Gulfshore Life: Healthy Life Edition • Sun-Sational

Sun-Sational

Take full advantage of our sunny Southwest Florida lifestyle safely with these locally formulated, clean beauty sunscreens.

By Emily Flournoy

By now, we know we have to wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 daily to protect from cancerous rays and preserve our skin’s youthfulness. Who better to turn to for sun-shielding skincare than Southwest Florida skin pros dealing with the same things we do? These four local sunscreens use clean ingredients that are cruelty-free and layer beautifully without the white cast typically created by mineral sunscreens.

Alexis Pfropper, founder of Punta Gorda’s ästhetik spa, didn’t cut any corners when creating her tinted Organic Mineral Sunscreen. The vegan, non-pore-clogging, reef-safe formula is loaded with SPF 50, fatty acid and antioxidant-rich botanicals, vitamins and hyaluronic acid for a hydrating, silky finish. While the current tint only suits light-to-medium skin tones, Alexis is in the lab working on other shades.

**Post print update, now available in three shades!

In Naples, double-certified-surgeon-run esthetics studio Project Glammers leverages the body’s built-in sun guard, melanin, in its sunblock. Their DEFEND Melanin Antioxidant Facial Sunscreen SPF 40 is a fragrance-free formula that nourishes skin with vitamins C and E and has added melanin to boost the skin’s healing process (yes, any form of sun exposure and the resulting tan is actually an injury). The product’s ideal for darker, melanin-rich skin types. Plus, we love how the silky, matte finish has a blurring effect on pores and fine lines.

Your face may be extra-delicate, but the rest of your body is not immune from UV radiation’s cancerous effects. Naples-based med spa and lifestyle brand Time 4 U makes a family-friendly mineral sunscreen that’s perfect for wiggly children with its spray applicator. The ultra-lightweight Shield [Sportly] is free of chemical stabilizers (an irritant often found in spray sunscreens) and has Bisabolol (a well-known calming agent derived from chamomile) to brighten and soothe sensitive skin.

For an option that will make your skin glisten, turn to Naples Soap Company’s SPF 50 Florida Sun Defense body oil. Unlike many body oils, this one absorbs quickly, so you’re left with just a flattering glow (and no messes to nearby surfaces). The oil doesn’t have any ‘badditives’—as the brand calls the range of irritants often found in big-box products, such as gluten, silicone, sulfates and endocrine system disruptors like parabens and phthalates. It’s just another reason to embrace the sunshine and soak up the vitamin D, knowing your skin is in good hands.

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