Shade All-Natural Sunscreen
Sunlight is not the enemy. Your body uses it for vitamin D, mood, circadian rhythm, and recovery. The problem is what most people put on their skin when they go outside.
A lot of conventional sunscreens are long chemical lists. Fragrance, preservatives, synthetic filters, and extras your skin never asked for. Your skin is your largest organ. If you already work to reduce the load on your gut, hormones, and nervous system, it makes little sense to add more through the thing you wear every sunny day.
That is why I use and recommend Shade.
I have written the full reasoning here: Natural Sunscreen: Enjoy the Outdoors Without Toxic Chemicals on Your Skin.
Why Shade
Shade is a UK-made mineral sunscreen with four ingredients. That is the whole formula.
- Unrefined organic shea butter
- Virgin unrefined organic coconut oil
- Non-nano zinc oxide (18%)
- Unrefined beeswax
No water. No fragrance. No preservatives. No nano particles. No plastic tube.
The zinc sits on the surface of the skin and reflects UVA and UVB. It does not work by soaking chemical filters into you. Independently tested to ISO standards for broad-spectrum protection at SPF25. Reef and freshwater friendly. Not tested on animals. Sold in refillable metal tins, including a 15ml pocket size for kit bags and a 100ml cabin-friendly tin for home and travel.
I come from a family of gingers and inherited that skin. Shade is what lets me be outdoors without covering every inch or using a product I would not put on a client.
This fits the same rule I use in clinic. Fewer inputs. Better quality. Protection that does not fight the rest of the work you are doing with food, breathing, sleep, and movement.
How to use it well
- Warm a little between your hands first. It spreads better that way, and a little goes a long way.
- Store it above 18°C when you are using it regularly. The oils and wax firm up in the cold.
- Expect a light white cast at first. That is the zinc doing its job. It usually settles within about 10 minutes.
- Reapply after sweat or time outdoors. It has not been tested as water-resistant, so do not treat it like a swim product you can forget about.
- Pair it with hats, light sleeves, and movement earlier or later in the day when the sun is gentler.
- Keep a tin in your bag, car, or desk. Easy access is what actually gets used.
SPF25 is enough for most daily and training use when you apply it properly. Shade do not chase ultra-high SPF numbers. Neither do I.
Honest notes
This contains beeswax, so it is not vegan.
It is mineral and concentrated, so it feels different from a supermarket lotion. That is the point.
I am an affiliate. If you buy through my link I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I am happy to use and to suggest to clients.