2 Lavender Sunscreens to Keep You Having Fun This Summer

Gotta remember that sunscreen! If you don’t…well, the resulting sunburn is unpleasant. 

I think I relearn this lesson every summer, and I know I’m not alone. There are two reasons for this forgetfulness. One is the seasonal change. We’ve gone from gray winter skies and heavy fully-covering clothing to sunnier days and lighter short sleeves. The second reason is—and maybe less to do with forgetfulness—we just don’t like wearing sunscreen! Whether it feels oily, smells bad, or makes your skin look really pale, there’s a ton of excuses. Any of this sound familiar? 

Sunscreen is (Unfortunately) Important 

Whatever our excuse for not wanting to wear sunscreen, it is unfortunately really important for your health. Sunscreen helps protect your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays, therefore decreasing your risk of skin cancer. Seems like a reasonable thing to put up with to avoid cancer later. 

So how do you know when to wear sunscreen? If you have an iPhone, or really any online device (which you will have if you’re reading this!), pick it up now and search for your local weather. On the iPhone this will simply be the “weather” app. There will be a UV index listed below the temperature forecast, etc. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sunscreen is needed when the UV index is above 3. And if the index is 8 or above, wear sunscreen and protective clothing…or really, just avoid going outside. 

So Which Sunscreen To Choose? 

Sunscreens use two types of UV blocking barriers: chemical and physical. The chemical barrier absorbs into your skin and converts the UV into a different substance, such as heat. The substance is then released away from the body. In contrast, the physical barrier rests on top of your skin and simply blocks the UV from entering…sort of like a long sleeve shirt. Which one to use basically comes down to personal choice and your skin type. If you are pregnant, however, it is best to use only a physical blocker type sunscreen to avoid absorbing any chemicals, regardless of their safety.

For those of you who hate the smell of many sunscreens, here are two lavender scented sunscreens that I have personally used. One is a chemical blocker and the other a physical blocker. Read on for my personal reviews! 

*This post contains affiliate links, meaning I earn a small percentage from any sales resulting from using these links at no extra cost to you.

Lavender Soothing Sunscreen by Alba Botanica

This sunscreen is a chemical blocker, using avobenzone, homosalate, octocrylene, and octal salicylate as its active sunscreen ingredients. Okay, so what are these chemicals? 

Avobenzone has been used as a key ingredient in sunscreen since the 1990s as a recognized UV blocking agent. However, it does have a few weaknesses. It can break down in chlorine quickly, so not the best choice for a day at the swimming pool. More importantly, it also breaks down quickly when exposed to sunlight—making it effective for only 30 minutes! Yikes! 

To make avobenzone last longer, the ingredients homosalate and octocrylene are often used for stabilization. You will therefore have protection for longer than 30 minutes! These stabilizers have some downsides though: they are known to sometime cause skin irritation and can also disrupt hormone levels if too much is absorbed. For this reason, this type of sunscreen should be avoided when pregnant. 

The final active ingredient, octal salicylate, is also a protective agent against UVB rays. It is considered safe in the 5% amount used in the sunscreen. 

This sunscreen has a broad spectrum SPF 45, creating a reasonably good protection. According to the directions, it should be reapplied at least every 2 hours, or after 80 minutes of sweating, etc. 

The lavender scent is supplied through lavender oils in the sunscreen, so no chemical scents! I can vouch that the scent is quite nice. 

Check out this sunscreen on Amazon here.

Lavender Sunscreen Cream by Badger

This sunscreen is a physical blocker using zinc oxide. Zinc oxide is one of two physical mineral blockers used in sunscreen. The other blocker is titanium dioxide. The zinc oxide reflects the sunlight back into the environment. 

One issue with physical blocker sunscreens is nanoparticles. You have to make sure that the mineral blocker will stay on top of your skin, rather than being so small to sink through. This sunscreen does not contain nanoparticles. 

This sunscreen has a broad spectrum SPF 30, which is on the lower end but still effective. It’s directions say to reapply at least every 2 hours, but after 40 minutes of sweating or swimming. 

I also like the lavender scent in this sunscreen, and much like the other sunscreen the scent is from lavender oil! I will add that the scent is a little weaker than the other sunscreen, but still noticeable. I think there is a bit less lavender oil in the recipe…and perhaps it’s masked slightly by the zinc oxide. 

Check out this sunscreen on Amazon here.  

Conclusion 

From my experience, both sunscreens work very well. No sunburns here on my (relatively) fair skin! 

I will admit that I currently favor the Alba Botanica. Because it is a chemical sunscreen, it absorbs more into the skin to avoid the extremely white skin that sunscreens can cause. Perhaps I’m too vain, but I’d rather not look like Casper the ghost! 

Yet I’ll take the Casper look over a sunburn any day! I’ll still use the Badger as the situation needs. 

The Badger needs a bit of patience to rub into the skin to decrease the amount of whiteness created. I’ll admit that I don’t have much patience for this usually, but even my incredibly patient husband—who will only use the Badger sunscreen—has a slightly whiter skin after application.

I have not had any skin breakouts due to these sunscreens. Maybe I’m just lucky so far, but I think both are good for sensitive skin. The Badger is a bit heavier on the skin, due to being a physical blocker. 

Summary

Basically both of these sunscreens are solid lavender sunscreens to use this summer! Choosing the right one comes down to your personal preferences and situation. Which one do you prefer?