Beautycounter Protect All Over SPF 30 Sunscreen Review

To my parents’ credit, sunscreen has always been a part of my life.  Being surrounded by the Pacific Ocean meant Summers were spent at the beach.  I can still remember wanting to rush into the waves and the impatient waiting for sunscreen to be applied.  Mom and Dad were good about making us wear sunscreen.  What they didn’t know–and what I didn’t know until recently–was that some sunscreens are not that good for you.  I had no idea just how toxic sunscreens can be.  

I burn easily so I usually go to the beach in long sleeves. No visor or shades, though.

Sunscreen was actually one of those things that lead me to Beautycounter.  I was hanging out with my sister one day when she looked with dismay at the sunscreen I was applying to my children.  I thought she would applaud my efforts.  But instead she whipped out her phone and looked my sunscreen up in the Environmental Working Group (EWG) database.  As it turned out, my sunscreen wasn’t that bad.  There were plenty of worse offenders.  But it wasn’t that great either.  So, I learned a new lesson from my big sis: Good moms put sunscreen on their kids but better moms put safer sunscreen on their kids.  LOL.  

I was grateful for her intervention.  She lent me some of her safer sunscreen and introduced me to a valuable resource.  And that resource lead me to Beautycounter.  Here’s my honest review of Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30.  

Also, just so you know: This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the products I have recommended, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. For more information, please see my disclosures. 

 

What is Beautycounter?  

 

At this point, I almost implicitly trust Beautycounter.  They have extremely high safety standards when it comes to their products.  They are some of the strictest in the industry.  There are over 1,500 harmful or questionable ingredients that will never be in any of their products.  And of course, their products consistently rank well on the EWG database.

Safer sunscreen is made without a bunch of chemicals deemed hazardous to human health.

What Is It?

Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30

This sunscreen is made with non-nano zinc oxide, a mineral sun blocker that works by reflecting and scattering UV light rays.  It protects against UVA and UVB rays while hydrating skin with aloe.  Blood orange extracts fight free radicals in this water-resistant, lightweight sunscreen.       

 

What’s In It?

  • Zinc Oxide is sourced from minerals and is a sunscreen agent and skin protectant.
  • 1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic solvent
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is sourced from the aloe plant for its emollient, humectant, skin conditioning properties
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is sourced from the Aloe plant and is used for skin conditioning and for its sensory enhancing properties.
  • Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire d’abeille is sourced from Beeswax for its emulsifying, skin conditioning and viscosity controlling properties.
  • Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract is sourced from the Green Tea Plant and is used for its antioxidant, skin conditioning, sensory enhancing properties as well as its fragrance. Green tea leaf extract works wonders on the skin. It helps to soothe hormonal acne while keeping wrinkles and saggy skin at bay.  It has antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.
  • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is sourced from the Coconut or Palm plant for its emollient, skin conditioning and occlusive properties.
  • Cetearyl Nonanoate is an emollient, skin-conditioning synthetic.
  • Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract is sourced from the Chamomile Plant and is used for its skin conditioning properties and for its fragrance.
  • Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil is sourced from the Orange Plant and is used for its fragrance.
  • Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil is sourced from the Lemon Plant for its fragrance.
  • Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Fruit Extract is sourced from the Tangerine Plant for its fragrance.
  • Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil is sourced from the Tangerine Plant and is used for its fragrance.
  • Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Fruit Extract is sourced from the Blood Orange Plant and is used for its antioxidant properties and fragrance. Coco-Caprylate is sourced from Coconut or Palm and is used as an emollient.
  • Decylene Glycol is sourced from Coconut or Palm and is used for skin conditioning.
  • Ethylhexyl Palmitate is either sourced from Palm or is synthetic and is used for skin conditioning.
  • Glycerin is responsibly sourced from Palm and is used for its emollient, humectant, and solvent properties as well as its fragrance.
  • Hydrogenated Castor Oil is sourced from the Castor Plant for its emollient, emulsifying, skin conditioning, surfactant, and viscosity controlling properties.
  • Isopropyl Myristate is a synthetic used for its binding, emollient, skin conditioning, and solvent properties.
  • Isopropyl Palmitate is sourced from Palm or is synthetic and is used for its antistatic, binding, emollient, skin conditioning and solvent properties.
  • Isostearic Acid is sourced from Castor or Rapeseed Plant and is used for its binding, cleansing, emulsifying and surfactant properties.
  • Lecithin is sourced from the Soy Plant and is used for its antistatic, emollient, emulsifying and skin conditioning properties.
  • Raphanus Sativus (Radish) Root Ferment Filtrate is from the Radish Plant and is used for its skin conditioning properties.
  • Magnesium Sulfate is a synthetic used for its bulk and for its viscosity controlling properties.
  • Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil comes from the Peppermint Plant and is used for for its tonic and fragrance.
  • Mimosa Tenuiflora (Mimosa) Bark Extract is sourced from the Mimosa Tree and is used for its perfuming, skin conditioning and soothing properties.
  • Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative.
  • Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate comes from the Castor or Rapeseed Plant and is used for its emulsifying and viscosity controlling properties.
  • Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate is also from the Castor or Rapeseed plants and is used for the properties mentioned above.
  • Polyhydroxystearic Acid is also from the Castor Plant and is used for its emollient, emulsifying, film forming and dispersing properties.
  • Silica is sourced from the mineral and is used for its absorbent, anticaking, bulk, opacifying, viscosity controlling and dispersing properties.
  • Sodium Chloride is sourced from mineral and is used for its viscosity controlling, thickening properties.
  • Aqua/Water/Eau is sourced from water and is used as a solvent.

Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30 Directions

  1. Apply to clean, dry skin.  
  2. Massage liberally onto exposed skin.
  3. Use 15 minutes before sun exposure.

My Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen Review

A Candid Look at the Best Selling Sunscreen by Beautycounter

The Application Process

The lotion is not too thick.  I hate thick sunscreen.  You try to rub it on and it doesn’t even move!  But I digress.  What’s really nice is that it’s not runny, either.  Have you ever squeezed a tube of sunscreen only to get a bunch of oil followed by some lotion-y looking stuff?  I have.  It totally reminds me of what happens to mustard when you don’t shake it.  So I am very pleased to report that this sunscreen is not to thick and not to thin.

The smell is pleasant.  I do like a good strong coconut smell when I’m at the beach…so I’m a little bummed.  But it has a nice smell.  Not everyone wants to smell like a pina colada.  I get that.  

It spreads on easily!  And it doesn’t make me feel like I’m wearing a layer of goo.  It’s surprisingly lightweight.  Bonus!  

Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30 Reviews 

Here are some additional reviews for Beautycounter Sunscreen.  Customer Jennifer K. says she loves this stuff:

This sunscreen is like a deep moisturizing lotion. I don’t even feel like it’s sunscreen. I have super dry skin on my body so I need more moisture and this just suits me perfectly. I don’t even mind that it has no fragrance. Apparently it’s going to be reformulated so I hope it’s even better than this with all the same positive attributes because I’ll order this for life.

Customer Halie R. has no complaints:

This sunscreen is exactly as advertised. Applies perfectly, protects VERY well, and keeps me safe. No separating and spending excess time trying to rub it in. I can actually feel the difference when I’m in the sun. Highly recommend!! Your skin is worth protecting!

And customer Helen W. says this is the best feeling sunscreen ever:

Love this sunscreen. I have always dreaded apply sunscreen because of the harmful ingredients, but I love outdoors and know I need to protect my skin. This is the perfect answer.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop had this to say about it:

Beautycounter gets huge points for their packaging (the whole line is pretty and awesome…), and also for going beyond the basic promise of SPF 30: They load their products with antioxidants and anti-aging warhorses.

Final Thoughts on Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30

Beautycounter Sunscreen

Overall, I really, really like this sunscreen.  Living in Hawaii, I have been through my share of sunscreens.  I have used super toxic ones and non-toxic ones.  In general, while there have been some instances where the toxic ones didn’t perform, unfortunately, the non-toxic ones are often the biggest fails.  To my surprise and delight, this sunscreen kept me from burning.  It smells good, feels great and protects my skin.  It lives up to its name!  

The only downsides are:

  1. I hear they are reformulating!  I hope it’s even better than this one.
  2. It doesn’t smell like coconuts! I wish it smelled stronger.  But I get that that’s not for everyone.

When the sun is out where I live. This was the view from our hotel room during our last staycation.

This Sunscreen Protects All Over!

Ways to Buy

Click here to get the Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30 now.

Like I always say, it doesn’t hurt to look for Beautycounter products on eBay or Amazon.  Sometimes you can get a really good deal.  I know, for instance, that customers and consultants alike are trying to get their hands on this sunscreen before it’s gone.