Sun Bum Original Sunblock Review

Annie smiling in a forest wearing a Cure LGMD2i charity t-shirt
By
Kate McMahon
Staff writer at DIVEIN.com
Kate McMahon currently lives in a roof-top car tent, solo-traveling across North America to surf, ski&board, mountain bike, and vibe. Kate recently graduated with Highest Honors...
Annie Gunton
Annie smiling in a forest wearing a Cure LGMD2i charity t-shirt
Editor at DIVEIN.com
Whether it’s hiking in her current home of Pennsylvania, safaris and photography in Uganda, windsurfing in Malta, paddle boarding on Lake Malawi, skiing in Nagano, aerial...
Sun Bum Original bottle held above clear water with lotion rubbed into the back of the hand
It disappears into the skin almost completely, with none of the white cast the zinc based tubes leave behind. That texture is the reason it keeps selling.
Wet Sun Bum Original SPF 50 lotion bottle held up in front of choppy water
The label promises 80 minutes of water resistance and vitamin E. The first number is the one worth remembering before you rely on any lotion for a long swim.
Our tester holding the Sun Bum Original SPF 50 bottle while sitting beside a lake
Sun Bum is the default bottle in half the beach bags in the country, so it went through the same test day as the mineral tubes rather than getting a free pass.

Where to buy

The cool bottle design and sweet fruity smell invite everyone in and Sun Bum is a very popular, readily available sunscreen. Sun Bum Original is free of the notoriously reef-harmful chemicals, oxybenzone and octinoxate, and does pass the Hawaiin regulations, but it still contains some ingredients that could cause some harm to reefs. For a completely reef-safe option consider Sun Bum’s Mineral Sunscreen.

The four active (UV-blocking) ingredients: avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene, are proven to disrupt the coral reef ecosystem. They are also proven to absorb into the skin after one use, so this may not be a good daily sunscreen.

Sun Bum Original has a silky feel, a super easy rub in application, water resistance, and non-greasy feeling. The 80-minute water resistance stands true. Reapplication can be performed easily wet or dry.

Overall, this is a popular and traditional sunscreen. While we do not fully recommend this as a reef-safe sunscreen option, Sun Bum is taking steps to reformulate its sunscreens to make them more reef safe. For a completely reef safe Sun Bum sunscreen consider their Mineral Sunscreen.

About this review

To help you find a Sunblock that will fit your needs, we’ve tested, researched, and reviewed the best ones available today.
We test both in the water, diving in various conditions - and in our lab - so we can give you accurate answers on quality, performance, and the overall value.

Read about our test of Sunblocks

Recommended in: Sunblock

Things we like:

  • The product is hypo-allergenic, gluten-free, paraben-free, and cruelty-free
  • It has a pleasurable sweet smell
  • The application is marvaleous due to its easy rub-in and non-greasy feel
  • The bottle design is aesthetically enjoyable to touch or look at

Things we don't like:

  • Contains some harmful ingredients

Specs & Features

SPF Available in SPF 30-70
Active ingredient Chemically Based
Size & price 8 fl oz for around $18
Water resistance Water Resistant (80 Minutes)
Extras Enriched with Vitamin E
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