SunBum Sunscreen Brand Review

By Finders & Keep
📅 July 9, 2024

Sun protection is essential year-round – not just in the summertime, but when those summer-time rays hit, you’ll want some SPF protection to keep your skin healthy and safe. Sun Bum sunscreen has a large range of sun care products for hair, skin, lips, and more in several formats to keep you protected from those UVA/UVB rays. With widespread availability in stores like Target and Amazon, this Florida-based sunscreen line is family-friendly and safe for all kinds of skin types. Find out everything you need about the sun protection brand Sun Bum below!

Products

Sun Bum offers a variety of popular products that cater to different sun protection needs, including a line of fragrance-free mineral sunscreens. Here are some of the most sought-after items in their lineup:

  1. Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 – This is one of the flagship products of the brand, highly favored for its moisturizing properties and high SPF protection. 
  2. Sun Bum Original SPF 70 Sunscreen Spray – This spray is popular for its high SPF and ease of application.
  3. Sun Bum Face Stick SPF 30 – Ideal for delicate facial skin, this product offers a practical solution for on-the-go application. 
  4. Sun Bum Revitalizing 3 in-1 Leave-In Hair Conditioner Spray – While not a sunscreen, this product is popular among Sun Bum users for its protective qualities against the sun’s damaging effects on hair. 
  5. Sun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 – For those seeking a mineral-based option, this sunscreen offers a chemical-free formula that uses zinc oxide to protect against the sun. 

Sun Bum also created a line of baby-safe products, called the Baby Bum line, including child-safe sunscreen, bubble bath, and hair detanglers. Each of these products highlights Sun Bum’s commitment to quality and user-friendly sun protection, blending efficacy with enjoyable textures and scents, making sun care a more pleasant part of daily routines.

Key Features and Performance

Sun Bum sunscreens are praised for their excellent UV protection, with several products even receiving a seal of approval from The Skin Cancer Foundation. These products are rigorously tested to provide optimal sun protection, giving you a safe outdoor experience.

Easy application is one of the best features of Sun Bum sunscreen. The SPF levels start at 15 and go up to 70. It’s helpful that they offer options beyond messy lotion with plenty of roll-ons and spray options. 

The smell is another feature beyond the performance that people can’t get enough of. Many people agree that it “smells like summer.” Others have likened it to a pina colada, which is way better than the traditional sunscreen smell. It’s a great alternative to regular sunscreen because it’s dermatologist-approved with a non-comedogenic formula that’s packed with Vitamin E. For this reason, it’s suitable for sensitive skin and is 100% hypoallergenic. 

Sun Bum products are also oil-free and water-resistant with solid staying ability. This makes them perfect for the beach and getting in and out of the water. Even on the hottest day, sweat should glide off your skin without taking too much Sun Bum sunscreen off with it. 

Their products are also:

  • Leaping Bunny cruelty-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Vegan 
  • Sulfate-free
  • Hawaii reef compliant

Sun Bum’s products are vegan and gluten-free formulation of the products, free from sulfates and parabens. As a bonus, many of their formulations are reef-safe! It is important to note that some ingredients, such as avobenzone and oxybenzone, are reef-friendly but not reef-safe, so not every formulation is designed with sustainability in mind.

Design

Sun Bum bottles aren’t bright and tacky, unlike some sunscreen. Instead, their original line mimics wood grain and has the SPF number clearly labeled on it. The Mineral line is more minimalistic, with a simple brown font on white bottles and tubes. The tanning oils have a browning goal, so it makes sense that their bottles have a browned hue. Many of their bottles are designed to be leak-proof and avoid goopy spills. 

The most attractive bottles belong to their fragrance-free Signature Sunscreen line, which contains a hybrid mineral and non-mineral formula that’s meant to withstand the most rugged conditions. These come in rounded, black silicone bottles with an expensive look. 

Price

Although you might find Sun Bum to be slightly more expensive, their high-quality products and level of effectiveness amongst reviewers lead us to believe that overall, it’s worth the investment. Sun Bum products range in price from around $5 to around $30, depending on the product and size. Even if you go through a lot of sunscreen, the water and sweat-resistant nature of Sun Bum sunscreen means that you won’t have to reapply as often as other brands. If you have targeted issues like tan-enhancers or hair-lighteners, those are also worth the buy. 

It might be pricier than drugstore sunscreens, but when compared to designer suncare lines, the price tag is still much lower. 

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin
  • Great texture that rubs in easily
  • Stands up well to sand/water/sweat
  • Crowd-pleasing tropical scent 

Cons

  • Not a lot of tinted options for different skin colors
  • SPF only goes up to 70
  • Slightly expensive
  • The scented version may not be suitable for sensitive skin

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin
  • Great texture that rubs in easily
  • Stands up well to sand/water/sweat
  • Crowd-pleasing tropical scent 

Cons

  • Not a lot of tinted options for different skin colors
  • SPF only goes up to 70
  • Slightly expensive
  • Scented version may not be suitable for sensitive skin

Conclusion

We love how easy Sun Bum products are to pack and apply, as well as the quality of the product when compared to other drugstore brands. It can stand up to sand, water, and all your other adventures while keeping skin moisturizing all day long. Plus, that smell has practically earned it a cult following. If you’re looking for ways to enhance your tan, it’s also a solid investment. However, their mineral line does stand out as being higher quality with fewer synthetic ingredients and a less greasy finish, leading us to recommend that over their original products. 

Still – there’s a tradeoff. Although the Sun Bum Mineral sunscreen line has more eco-conscious ingredients and is better for sensitive skin and coral reefs, it’s not as waterproof as the Original line. A perfect middle ground would be their Signature Sunscreen line, which is a hybrid of the two. If you’re looking for long-lasting sun protection, look no further than Sun Bum sunscreen.

FAQs

Sun Bum doesn’t say “Reef Safe” or “Reef Friendly” on the bottles because neither of these terms are currently regulated or defined by the FDA. What they are referencing is Hawaii Act 104, which bans the use of Oxybenzone and Octinoxate. No formulas contain these ingredients.

Sun Bum doesn’t currently ship internationally. In terms of shipping times, it takes 5-7 business days. They ship out of Florida.

All the products with active ingredients have expiration dates clearly printed on them, so you never have to guess. For other products, expiration generally occurs 6 months to a year after opening, but if you smell something off or see a strange consistency, throw it out.

Unfortunately, like the Krabby Patty formula from Sponge Bob, no one knows the secret to what makes SunBum’s products smell so good. Guess you’ll have to keep buying them!

The most potent product with staying power would be their Signature Line, which was made with athletes in mind. It contains zero fragrances and is water-resistant with a mineral/chemical hybrid formula designed for extreme conditions.

Thanks to all the Sun Bum products being 100% non-comedogenic, your pores won’t get clogged by them. However, it may be better to use the Fragrance-Free option for the face, since scents can sometimes aggravate the skin.

In addition to retailers that sell sunscreen, you can find all of Sun Bum’s products on Amazon and on their website!

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The opinions expressed on Finders & Keep are entirely our own. The content was chosen by our editorial team. Any product claim or representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.