Goddess Garden Organics Sunscreen Review

This post is sponsored by Green Sisterhood. As always, the opinion is my own.

Answer this question: Do you treat your skin as well as you treat your child’s?

The honest answer for me would be: No. Most of my life I made buying decisions based on price and/or convenience. I have to admit that I didn’t start caring much about what lotions and other skin care products I used until I became a mother and began worrying about the potential toxins that could enter my daughter’s skin. When Sofie was a baby, I sought out baby-specific, non-toxic products geared toward sensitive skin… and I still used whatever was on sale for myself.

Quality Sun Care for the Whole Family

The year that I turned 40, I began to change my tune and realized that I wanted — and deserved — quality too! (Turning 40 will do that to you.) Since then, I’ve begun incorporating non-toxic personal care products the whole family can use, from shampoos and soaps to lotions and sunscreens. When I was recently introduced to Goddess Garden Organics’ line of natural sun care products for face and body, I fell in love.

There are lots of natural and organic sunscreens out there, but this one goes on like none I’ve ever tried. It’s light, sheer and non-greasy, unlike the thick pasty-ness one usually associates with eco sunscreens. And it smells of luscious lavender! (When derived from pure essential oils, lavender offers amazing anti-inflammatory and antiseptic benefits for your skin.) I’ve been indulging in the facial sunscreen myself and using the kids’ pump spray on Sofie.

What Else Makes Goddess Garden Sunscreens Stand Out?

• Their ingredients are 92% certified organic, the highest organic content on the market today.
• Their active ingredients (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) are the safest according to Environmental Working Group (EWG) ratings. Plus zinc oxide offers the broadest range of protection from both UVB (burning) and UVA (aging) rays.
• Their sunscreens use natural minerals instead of chemicals. Minerals (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) act as a barrier, reflecting the sun’s rays, and are not absorbed into the skin. Typical sunscreen chemicals (like oxybenzone, octinoxate and fragrance) are absorbed into the skin and therefore, the bloodstream. Oxybenzone, in particular, is one to avoid for its association with reproductive hormones and endometriosis.
• Their spray bottles have the best EWG rating (3) of any sunscreen sprays currently on the market (others are 4 and up). Goddess Garden uses the exact same non-nano zinc and titanium in their sprays that is used in their lotions. The average particle size is 120nm (most definitions of nano-particles are under 100nm).
• They are water-resistant, biodegradable and vegan.
• They were created by a mom for her baby daughter. Aren’t moms the best?

 

Nova Covington was inspired to develop a line of safe sun care products when her newborn daughter Paige exhibited allergies to most skin care products. Like many moms, Nova thought of her child first and developed a sunscreen she felt was safe enough to use on her daughter.

She’s since expanded the Goddess Garden product line to include facial and body sunscreens for the whole family. While they all have the same family-friendly ingredients, the Kids’ version has a slightly lighter lavender scent—and it’s available in tube, pump and continuous spray bottles. The Baby version is completely fragrance free and nut-oil free.

For me, it’s not just about what Nova has kept out of her Goddess Garden sunscreens, but what beneficial ingredients she has put in:

• Sunflower Seed Oil – a natural anti-oxidant and moisturizer with vitamin E, this oil is certified organic, non-GMO and sourced in the U.S.
• Lavender – a pure-distilled, botanical essential oil with anti-inflammatory properties great for burns, insect bites and stings.
• Radish Root – a “living” lactic acid that acts as a natural preservative.
• Shea Butter Seed Oil — sourced from fair trade farms, this oil is an anti-inflammatory that reduces damage from airborne toxins and pollution.

Whole Family Care That Includes the Planet

My little eco heart jumps for joy when I discover a product I like that also keeps the environment in mind. And Goddess Garden does just that:

• All their packaging is recyclable.
• All their products are biodegradable and reef-safe (that means the ingredients won’t bleach coral reefs, a resource vital to marine biodiversity and cancer drug research).
• They support charitable organizations including The Nature Conservancy and Emergency Family Assistance Association.
• Many ingredients (sunflower and soybean oil) are sourced locally in the U.S. Others (like the shea butter) are sourced from fair trade farms.

What aspects of a family sunscreen are important to you? Please comment below!

Goddess Garden Giveaway

Now for something that will make your heart jump for joy: A discount and a giveaway!

From May 1 through July 30, use the discount code (#GGOrganics) to receive $2 off when purchasing one of Goddess Garden’s products through their website.

Enter below for the chance to win Goddess Garden sun care products. One lucky winner will receive the Grand Prize package (a $183 value), which includes: 4 continuous sprays, 1 facial sunscreen, 1 kids’ pump spray, 1 kids’ 3.4-ounce tube, 1 adult 6-ounce tube and 1 kids’ 6-ounce tube. Twenty people will receive second prize: a 3.4-ounce tube of Natural Body sunscreen. Giveaway ends May 15.

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This post has been shared at Natural Family Friday, Thank Goodness It’s Monday, Natural Living Monday and Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Blog Hop.