10 best eco-friendly sunscreens that protect your skin and help the planet

For a beauty brand with exceptional green credentials, turn to UpCircle’s collection of organic, vegan, cruelty-free formulas that use by-products from other industries and are housed in recyclable packaging. A stand-out product from the brand is this mineral face SPF that we found surprisingly lightweight, moisturising and super blend-able, leaving no white cast behind.

Infused with upcycled raspberry seed oil that’s left over by the juicing industry, the formula is also high in antioxidants to fight free radical skin damage. But what makes this even more eco-friendly than its competition is if you send the glass jar back to the brand it will refill it for just £21.99.

The banana bright eye cream and vitamin C serum from Ole Henriksen are so well-loved that we had high expectations for this new mineral SPF, but it still managed to exceed them. Perhaps, it’s to be expected when the UV filters are paired with powerhouse clinical-grade vitamin C in the formula: backed by science to not only protect skin from sun damage but correct it too – making this is a powerful little tube.

It’s light, naturally zesty fragranced and absorbs in an instant without any ashy finish. Instead, it leaves behind a beautiful instant glow thanks to its light-reflecting mineral pigments. It’s further enhanced with skin-hydrating and soothing niacinamide and aloe leaf juice. And of course, vitamin C’s skin-brightening and rejuvenating abilities make this ideal for those concerned about dark spots or signs of ageing.

For those that like a paired-back routine, we found this mineral SPF so moisturising you could skip day cream and use it on its own in the summer months. The hydration comes courtesy of niacinamide and vitamin E, while antioxidants and non-nano zinc oxide work together to protect the skin. Super lightweight, the gel-cream formula absorbs in an instant and doesn’t leave any residue behind – making it ideal for all skin tones and types. And we found it sits well underneath make-up, making it a great everyday base as well as one to pack for the beach.

B corp certified, Arbonne has a long list of ingredients that it doesn’t use in its products including nano ingredients, so this mineral formulation can be trusted to be eco-friendly. Suitable for the face and body, and fragrance-free you won’t find any irritation with this suit all-skin types formula. It’s also vegan and Peta-approved, opting to use a botanical wax to improve product adherence so you can even go swimming for up to 40 minutes before needing to reapply. More plus points, include how easy it is to blend the lotion which leaves a sheer finish without any chalkiness. Meanwhile the added botanical moisturisers make it feel silky soft on the skin.

Flying the flag for physical sun creams for many years, Green People has a superb mineral sunscreen offering like this SPF30 that’s also certified organic. Just as the name suggests its natural line-up is fragrance-free, a bonus for those with sensitive skin or those who suffer from inflammatory issues. It’s water-repellent too, making it a great all-rounder if you’re looking for a formula the whole family can use. Plus, we love that the brand gives 20p to the Marine Conservation Society for every bottle sold – a nice touch.

In cult-favourite Australian SPF brand, Ultra Violette’s first-rate wardrobe of sunscreens, or “skinscreens” as it calls them, is this mineral formulation designed for not only sensitive but oilier, reactive skin types in mind too. A next-generation zinc-only sunscreen that has a subtle tint and a subtle mattifying effect. It disappears quickly into the skin to leave zero chalkiness and just a comfortable shine-free finish.

Furthermore, it’s infused with Aussie favourite Kakadu plum, rich in antioxidant and skin-protecting vitamin C. Plus, there’s no denying the bright blue and neon packaging adds to its appeal (hence why the brand is often spotted on Instagram too).

This brand needs no introduction to the beauty-savvy, but if it’s yet to cross your path, you should know that the brand’s philosophy is that its skincare contains no nasties and what it claims to be the suspicious six: essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones fragrances/dyes, SLS and chemical sunscreens. It’s therefore a given, then, that its SPF offering is a mineral formula and a cracking one at that – leaving skin glowing thanks to the added anti-oxidants and virgin marula oil for nourishment.

It comes in a tinted and non-tinted formula, of which our tester prefers the former, and if you’re light-medium skin-toned you will too, as it allows you to skip coverage on top. The very fair might just find it too dark, so should stick to the non-tinted – as should darker skin tones.

With over 30 years in the sun cream business, we’ve lost count of how many outstanding SPF formulations Ultrasun has come up with over the years – and we’re including its mineral sun cream for the body in that. Simply work it into the body and watch it disappear to leave a mattifying effect. Available in SPF30 and SPF50 to protect you from skin-burning UVA rays, this also provides a high UVA filter of 95 per cent against ageing and damaging rays. On top of that, it promises to protect against infrared-A and blue light. This one covers all bases.

One pump of this, like all Hawaiian Tropic products, transports you to a tropical paradise – so if you’re a fan of coconut-fragranced products this one is for you. The ultra-light, and yes you guessed it, “milky” texture, disappears in an instant on the skin leaving a mineral shield of zinc oxide to protect you from the sun. We were super impressed with this accessible, affordable and effective offering from the brand, and all without any harmful ingredients to the ocean and sea life. So if you pair it with the face formulation, you have the perfect holiday-packing duo.

While this isn’t a mineral SPF, it’s still eco-friendly as it only contains reef-safe chemical filters. Plus, extra green points go to Caudalie as it’s are part of the 100 per cent plastic collect initiative – collecting and recycling as much plastic from the oceans as it generates as a brand.

The formula contains polyphenols, an antioxidant shield, exclusive to the brand that comes from grape-seed extracts, as well as vitamin E to offer a light, fluid spray lotion that is easy to apply on the whole family (apart from children under three) and looks invisible in an instant. This one is for those that love a rub-free formula.

Use discount code “22NC” for 22 per cent off the best eco-friendly sunscreen at Lookfantastic