Gone are the days of either choosing white-zinc-noses or a sunburn. Mineral sunscreen is no longer a beach day eyesore AND if you find the right one, it can actually improve the look of your skin. So, if it’s been a while since you’ve tried a mineral sunscreen on your face, it’s time to try it again. The performance of mineral sunscreen has come leaps and bounds just over the past year alone and the new True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 is no exception—here’s my honest review.

This post is generously sponsored by True Botanicals, an ethical and sustainable beauty brand that’s MADE SAFE®, Leaping Bunny and PETA certified, as well as uses non-GMO ingredients. As always, The New Knew only works with brands who we trust are making the world a better place.

By: Lisa Fennessy

IN THIS POST:

• How the True Botanicals SPF feels when you apply it
• Is the True Botanicals SPF good for sensitive skin?
• Ingredients breakdown
• Pros and cons
• FAQs
• References

It’s no secret that True Botanicals has been changing my skin since 2016. As of late, I’m obsessed with their Chebula Extreme Cream and Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm. As a forever fan and *true* believer, I follow along with their new releases religiously, so when I got word they were dropping an SPF this year, I almost died.

Well, fast forward a few months, I finally have it in hand and it DOES NOT disappoint.  

In a nutshell, I’ve been loving this SPF because it’s lightweight enough to wear as everyday sun protection, but it’s loaded TO THE MAX with skin benefiting ingredients. More on that in a min. First, some thoughts on performance…

RELATED: Is it possible to reverse sun damage?

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How the TB Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 feels + applies

The first thing you will notice about Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 is it pumps out a little pink. This is due to the addition of antioxidant-rich astaxanthin, which is a red / orange / pink color. I wouldn’t call this SPF a “tinted SPF” because it’s not, in the standard sense. It’s not tinted to match a skin color…it just doesn’t pump out stark white like most SPFs. 

That being said, when you apply this, it will still apply white-ish on your skin and you will have to rub it in to ensure no whitecast. I can report back with confidence that this does in fact rub in clear.

The formula feels moisturizing and a bit plumping on my skin, which helps keep my complexion looking radiant throughout the day. It’s easy to layer over skincare and under makeup. It’s easy to work with, doesn’t pill and isn’t super heavy. 

Some SPFs double as moisturizers, some double as foundations or BB creams and some are just straight up SPFs. I would classify True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 as an SPF only (not a moisturizer)…although it is moisturizing on its own, I prefer it layered over my daily moisturizer. I find my skin is more moisturized throughout the day and this formula applies more evenly when it’s applied to hydrated / prepped skin.

Here’s what it looks like, applied. 👇

RELATED: What’s the BEST nontoxic tinted moisturizer with SPF? We tried these 9—and this is our favorite.

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Is True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 good for sensitive skin?

Nicolle stepping in here, the team rep for sensitive skin (holla!). First, prep yourself on some details about zinc + sensitive skin and sensitive skin in general. Finished that note? Okay, good—here’s how the new TB SPF worked on my sensitive skin.

When an SPF is waaaay too drying for my reactive skin, I get big, bold, red blemishes on my cheeks and chin. I can usually tell right away if this is the case because my skin also feels tight and itchy.

On the other end of the spectrum, even my previous top picks for SPF for sensitive skin gave me a little bit of redness + irritation around my nose, especially if I wear them more than one day in a row.

The True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 is so clearly on the LESS IRRITATING end of my sensitive skin spectrum—little irritation or redness at the end of one day of wear, and minimal reaction even after multiple days of wear. I will say that, like Lisa, I do need a heavy-duty moisturizer underneath the TB SPF (try this trick, p.s.), but that’s true of all SPFs for me.

Sensitive skin rating: Full speed ahead if you have sensitive skin, love TB and want to give this SPF a go.

RELATED: An easy sensitive skincare routine to try now.

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True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 ingredients 

Let’s start off by saying the True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 is MADE SAFE® certified, which is huge considering there are currently only 3 other MADE SAFE® certified SPFs. 

We value the MADE SAFE® certification because it ensures someone outside of the brand has taken a look at the ingredients and deemed them safe to use. MADE SAFE® specifically screens for over 6,500 prohibited ingredients and takes into consideration the environmental impact of these ingredients before approving or denying certification. More here. 

Beyond that, let’s take a closer look at this formula’s superpower: the actual ingredients. Here are some of True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 standouts and why you want them on your skin. 

👉Non-nano zinc – The zinc that True Botanicals uses goes through a patented process that True Botanicals explains “…makes it one of the sheerest non-nano zinc oxides available on the market.” 

👉Squalane – A natural antioxidant and moisturizer that can reduce scars, reverse UV damage, lighten freckles and erase skin pigmentation, all while fighting free radicals (1).

👉Sea Buckthorn – An ingredient rich in fatty acids, natural antioxidants, carotenoids, phytosterols and vitamins that helps regenerate and repair skin (2, 3). True Botanicals uses a variety of Sea Buckthorn called turkestanica grown in Tibet. The brand adds that this species of Sea Buckthorn has been measured to have the most potent omega 7 levels available through any other type. 

👉Chebula – A powerful antioxidant (stronger than vitamin C) that has demonstrated efficacy for treatment of photodamage, skin aging and wound healing (4, 5, 6).

👉Astaxanthin – A powerful antioxidant that fights wrinkles, improves skin elasticity, increases skin moisture levels and reduces visible signs of UV-aging (7, 8). It also naturally protects against UV rays (9).

👉Green Tea Water – The base of this formula is not water but green tea water, which, surprise surprise, is another powerful antioxidant (10).

👉Rice Bran Extract – Used since ancient times as a natural sunscreen and recently discovered that it absorbs ultraviolet [UV] light (11, 12).

