemical UV filters, it relies on a mineral zinc oxide-based filter, which forms a protective barrier on the skin that reflects the sun’s rays and delivers instant protection with no waiting time.
As a sustainable sunscreen, it’s built entirely from natural ingredients that are gentle on skin and unlikely to cause irritation — which also means it’s fragrance-free, making it suitable for the sensitive skin of babies and children too.
One innovative addition to the formula is the UV filter Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, which boosts the effectiveness of the SPF while remaining environmentally friendly. The result is a sunscreen that pairs natural ingredients with innovative ones — good for skin, good for the planet. Available in the Naïf online shop.
Price: €48.98 / 100 ml
