Building a Sunscreen for Surfers: How Albedo Is Different
I used to think “natural” sunscreen meant, well, natural.
But then I met my co-founder Jason... and I learned I was really, really wrong.
There’s limited regulation in the cosmetics industry, so sunscreens and other cosmetics don’t need evidence to back up their crazy claims.
We wanted to TRULY natural skincare products with clean ingredients for healthier skin.
And because we’re surfers, we wanted to create cosmetics specific to what surfers demand. Sunscreen that stays on in the water — and is designed for the challenging conditions surfers live.
With so many products out there, here are 3 ways we made Albedo different.
Difference #1 - ACTUALLY 100% Natural
As a pale surfer with sensitive skin, I’ve always had issues with cosmetics and sunscreen: Acne, flare-ups, redness, or still getting burnt even after applying.
I thought the “natural” sunscreens and cosmetics I used were OK, but a lot of these “natural” products have unhealthy ingredients.
If an ingredient reads like a chemical or it’s tough to pronounce... it’s probably not great for your skin.
Here are some examples of unhealthy ingredients in popular sunscreens:
- Avobenzone. Used in Sun Bum, Neutrogena, and other big-name brands, this chemical is deemed by the FDA to not have enough data to determine whether it’s safe or not. Yikes! Plus, it has big issues — it degrades significantly in sunlight, and loses about half its effectiveness in the first hour of application.
- Homosalate. Also found in popular sunscreens, like Hawaiian Tropic, this chemical absorbs into skin and is known as an antiandrogen (aka a testosterone blocker). Like Avobenzone, the FDA does not have sufficient data to deem whether this ingredient is safe or not.
- Ethylhexyl Stearate. Found in big brands like the Walgreens store brand, the CVS store brand, Neutrogena, Equate, and Sun Bum. This chemical is a known human irritant, and sometimes it’s sourced from animal fats.
We created Albedo sunscreen to be good for you — with only natural, clean ingredients that have been carefully tested and evaluated by the FDA.
Healthier ingredients for healthier skin, no matter if you have dry, oily, or sensitive skin (or, anything in between).
The ingredients we use are so natural that you could literally eat Albedo sunscreen.
Here are our sunscreen ingredients, with full transparency on what they do:
- Zinc oxide: UV blocking filter (UVA & UVB)
- Chlorella: Chlorophyll from Chlorella provides enhanced UVA blocking
- Carrot powder: Beta-carotenes from carrot powder provides enhanced UVB blocking
- Beeswax: Provides "thickness" to the sunscreen making it water resistant
- Shea butter: Allows the sunscreen to be spreadable
- Coconut oil: Helps make the sunscreen even more spreadable
- Raw cacao: Provides natural tint and a really nice fragrance
- Vitamin E: Natural antioxidant which increases the sunscreen shelf life
- Iron oxide (rust): Natural pigment
Difference #2 - Enhanced UVA and UVB Protection (That Actually Stays on in the Surf)
Most sunscreen out there have only one or two ingredients providing UVA or UVB protection. The rest of the ingredients are for texture, smell, color, and shelf life.
If you only rely on just one ingredient as the only line of defense for your skin, you’re risking less coverage.
It's like water passed through one filter compared to water passed through multiple filtration systems. A single point of failure in any system or product is bad.
The more broad UVA & UVB protection you have for your skin, the safer your skin is from all types of harmful rays for hours.
Many people recognize zinc in their sunscreen. We use zinc, too. But we don’t stop there.
We use two other unique, 100% natural ingredients to provide enhanced UVA & UVB protection:
- Chlorella: Enhanced UVA protection
- Carrot powder: Enhanced UVB protection
With zinc + chlorella + carrot powder, you have triple protection against those harmful sun rays that age your skin and can cause damage.
With our three combined ingredients, test results have shown 60% greater protection in the high intensity UVA region (>375nm) where zinc oxide starts to lose its effectiveness.
But the increased effectiveness doesn’t matter if the sunscreen doesn’t stay on while you're surfing.
That’s why we designed Albedo from the beginning to last in the water — for those duck dives, turtle rolls, or even getting tossed around a bit.
Difference #3 - Biodegradable Packaging
We didn’t want to just make healthier, safer cosmetics for you and your skin... we wanted to make better cosmetics for the environment, too.
That’s why our sunscreen follows some strict guidelines:
- 100% certified organic ingredients
- Reef-safe, coral-safe ingredients that don’t harm the ocean
- Plastic-free biodegradable packaging that doesn’t harm nature
Natural — inside and out — helps us protect the environment. And as surfers, we’re dependent on the environment to make sure we can still surf.
Protect your skin, protect the environment. Albedo makes it easy for you to do both with every purchase.
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We created Albedo because we knew we could create better, safer, more effective, and more natural cosmetics for surfers.
And, we knew we could do better with packaging to find more sustainable solutions.
Here’s what sets our sunscreen apart from the competition:
- ACTUALLY 100% natural with ingredients you know and trust — so natural you could literally eat it
- Enhanced UVA & UVB protection with patent-pending “triple layer” protection to protect 60% better than other brands... while also staying on in the water
- Biodegradable packaging that keeps Mother Nature healthy (just like you)
Check out Albedo products here. Made for surfers, by surfers we offer 100% natural, water-resistant, SPF 30+ triple-protection sunscreen and cleansing After-Surf Moisturizer to keep your skin protected in the water and out.