This summer’s au courant theme when it comes to sun protection? Fashionably nostalgic sunscreen that’ll make slathering yourself in SPF a little more fun this season. And to be clear, you should definitely be doing just that when you’re soaking up some vitamin D outdoors.
“Sunscreen is one of the simplest and most effective ways that you can protect yourself from cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation,” Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, previously told Well+Good. “Sunscreens will also protect you against premature aging from UVA light, so it’s protection against wrinkles, enlarged pores, and sagging and uneven skin tone.”
Below, find three of our favorites with modern-day formulas and yonder-year vibes (think: reef-friendly ingredient lists and broad-spectrum UV protection) that’ll take you right back to your childhood with one whiff. There’s something about the combination of coconut and SPF that gets us every time. Whichever you choose, just make sure to apply (and reapply) them to all the areas most vulnerable to sun damage, so you can enjoy catching some rays without regretting it later.
Bask's Feel Good Lotion & Spray Bundle — $50.00
In addition to feeling swell—cool, milky, and decidedly non-greasy—both vegan formulas are also reef-friendly; in other words, they’re devoid of oxybenzone or octinoxate, two common sunscreen ingredients that’ve been shown to disrupt coral reefs. A charitable cherry on top? Ten percent of the brand’s profits are donated to the Skin Protection Foundation. Oh! And the stuff smells like coconut and vanilla, to boot.
Vacation(R) Chardonnay Oil — $22.00
Not a big fan of sun sprays or lotions? This oil is a worthy alternative. While it may look like the tanning oils people used to slather on themselves in the ‘80s, it boasts a broad-spectrum SPF 30 that’s protecting your skin rather than helping it burn. It’s also vegan, paraben-free, and reef-friendly.
Zinka Sunscreen — $7.49
Whereas the aforementioned formulas simply pay homage to the past, this colorful, zinc-based sunscreen’s been around since the ‘80s when surfers and outdoor athletes donned it in myriad hues. The formula hasn’t changed one bit since then: Zinc oxide is one of the two primary mineral sunscreen ingredients. We can think of lots of fun uses for this stuff, from sports games to music festivals.
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