👉Pea Peptide (vegan) – True Botanicals explains that pea peptides are rich in antioxidants and help to retain moisture leaving skin feeling smooth and supple. 

After combing through this ingredient list and taking a deeper look, what I really value about this sunscreen is not so much the zinc (which is my preferred UV barrier), but the supporting ingredients to back it all up. It’s like watching Twilight…sure we all went to see the Robert Pattinson-Kristin Stewart dynamic, but really what made that movie pop off was the supporting cast. #hotwerewolf #jacob #canigetawitness

It’s not often I see an SPF that’s brimming with antioxidants, ready to protect skin cells against free radicals and additional ingredients that help protect skin against UV. And it feels good to know that I am applying something to my skin that not only is protecting it, but also nourishing and repairing it too. 

Let’s also just check out the full ingredients list… 

Active Ingredient: Zinc Oxide (19.0%) 

Additional ingredients: camellia sinensis leaf (green tea) water, caprylic/capric triglyceride, coco-caprylate, glycerin*, polyglyceryl-6 stearate, capryloyl glycerin/sebacic acid copolymer, water/aqua/eau, oryza sativa (rice) bran extract, squalane, polyhydroxystearic acid, hippophae rhamnoides (seabuckthorn) seed oil*, pisum sativum (pea) peptide, silybum marianum (milk thistle) ethyl ester, terminalia chebula fruit extract, haematococcus pluvialis (astaxanthin) powder*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, aloe barbadensis leaf juice*, camellia sinensis leaf (green tea) extract, citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) flower distillate*, isopropyl jojobate, jojoba alcohol, jojoba esters, xanthan gum, polyglyceryl-6 behenate, lactic acid, acacia senegal gum, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, allantoin, phenethyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium benzoate*, potassium sorbate*, sodium phytate, glycerin, leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate, tocopherol. *organic

RELATED: How to read a sunscreen label without a chemistry degree.

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True Botanicals True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30 pros + cons

True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF strikes that middle ground where I feel like I am getting it all. Protection, skin nutrition and glow. 

Pros: 

• Delivers skin-boosting ingredients
• Antioxidant-rich
• Formulated to support skin’s microbiome
• Not drying on skin
• Pumps out light pink, rubs in clear
• Not greasy
• Non-comedogenic
• Hypoallergenic
• Fragrance free
• Easy to layer over skincare and under makeup
• Good for everyday wear
• Third party vetted / MADE SAFE® Certified 
• Packaged in glass 

Cons: 

• Price
• Smells a little like zinc 

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FAQs about True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30

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Have you tried the True Botanicals Skin Barrier Sun Shield SPF 30? What questions do you have?

TNK Team Note: This article contains affiliate links. TNK uses affiliate links as a source for revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. TNK stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.

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References

1. Huang Z-R, Lin Y-K, Fang J-Y. Biological and Pharmacological Activities of Squalene and Related Compounds: Potential Uses in Cosmetic Dermatology. Molecules. 2009; 14(1):540-554.

2. Zielińska A, Nowak I. Abundance of active ingredients in sea-buckthorn oil. Lipids Health Dis. 2017 May 19;16(1):95. doi: 10.1186/s12944-017-0469-7. PMID: 28526097; PMCID: PMC5438513.

3. Jaśniewska A, Diowksz A. Wide Spectrum of Active Compounds in Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) for Disease Prevention and Food Production. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Aug 12;10(8):1279. doi: 10.3390/antiox10081279. PMID: 34439527; PMCID: PMC8389226.

4. Swindell WR, Bojanowski K, Chaudhuri RK. A standardized Terminalia chebula fruit extract alters the expression of genes associated with skin architecture and barrier formation. Eur J Dermatol. 2020 Oct 1;30(5):469-492. doi: 10.1684/ejd.2020.3882. PMID: 33021480.

5. Swanya Yakaew, Khwunjit Itsarasook, Jatuporn Ngoenkam, Arum Jessadayannamaetha, Jarupa Viyoch & Malyn Ungsurungsie (2016) Ethanol extract of Terminalia chebula fruit protects against UVB-induced skin damage, Pharmaceutical Biology, 54:11, 2701-2707.

6. Swanya Yakaew, Khwunjit Itsarasook, Jatuporn Ngoenkam, Arum Jessadayannamaetha, Jarupa Viyoch & Malyn Ungsurungsie (2016) Ethanol extract of Terminalia chebula fruit protects against UVB-induced skin damage, Pharmaceutical Biology, 54:11, 2701-2707.

7. Astaxanthin—the Ultimate Anti-Aging Nutrient. White Paper on Astaxanthin’s diverse anti-aging properties is brought to you by AlgaeHealth, a division of BGG.

8. Tominaga K, Hongo N, Karato M, Yamashita E. Cosmetic benefits of astaxanthin on humans subjects. Acta Biochim Pol. 2012;59(1):43-7. Epub 2012 Mar 17.

9. Ito N, Seki S, Ueda F. The Protective Role of Astaxanthin for UV-Induced Skin Deterioration in Healthy People—A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2018; 10(7):817.

10. OyetakinWhite P, Tribout H, Baron E. Protective mechanisms of green tea polyphenols in skin. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:560682. doi: 10.1155/2012/560682. Epub 2012 Jun 26.

11. Geoffrey K, Mwangi AN, Maru SM. Sunscreen products: Rationale for use, formulation development and regulatory considerations. Saudi Pharm J. 2019 Nov;27(7):1009-1018. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2019.08.003. Epub 2019 Aug 16.

12. Drissi M, Carr E, Housewright C. Sunscreen: a brief walk through history. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2021 Sep 1;35(1):121-123.