Here’s why you should rethink your sunscreen solution (and think natural)

Ah, beach season. Sun-soaked days with not a care in the world. Well, maybe with your eye on the water for signs of sharks. But your biggest danger probably isn’t in the water, it’s that sun-soaked part of your adventures that can be problematic.

We all know sunscreen is good for us. Maybe you’re the type that likes to slather it on till the bottle is empty (and you’re a white, slimy mess). Or maybe you tend to wing it and are that guy or gal that heads home redder than a lobster.

Obviously, that second scenario is not so great, but it turns out neither is the first.

The FDA, as part of a call to overhaul sunscreen safety, dropped a bit of a bombshell when it found that of the 16 active ingredients in common sunscreens just two are recommended as safe to use.

Yes, just two.

This is mostly because those unnatural chemicals and synthetics used in common sunscreens can get absorbed into your body and cause potential health issues.

What’s more, your sunscreen-filled beach time may also be destroying coral reefs. Hawaii went so far as to ban the use of some sunscreens that contain the ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate (two-thirds of all sunscreens have these ingredients) because of their devastating effects on ocean life.

We know, we know. All this is a bit of a downer on your fun in the sun. But being the natural skin health nerds that we are, we didn’t get down about this. We knew there had to be a better way.

The right mix of plants and minerals that could protect and repair your skin, while also giving it a fresh moisturized feel.

It’s taken a while, but we’ve got that moisturizer and sunscreen solution headed your way. No chemicals, just straight from nature, science-approved effectiveness. All in one bottle.

Here’s why and how we got it done.

Changing the sunscreen game

We didn’t start out to just make a sunscreen. We wanted a daily moisturizer that also delivered strong sun protection. It was a “let’s make fewer products, but more solutions” type of approach.

A moisturizer that also SPFs. And helps heal hard-working skin.

Why did we do it? On our own summer adventures, we wanted something natural that actually worked. And that’s what you, our customers, wanted too. Frustrated by what you found (or couldn’t find) in the skincare aisle you challenged us. Why don’t you make a Thrive Sunscreen?

We thought, huh, well why don’t we?

We heard you didn’t like synthetic moisturizers that left your face feeling stiff and tight. And when it came to sunscreen, it was just one big, greasy mess.

You wanted natural. Safe for you. Safe for the environment. Something that felt great on the skin.

That’s why we went all in to make a natural moisturizer AND sunscreen that checked all the boxes. It’s taken (quite literally) years. You could call us perfectionists; we like to say we’re sticklers for science who also love to leave things better than we found them.

So, let us introduce you to the mini-revolution we’re bringing to your morning routine and sunny adventures.

Finding the sweet spot

Who wants to use a daily moisturizer and then put sunscreen on top of it? Yeah, neither do we.

That post-sunscreen white clown face isn’t invited to your beach trips this year. But you can still enjoy safe 30 SPF protection. And even when the office needs you for a few days, all day hydration and skin restoration will be working right with you.

We preferred creating just one bottle that could replace several others on your shelf. It’s a balm to cover it all. Something that feels comfortable, is good for you and for the environment and is something you can use every day.

To make this happen, we turned to our trusty Costa Rican super plants, Fierrillo and Juanilama, because we already knew how powerful they were. Both are packed with antioxidants (which get after sun-damaged skin) and full of anti-inflammatory reinforcements.

Again, as with all of our products, we wanted to do more with less. We wanted a moisturizer to do more than just hydrate.

Remember those two recommended-as-safe ingredients we mentioned above? They are the minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Zinc oxide is safe and really effective at blocking everything the sun throws at you (we’re talking both UVA and UVB rays here), so we included it in our formula as well.

For the non-greasy moisturizer feel, we complemented those potent ingredients with Melscreen®coffee, (again, clinically tested) for super fresh hydration and even more UV protection during your summer adventures.

There are a few other natural ingredients that we won’t list here. But every ingredient we chose plays a role. Nothing extra or gimmicky. Nothing unhealthy.

And we always include all our ingredients on our labels so you know exactly what you are putting on your body and you can be sure they are safe for you and for the world around you.

Tackle summer the right way

You’re gonna need to sunscreen-it-up this summer. We know that, you know that. A little sun isn’t going to stop you from getting into adventure mode (probably the opposite).

But take a closer look at those moisturizers and sunscreens you’re using before heading out the door. They may not be as innocent as you previously thought.

It’s time for skincare that is good for you and for the environment. And as we’ve done in the past, we trust that nature, with a healthy dose of science to back it up, has just what you need.

Whether that’s sun protection, healing from sunburns, keeping your skin moisturized on a daily basis — or all of the above.

So ramp up your sun-soaked shenanigans this summer. We’ve got your adventurous summer skin covered.