UV Skin Recovery Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Face Sunscreen vs Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz: which is safer?
Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
EltaMD
UV Skin Recovery Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Face Sunscreen
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 71/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 1
Material
Mineral sunscreen active (zinc oxide); emollient base with glycerin, squalane, peptides
Confidence
72%
PossibleSkin occlusion or barrier disruption from emollient overload
Our pick
Goddess Garden
Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz
PFAS grade
Excellent 100/100
Overall grade
Excellent 92/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes
Confidence
78%
PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components
PossibleSkin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Skin occlusion or barrier disruption from emollient overload on the EltaMD and not on the Goddess Garden.
- We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components and Skin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils on the Goddess Garden and not on the EltaMD.
- The EltaMD is Mineral sunscreen active (zinc oxide); emollient base with glycerin, squalane, peptides where the Goddess Garden is mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Goddess Garden is the one to buy.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More sunscreen: see the full ranking