About Badger Natural & Organic Sunscreens
Badger Sunscreens In Brief:
What's New with Badger Sunscreens?
- As of May 2012, all SPF 30+ sunscreens will be SPF 34, and our SPF 15 will be SPF 18. We did this to comply with the FDA's 2012 regulations, which go into effect in June. Part of the regulations state that all sunscreen labels must reflect the exact SPF number based on the product's laboratory test results.
- SPF 18 and 34 creams are water resistant for 40 minutes; SPF 35 Sport and SPF 35 All-Season Face Stick are water resistant for 80 minutes.
- The Vitamin E in our sunscreens will be derived exclusively from Sunflower, as opposed to mixed sources including corn or soy.
Badger will begin shipping sunscreens containing the Sunflower Vitamin E in June, 2012. - All of our sunscreens are compliant with the new FDA Sunscreen Regulations, and meet or surpass the more stringent international regulations in Canada, Japan, the EU, Australia & New Zealand.
- We've released our very first sunscreen lotions! Why not check them out?
- Independent lab tests confirmed that both the SPF 16 Sunscreen Lotion and the Damascus Rose SPF 16 Face Sunscreen Lotions are non-comedogenic, meaning they will not clog your pores.
- Our Sunscreen Lotion formulation does not include beeswax! This is good news for our Vegan friends.
About Badger Sunscreens:
√ Protects with Minerals not Chemicals
Badger sunscreens use uncoated, non-nano Zinc Oxide in all of our sunscreens. Zinc Oxide is a mineral that provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays. It works by sitting on top of your skin, acting as a protective barrier that deflect the sun's rays before they reach your living skin. It is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties and is considered the safest and most protective active sunscreen ingredient. Learn more about our Zinc Oxide.
√ Safe for your Whole Family
Our natural and organic sunscreens contain simple, wholesome, USDA Certified Organic ingredients. The primary active ingredient in our sunscreens, Zinc Oxide, is also the main ingredient for products such as diaper rash cream and calamine lotion, and it is approved for use even on sensitive skin. Badger is a signer and "Champion" of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which means we've committed to making products that are free of questionable and potentially harmful ingredients.
√ Blocks Both UVB and UVA Rays
Badger sunscreens offer "broad spectrum" protection, meaning that they protect you from both UVB and UVA rays. Even before the 2012 FDA Regulations we had them independently lab tested for UVA protection, and we've passed with flying colors, meeting much stricter European, Japanese, and Australian standards.
More about broad spectrum UVA protection in sunscreen.
√ High Ratings for Safety and Efficacy
We've had our sunscreens tested and retested to make sure they are some of the safest and effective sunscreens around - but you don't have to take our word for it! The Environmental Working Group's Sunscreen Guide, ranks Badger sunscreens as some of the world's safest and most effective. Our sunscreens provide broad spectrum protection and do not contain chemicals that may be harmful to human health and the environment. We are also at the top of SafeMama.com's 2011 Safer Sunscreens Cheat Sheet, and one of Consumer Report's top 10 recommended sunscreens.
√ Natural and Organic Sunscreen Ingredients
Our sunscreens contain USDA Certified Organic plant oils, butters, and beeswax as the base ingredients, and are preserved with natural Vitamin E. Like all of Badger's products, our sunscreens list every ingredient on the label, and do not contain synthetic fragrances, GMOs, dyes, or chemicals of any kind.
√ Good for Your Skin
The plant oils in our natural and organic sunscreens provide ultra-moisturizing nourishment for your sun exposed skin. We use botanical extracts like Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Jojoba Oil, Shea and Cocoa Butters, and Seabuckthorn. These are all rich in vitamins, polyphenols, and other antioxidants that protect your skin from the sun.
√ Cruelty Free
Badger complies with the Leaping Bunny Standard ensuring that none of our products or ingredients are ever tested on animals. For this we proudly bear the Leaping Bunny Logo on all of our products.
√ Safe for the Environment
A recent scientific study has shown that several common synthetic sunscreen ingredients can harm corals and other marine organisms. Many eco-resorts, coral reefs, and swim-with-the-dolphins parks now require that their patrons only use mineral based natural sunscreens in an effort to minimize impact on the local marine life. Badger is exactly the type of sunscreen they are hoping you will have. Our sunscreens have passed independent laboratory biodegradability testing, and they do not contain any of the ingredients that have been shown to harm coral.
Read more about: Biodegradable Sunscreen or Coral Reef Safe Sunscreen.
√ High Performance Natural Sunscreen
• Won't run and drip into your eyes when you sweat.
• Allows your skin to breathe.
• Is strong and effective enough to protect you from extreme conditions.
• Has no irritating ingredients.
√ Water Resistant Protection
Most of Badger's natural and organic sunscreens are formulated in an oil and wax balm base (no water) and they are naturally quite water resistant. (Note: Our sunscreen lotions are not water resistant.) We've had all of our sunscreens tested for water resistance, and the ones that have passed say either "Water Resistant: 40 min" or "Water Resistant: 80 min".
More about water resistant sunscreens.
The Badger Sunscreen Story
In 2004 Badger Bill saw one of his employees putting on sunscreen in the middle of winter. Her dermatologist had recommended this because of a skin condition she had been diagnosed with. He read the ingredients, couldn't pronounce half of them, and wondered if there was a more natural option available for folks like himself. After looking around a little he couldn't find many products that he would use, so he set about to create a truly natural sunscreen option.
Badger Bill's initial thoughts were "Our Bali Balm is good for sun parched skin, what if we just put some Zinc Oxide in it?" So that is exactly what he did! The first formulations were thicker, and looked like what a lifeguard would wear on their nose, but it worked and it was a truly natural sunscreen.
To be honest, we didn't sell many tubes at first. But it was available for the people like Badger Bill who were looking for it. A few years later the Environmental Working Group published their first sunscreen report which rated Badger's sunscreen #1 out of 750 sunscreens on their website. Media started picking up on the story, and all of a sudden we sold out of sunscreen! From that point forward Badger was recognized as the leader in extremely natural, safe and effective sunscreens.
We continue to refine our craft of making really safe and really nice sunscreens. We are constantly learning more and trying new formulations, so that natural mineral sunscreen protection will be pleasant to use and and good for you.
