Since we sell natural products, I get asked all the time if we sell sunscreen (bonus points if it's reef-safe).
To actually make good-enough sunscreen in your own kitchen is do-able (although there are definitely systems you need to follow if you're relying on full sun protection but YAY for zinc oxide as a safe ingredient!) In fact, for those times I'm in the sun for a slightly extended period of time and I'm starting to feel the pink, I'll just rub in some of our Simply Soothing Rash Cream because the zinc oxide makes a fantastic SPF protection.
However, selling it is extremely difficult. It is so highly regulated and complicated with all the FDA procedures and hoops to jump through, that long ago we opted out of even attempting to go down this road. Read my reasons here.
That's the unfortunate news.
Then I found an effective SAFE and NATURAL Sunscreen (with edible ingredients!)
The good news is, we found a fabulous company with a sunblock that works extremely well on our skin.
Even my young daughter Sophie approved!
And it outperforms all other sunscreen products. And it's baby and pregnancy-safe.
I found 3rd Rock Sunblock first through Kitchen Stewardship's extensive research on sunscreen.
I ordered a tube and later got on a call with Kyle of 3rd Rock to get more information.
I was impressed to find out that the founder, Guerry, is both a chemist and a surfer and he put both passions into his project many years ago after having two younger surfer friends find out they had melanoma. (Here's the rest of that story.)
Guerry created 3rd Rock Sunblock and other products with the same important message that we've been saying with our products:
Here are all the benefits of 3rd Rock Natural Sunblock
You need both UVA protection (the most dangerous rays that run deep and cause melanoma) and UVB protection (the one that burns). 3rd Rock Sunblock is a proven broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion that offers protection from both.
3rd Rock Sunblock can be used with infants and sensitive skin.
3rd Rock is non-comedogenic.
It's made with food-grade ingredients.
It's endocrine and disruptor free.
It's made with 23.5% zinc oxide.
3rd Rock Sunblock is sweat and water-resistant.
They offer SPF 35!
Not just a reef-safe sunscreen but it feeds the reef.
They have their own patented zinc formula that has been tested and has outperformed ALL other sunscreens.
How 3rd Rock Sunscreen Worked for Us
Over the 4th of July weekend, we headed to our favorite mountain town getaway. This meant we were in the direct sun for a few hours while in town, and even more so when we headed to the lake. Plenty of time for A LOT of sun exposure.
Generally, I am just not a fan of sunscreen and only keep it handy if we need it. I make sure to keep the family out of the strongest rays in the middle of the day, wear a hat, and come in at the first sign of pink. And that's mostly avoiding the more obvious UVB rays.
This, however, was clearly the day to use it.
As someone who makes our own homemade version, I was already prepared for the slightly chalky feel that comes from using zinc oxide. You need it if you want something as high as a 35 SPF. And it will also come on with more whiteness than your cheap-o sunscreen.
3rd Rock does have a bit of that thick feel and whiteness but it absorbs right in. It actually feels like it's working double duty as a lotion (it has beeswax! No surprise there!). So I was thrilled that I could keep active Sophie quickly covered without having to spend time working it into her skin.
I think I loved the scent the most! I correctly identified a hint of frankincense, which I always appreciate in any skincare product.
The best part? By the end of the day, we were burn-free and not a hint of pink, even after swimming.
Kyle hooked us up with a 20% off coupon code (MADEON) that you can use anytime for any product, not just their sunblock.
Find all their products by clicking here.
I'll be back to 3rd Rock to try out their other products, like a Neosporin alternative and an odor-fighting deodorant (update: this deodorant is all I use now!)
Staying safe in the sun,
Renee Harris
P.S. Don't forget that 3rd Rock is generously offering you 20% off using code MADEON
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More Help for Parched Skin:
Simply Soothing Rash Cream Testimonial
Jane W:
This rash cream is wonderful!!!! It works on all of my family’s skin rashes, irritations, itches - we use it for everything. And it works!!
✨️Really amazing stuff. Zinc is incredibly healing and is in short supply in the soil and so in short supply in our diet. I have been using this on my face and body. It is silky & melts like butter. It feels wonderful and once rubbed in does not leave a film. A must have!
Love that this cream is safe for babies and it really works! Rashes clear up so quickly! Good on mosquito bites too!
Love it like all the other products I've purchased from you.
I am a notoriously slow healer. Recently I had a very light brush with the oven door and didn't think anything of it - just hot, no pain. But still I had a burn. Because I'm not used to thinking outside the box I didn't try the rash cream for almost a week. A slight burn that others would have shrugged off in that time was not getting any better. Finally I thought of trying it, and it _rapidly_ healed in just a very few days, and now I only have a slight pink spot where the burn was. I am very impressed.
I was so excited that this worked! I have a patch of eczema on one finger. It has been red and itchy for a month. After using the rash cream once, it started improving. The cream takes the redness and itchiness away if I use a little cream on it daily.
It's very soft and goes on gently. Immediate relief. (I didn't have a severe rash.) No scent, which is nice.
I like this product and use it for eczema & allergic reactions. Helps with itchy skin as well. Over the years if I use a brace that has neoprene in it, even for a short time my skin turns red like a burn, redder for more contact, and even blister like a burn. Of course the less time exposure, the quicker it will heal. I had some small red areas from a leg brace 8-10 hours of exposure(forgot to wear brace over a cotton sleeve). Stopped the itching and in the am the redness much less, gone in 3 days. When my daughter was a baby, desitin was my go to, it also worked well for skinned knees. One thing about it always bothered me was that you could not just wash it off, well maybe you could but with much scrubbing, skin damage & pain, defeating the purpose of its use. This is one reason I like the clean simple recipe for use. You don’t want to provoke a reaction on top of what you are trying to treat. Good to have it on hand for the multiple uses it has, and you will be able to treat a skin issue sooner than later.
So cool and soothing! The nature of my eczema takes on several forms. This cream helped best on what looked like smooth rashes. Great product!
This works well, I had a couple of areas with some soft of rash & this has helped, it's mostly gone. I also put the Shea Facial Emollient on it. This is a great product.