Getting Savage On The Beach With Badger’s Broad Spectrum Sport Sunscreen (SPF 35)

Finding the perfect sunscreen is NOT easy.

Especially if you are a person with extraordinary expectations.

A sunscreen must be able to protect the skin from burning in the sun for a sufficient amount of time. That much is obvious.

And also, it should be made from good quality ingredients. It should be safe to use. In other words, it should not cause the skin to break out with pimples. Or react in any other negative way.

For most people, these are just a few reasonable things to ask for in a sunscreen product.

But for me, I have a few other things on my list of demands.

I want a sunscreen that does all of the above. But in addition, I want one that does not give off a ghostly white cast.

And it certainly should not cause collateral damage!

So today, we’ll have a look at a natural sunscreen product that I’ve been using: Badger’s Broad Spectrum SPF 35 Zinc Oxide Sunscreen Cream (For Surfing & Other Performance Sports).

While this sunscreen meets several of my essential criteria, ultimately it falls far far from being that perfect one…

Badger is an American natural and organic cosmetics company based in New Hampshire.

This particular sunscreen that I got is specifically formulated for Surfing and Other Performance Sports.

It is a thick moisturizing cream that’s water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.

Badger cut down on all the nonsense by creating this sunscreen with only a total of 5 ingredients!

Someday I’ll have to explain to you why short ingredients lists are really impressive.

Active Ingredient: Zinc Oxide (non-nano uncoated zinc oxide 22.5%)

Ingredients: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil*, Cera Alba (Beeswax)*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) oil*, Tocopherol (Sunflower Vitamin E).

*= Certified Organic

Zinc oxide is a natural physical sunscreen.

It is made from a powdered mineral that sits on top of the skin, scattering and absorbing UVA and UVB rays. As such, physical sunblocks like zinc oxide tend to give off a whitish cast.

Specifically, all Badger sunscreens are formulated with non-nano uncoated zinc oxide.

Non-nano means that zinc oxide particles are not small enough to be absorbed by the skin and into the bloodstream. And uncoated means that the zinc oxide will not react as much to UV rays nor generate cell-damaging free radicals.

Badger’s website gives a more detailed explanation of Zinc Oxide Sunscreens & Nanoparticles.

I’m going to be brief.

When it came to my experience with using Badger’s Broad Spectrum SPF 35 Zinc Oxide Sunscreen Cream (Sport), this is what I discovered:

The Good

Heavy duty protection from the sun.
Long lasting protection.
Moisturizing for the skin.
Does not cause my skin to react in any negative way.
Made from safe ingredients.
The ingredients list is short and packed with natural & organic ingredients.
Incredibly water resistant.

The Bad

- This particular sunscreen will make you look paler than a ghost.
- When you put on it on, it’s like putting on war paint.
- Incredibly difficult to spread and distribute evenly along the skin.
- It is soo thick and heavy!
- It even glows.
- The label says unscented, but there is a strong peculiar smell to it.
- I know this was made for outdoor sports, but there’s a difference between playing beach volleyball and going on a savage war path.
- It stains clothes.

My mistake was going for the one labeled “Sport.” Badger carries several different kinds of sunscreen, and I should have probably gone for the one made for “Daily” or “Active” use.

For me, the worst part about this sunscreen is that it stains clothes. Two of my summer shorts have been stained with white streaks, which I’m still dutifully trying to remove. What kind of sunscreen stains clothes?? This one, apparently.

I wanted this particular sunscreen because I knew I was going to the beach and so I wanted heavy duty protection.

But this sunscreen turned out to be a little too heavy for my needs. Even for running and splashing around in the beach.

Still, it’s not a complete dud because it’s still great for one important thing…

Protecting the skin from the sun!

(Somewhat absorbed after 30 minutes)

Closing Thoughts

I will continue to use this sunscreen because Badger’s Sport Sunscreen still has a lot of good things going for it.

It’s incredibly good at protecting my skin from the sun. And it’s made from safe ingredients that do not cause my skin to break out.

But from now on, I will just have to take extra pains to make sure I don’t get it on my or anyone else’s clothing.

When I’m through with this tube, I suppose I’ll be back again on the market for that perfect sunscreen.

One that provides effective protection, made of safe and natural ingredients but does not make me look like a frolicking ghoul and does not stain my clothes!

* * *

How Much: $15.50 for 87 ml / 2.9 fl oz

Would I Purchase This Sunscreen Again? No, not this particular one. But I’m interested in trying the “Daily” version of this sunscreen.

What about you? Which sunscreen product are you using this summer?

Ziba