Beyond Coastal Lip Balm and Sunscreen are not only practical and effective, they even get great ratings from the EWG (more on that later).
Beyond Coastal Lip Balm and Sunscreen – Performance
As with any lip balm or sunscreen, it all comes down to performance (OK, and sometimes flavor!). The Beyond Coastal sunscreen performed as advertised and kept my white Irish skin from burning to a crisp on multiple long, sweaty rides, hikes and runs. The lip balm, although I didn’t really test it for sun protection, offers a smooth application and plenty of flavor during application.
Beyond Coastal – Sunscreen
My main objective in testing new sunscreen is not necessarily the product’s ability to keep me from burning. That should just be a given with SPFs above 30 (as the products I tested). For a product labelled “active”, my goal is to be able to apply the product to my forehead and not get stinging in my eyes. Last summer, during a tennis match, my eyes were stinging so badly (from another manufacturer’s product) I was forced to stop play so I could get to a sink with soap and wash off my face and eyes. Amazing how terrible some of those products are.
Beyond Coastal Lip Balm and Sunscreen – Ingredients
One of the main reasons Beyond Coastal Lip Balm and Sunscreen is so gentle is the list of contents used to create their products. Last summer, the EWG (Environmental Working Group) named Beyond Coastal, one of only two sunscreen varieties to receive top ratings in both mineral and non-mineral sunscreens. This list contains ratings on protections levels and ingredient safety on over 1,200 sunscreens and lip balms.
The water-resistant and broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) protecting formulas are distinguished by their 89% inactive ingredient make up including grape seed extract, jojoba oil and coconut oil.
The face stick is a unique and really handy product and the SPF and performance equate to the others. While the application was easy and clean in theory, I still found myself smoothing out some areas with my fingers which defeats (a bit) the purpose of the applicator. That said, it is a step in the right direction for ease of application and I really liked the face stick container for travel and packing. It eliminates the worry of a bottle of sunscreen exploding all over your clothes in your backpack! I also like the fact that the Beyond Coastal sunscreen is not greasy feeling like so many others. It was comparatively easy to wash off my hands after application.
Lastly, I really appreciated the viscosity of the sunscreens. They are much thicker than almost all others I have tried. While this did make the application a bit more work, I appreciated the knowledge that the areas targeted were getting covered. The thicker product almost makes you work harder, thereby ensuring the best coverage before you head outside (almost in spite of yourself!).
Beyond Coastal – Lip Balm
The Beyond Coastal Lip Balms are a great addition to my collection. Yes, living in Colorado ensures that you will never be far from your water bottle and your lip balm. I have one or two at my desk, a couple in my truck and a few others scattered around the house. The Beyond Coastal lip balms have great flavor and go on incredibly smooth. I think this smooth application is the root of the one small hiccup I found.
For the sticks stored in my truck, they did not seem to fare very well during the warmer days. I found that during application, I would end up with small chunks of the lip balm due to the elevated temperatures. For what it is worth, Burt’s Bees does not share this same fate.
The flavors of the Beyond Coastal lip balm are great. My favorite is the citrus grove as it leans towards tangerine flavor and the flavor tends to last a bit longer than other lip balms I have tried. I also love the mint leaf, but that is always one of my favorite flavors. You can get more information and purchase these great products for yourself at the amazon.com/beyondcoastal.
Beyond Coastal Sunscreen – Details
Beyond Coastal – Sunscreen80 minutes water resistantRefreshes and Moisturizes skinUVA and UVB protectionFDA approvedNo harmful ingredients (Oxybenzone, paraben or petroleum)
