Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz vs Tanning Lotion SPF 4: which is safer?

Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Our pick

Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz

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

Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Lotion SPF 4

Hawaiian Tropic

Tanning Lotion SPF 4

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Poor 47/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Oil-in-water emulsion lotion (typical, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, mineral oil, fragrance, UV filters)

Confidence

73%

PossibleChemical UV filter absorption and endocrine activity

ReportedFragrance allergens

PossibleMineral oil dermal occlusion

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components and Skin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils on the Goddess Garden and not on the Hawaiian Tropic.
  • We flag Chemical UV filter absorption and endocrine activity, Fragrance allergens, Mineral oil dermal occlusion and Photostability and UVA protection gaps on the Hawaiian Tropic and not on the Goddess Garden.
  • The Goddess Garden is mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes where the Hawaiian Tropic is Oil-in-water emulsion lotion (typical, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, mineral oil, fragrance, UV filters), 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