The sunscreen that works!
Spring is that time of the year when sunscreens starts to become really important. Even though facial protection is a year round thing, its not until the beginning of the summer season that you start exposing vulnerable white limbs that are crying out for protection! With so many sunscreens on the market its confusing when it comes to choosing the best product for you, particularly if you want something natural thats not loaded with damaging chemicals. Testing out new sunscreens can go horribly wrong, particularly if they dont work & your first foray into the sun results in a major burn… fortunately I have done the testing for you (sadly on my last trip to Hawaii in 2019- pre pandemic…) & can happily recommend the Coola range of organic suncare products… they really do work!
These gorgeous Aqua coloured bottles arrived on my desk whilst we were in the depths of winter, but I was excited to know I was heading to Hawaii in september & that would be the perfect time to give Coola sunscreen a try. Even though I have very olive skin & rarely burn, I still like to use a protection of a 30 SPF or more- that way I can avoid sun damage & I still manage to get a light tan. In my teens & twenties I was always brown as a berry- a result of coconut oil & hours of basking… needless to say those days are over & Im very lucky that my skin has survived!
So- first day in Hawaii & there’s not a cloud in the sky, so before I headed to Waikiki beach I applied the most powerful Coola product I had, the ‘SPF50 Sport Classic Sunscreen’ which is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. This product is unscented which makes it perfect for sensitive skin, (& children) It has a light & creamy texture that is non greasy & it contains 70% certified organic ingredients including Avocado oil, Plankton extract, Arnica & orange water. At the end of an afternoon in the blazing Hawaiian sun (& half a dozen swims) Im thrilled to say that my winter skin was safely burn free. RRP$55
The next day I was keen to try the SPF 50 Sport sunscreen spray which has since become my favourite Coola product. It comes in a light metal bottle (printed with pink frangipanis, see my photo with Diamond head in the distance- love!) & has a handy spray nozzle that goes on & off with a twist. In the past I have been disappointed in spray sunscreens as they just never seem to be as effective as creams, but this product is by far the best I have used. The spray feels cool upon application & leaves a light sheen on the skin. The Guava/Mango scent is sublime & will forever take me back to Waikiki…. & the best news is it really works. RRP $59
For facial protection I tried the SPF50 Classic Face Sport sunscreen with White Tea moisturizer that is also 80 minutes water resistant, hypoallergenic & Paraben free. Most of the time my face gets so sensitive at the beach that I cant even apply suncream & swim in a hat, but I found that Coola agreed with me & I could even reapply it with no irritation. RRP $55
For day to day wear Coola also do a SPF 20 tinted mineral sunscreen with Rose essence & a light coverage that works like a CC Cream. There is also the gorgeous ‘Daydream’ mineral primer with an SPF of 30 that you can wear under your foundation & the Green Tea & Aloe SPF 30 makeup Setting spray.
The story behind the brand is a cool as the products, as Coola was born & made in San Diego- you can read the story here & find out all about their ‘Farm to Face’ sourcing philosophy. Its also interesting to know that Coola is produced in a solar powered facility, so they use the power of the sun to create a product that protects you from it.
Im so thrilled to have discovered Coola & I will be applying it liberally (with confidence) this New Zealand summer. The good news is that you can now buy Coola online, which makes is so easy… just head to their website HERE & have a browse.
For information about stockists you can head to Coolas NZ Facebook page or phone 0800223288.
