Remember that kid whose parents smothered them in Coppertone’s Water Babies sunscreen until they looked like Casper the Friendly Ghost? If you were that kid, we’re sorry. 

Thankfully, there is time to redeem yourself and be the cool kid lounging at the beach or pool. How? By upgrading your sunscreen. While this may sound trivial, it’s not. In order to understand the importance of upgrading your sunscreen, we have to give you a bit of background. 

Sunscreen has gained an elevated status in recent years due to numerous factors including the growth of the wellness market, the popularity of skincare, and the explosion of DTC brands. 

Research shows purchasing sunscreen was once a rushed drugstore experience that often occurred on vacation. It’s hard to imagine that in today’s world given all the sunscreen brands out there. Consumers are faced with the tedious task of scrutinizing each brand and asking themselves questions like: does their mission statement align with my personal brand? Do they use sustainable packaging? Does it leave a white cast? Is it oily? What’s the SPF? Is it waterproof, and if so, for how long? Will owning this sunscreen make me look cool? 

This is what consumers have to do EACH TIME they come across a sunscreen brand. Can you imagine how mentally draining that is? Decision fatigue is real, so Samedays created this handy list of 5 sunscreens that will (hopefully) make the job of selecting a sunscreen a lot easier, and yes, make you look cool. 

Vacation 

Vacation is an ode to nostalgia and the good old summer days filled with trips to the beach, ice cream trucks, chicken fights, and more. But don’t let the nostalgia fool you, there’s nothing old-school about this sunscreen formula. Its proprietary CleanClassic™ formulation process contains modern-day ingredients to get the job done. 

Sustainability Fact: Vacation is Reef-Friendly and Dermatologist approved. WTF does Reef-Friendly mean? The sunscreen does not contain coral-harming chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. 

Why will this make me look cool? 

Vacation isn’t just sunscreen, it’s a lifestyle. Its branding is a tribute to the 80s, and it immediately draws you in. It’s no wonder that Vacation has established a loyal following and easily moved into the world of Web3. Vacation’s parent company Poolsuite created an NFT so consumers can receive exclusive perks, merchandise, and access to a community of people just as passionate about the pursuit of leisure.

Supergoop!

Not to be mistaken with Gwenyth Paltrow’s Goop, Supergoop! is a tried-and-true sunscreen that’s kinda adorable. It’s made with ingredients that you can actually feel good about putting on your skin. Many of its products like its best-seller Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 are non-comedogenic meaning they don’t block your pores and may be a good SPF solution for those with acne.  

Sustainability Fact: Supergoop! is Leaping Bunny certified, cruelty-free and contains no oxybenzone. Why does this matter? 

Leaping Bunny “is the only internationally recognized symbol guaranteeing consumers that no new animal tests were used in the development of any product displaying it.” 

Oxybenzone is an active ingredient often found in sunscreens. The FDA has declared that its safe; however, oxybenzone contaminates marine environments and is harmful to coral reefs. Hawaii has officially banned sunscreen with oxybenzone as numerous studies have shown its hazardous to coral reefs and other marine life. 

Also, Supergoop!’s  shipping boxes and packing contents are fully recyclable. 

What makes it cool?

Supergoop! is a brand that people have a natural affinity for maybe it's because their sunscreen is easy to spot due to its iconic yellow cap or the fact that they have 40+ sunscreens to choose from based on different skin tones, routines, and skincare needs. Plus, they made choosing which sunscreen is the best with this handy quiz. 

Bask

You can bask in the sun or water with Bask. This sunscreen is water-safe and gives off cotton-candy vibes with its pastel branding that instantly makes you happy. They also have some cool merch including Dad Hats that will look perfect on any beach hair. 

Sustainability Fact: Bask partners with The Skin Protection Foundation (SPF) to raise awareness on sun safety and access to sunscreen. 10% of sale proceeds per year are donated to nonprofit partners like SPF.   

What makes it cool?

Bask has gotten the nod of approval from several industry magazines like Allure and Harper’s BAZAAR They also just launched a limited edition Black Ribbon SPF 30 Lotion with SPF, and 100% of sale proceeds on this limited edition will be donated to The SPF fund in honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

Everyday Humans

Everyday Humans is very much a Gen-Z sunscreen brand. Its packaging is bright colors and has fun, witty names that’d give any nail polish namer a run for their money. Its face sunscreen is named “Resting Beach Face” and is made with antioxidants like Spinach and Green Tea extract. Need we say more? 

Sustainability Fact: Everyday Humans is serious about reducing its carbon footprint. By 2022, the sunscreen brand pledges all of its packaging will be made from post-consumer recycled plastic. Everyday Humans is also Plastic Neutral Certified by rePurpose Global. 

What makes it cool?

Everyday Humans is a fun, playful brand that extends beyond the world of SPF. For example, they collaborated with coffee influencer Coffeebae97 to create a Coffee Lover set ​​that featured Coffeebae97’s coffee beans, an Everyday Human SPF 30 Oatmilk Lip Balm, and selfcare prompt cards. 

Modern Ritual

Modern Ritual created a product that does it all. It’s a 3-in-1 Face Lotion that is a moisturizer, sunscreen, and aftershave. And anyone can use it, regardless of gender. Don’t let the aftershave intimidate you, aftershave is just antioxidants that help re-hydrate and restore the skin after shaving. The best part is that Modern Ritual doesn’t have a “manly, musky” smell, it has a clean smell that’s just plain good.

Sustainability Fact: Modern Ritual is cruelty, paraben, and phthalate free. And they only use mineral-based active ingredients. Why? The FDA is evaluating all chemical sunscreen options to determine if they’re genetically recognized as safe, so the Modern Ritual team is sticking with zinc as their primary active ingredient. 

What makes it cool?

Its owned and operated by a mother-daughter duo. Dr. Goldstein is a prominent skin cancer surgeon and her daughter Elianna is incredibly knowledgeable about skincare. Plus, Modern Ritual is blue-light protecting which is what you need when you’re WFH sitting in front of the computer all day.