This mineral-based sunscreen doesn't leave white residue behind - it protects my family's fair skin and is reef-friendly

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This mineral-based sunscreen doesn't leave white residue behind - it protects my family's fair skin and is reef-friendly

goddess garden sunscreen array

Goddess Garden Organics/Instagram

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  • Mineral-based sunscreens that are reef-safe are becoming an increasingly popular sunscreen choice.
  • Goddess Garden Organics offers four sunscreen formulations: daily, sport, kids, and baby. They also offer three delivery options: lotion, spray, and stick.
  • The stick goes on so smoothly and almost clear. It is easy to remember to swipe a little sunscreen on my face every day and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin.

Everyone should be wearing sunscreen on a daily basis to protect their skin, but I have pretty fair skin, so sunscreen is also a must for me if I don't want to look like a lobster after a day in the sun. My husband has even fairer skin, and it doesn't take much at all for him to burn. Between the two of us, our daughter didn't stand a chance at inheriting a dark complexion. It's safe to say we go through quite a bit of sunscreen in our family.

It wasn't until recently that I realized how damaging conventional sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate were to the environment, and I cringe now thinking back to when I used conventional sunscreen in Hawaii - years before the state banned sunscreen that was harming the coral reefs. Sunscreen must now be reef-safe in Hawaii and Key West, Florida, so more people are looking for mineral-based, reef-safe sunscreen.

Read more: The best eco-friendly mineral sunscreen you can buy

For years, it was so much more practical and convenient to use spray-on sunscreen that barely needed to be rubbed in at all, and honestly, I didn't know any different. But when you know better, you do better, which is why I always use mineral sunscreen now. It's a better choice all around.

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Mineral-based sunscreen has come a long way from thick, white cream that never rubs in. Goddess Garden Organics offers a variety of mostly zinc-oxide-based sunscreens, so no matter what type you're looking for, they likely have a product that will meet your need.

The Goddess Garden Organics sunscreen line

sunscreen goddess garden line

Alicia Betz/Business Insider

Goddess Garden Organics sent me their recently updated formula of daily, sport, kids, and baby sunscreens. They also offer lip balm, after-sun products, tinted moisturizer with SPF protection, and many other products to take care of your skin. For their sunscreens, you can choose from lotions, sprays, or sticks. I was really happy to find that they offer mineral-based sunscreen in more than just a lotion, which is how most mineral sunscreens are formulated. Goddess Garden sunscreens are free of parabens and phthalates and are also cruelty-free.

My favorite product in the Goddess Garden sunscreen line is the stick, which contains I often forget to put sunscreen on for daily wear, even though I know I should. The stick makes it so easy to swipe some sunscreen on especially because it goes on almost clear. A few swipes around my face and very minimal rubbing in, and you'd never even know I had it on.

In addition to having very fair skin, I also have extremely sensitive skin. A lot of products irritate my skin, specifically my face. While everyone's skin is different, this sunscreen hasn't irritated my face at all. It also hasn't irritated my 1-year-old daughter's skin.

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When you have kids or you're spending a day at the beach, water-resistant sunscreen is a necessity. Goddess Garden says their sport sunscreens are water-resistant up to 80 minutes. The sunscreen also has a subtle yet pleasant scent as they add organic lavender essential oil and no other fragrance.

The two biggest questions: Does it rub in well, and does it work?

goddess garden arm

Alicia Betz/Business Insider

The answers to these two questions are a resounding yes and yes! I'd say the lotion only took a tad bit longer to rub in than a conventional sunscreen lotion. The spray comes out very white, but also rubs in very quickly. I was most impressed with the stick. It went on my face smoothly and was almost transparent even without any rubbing.

My daughter and I wore this sunscreen on a hot, sunny day of blueberry picking, and neither of us got sunburned. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) rated Goddess Garden's lotion and stick sunscreens a 1 (the best rating) in their sunscreen guide, meaning they provide good UVA/UVB protection, and the ingredients pose little- to no-known health concerns. Goddess Garden's spray sunscreens rank a 3 (out of 10), which is slightly higher but still good.

A potential con

As I mentioned, my whole family has very fair skin, so this works great for us, but it might be harder to rub in completely on darker complexions.

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The bottom line

small child goddess garden

Alicia Betz/Business Insider

Goddess Garden Organics has a mineral-based sunscreen for every need and occasion, from daily spray sunscreen when you're in a hurry to a sunscreen stick for your baby when precision really matters.

Another good mineral-based sunscreen option is Blue Lizard, which has packaging that changes color when exposed to UV light to remind you to use it.

Whether you're planning a trip to Hawaii or the Florida Keys where sunscreens must be reef-safe, or you're just looking for a better option for you and your family, Goddess Garden is a great line to check out.

Pros: Mineral-based, reef-safe formula; free of harmful chemicals; offered in many formulas and delivery methods

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Cons: It might be hard to completely get rid of the white residue on darker complexions.

Buy Goddess Garden Organics sunscreen products, $5.70 and up, at Amazon

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