Sun Love With Block Island Organics!

If you've been following my blog, you know what a sunscreen fanatic I am! Rain or shine, indoors or out, you can be sure I am wearing some form of spf!

Since the Summer season brings sunscreen out front and center, and since I am always on the hunt for different natural sunscreen products, I was beyond thrilled when Block Island Organics contacted me to review their product!

What I love about this brand is that they are dedicated to not only creating safe and effective products, but also to educating consumers as well as being completely transparent with their ingredients. You can learn more here.

What I tried:

Sunscreen, Shades and a Non-GMO Beer - perfect companions on a hot Summer day! ;-)

Natural Mineral Sunscreen Spf 30 - There are always certain things that I look for in a sunscreen. It has to be lightweight, non-greasy, leave no white cast, go on easily and absorb quickly, be cruelty free, eco-friendly and of course contain zero harmful ingredients that can break me out! I know that seems like a tall order, and I'm not always successful in finding a product that meets all of my criteria, but I think I may have in this product!

Though the texture may seem a bit on the thick side at first, it really does feel light on the skin when applied. It blends easily and absorbs quickly, leaving a nice, matte finish, so it is a perfect primer for my oily skin! It contains Zinc Oxide as the UV filter, which also has antibacterial properties, making it great for acne prone skin. Other skin loving ingredients include Aloe Vera Gel, Shea Butter, Glycerin and Jojoba Oil.

Other reasons to love this:

• HEALTHY - Organic and natural ingredients - zinc only (safest & best UV filter)


• EFFECTIVE - SPF 30 & broad spectrum protection decreases the risk of skin cancer & aging


• SAFE - Gluten & nano free, vegan formula, eco-friendly (no ingredients shown to harm reefs)


• EASY APPLICATION - Ultra lightweight and non-greasy formula, can be worn under makeup


• TRUST - No parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, phthalates, dyes, fragrance. Made in USA

Price - $19.99 for 100ml

Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 22%. 

Inactive Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera Gel) Juice*, Aqua (Deionized Water), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Oil, Gluconolactone, Glycerin*, Lecithin*, Octyl Palmitate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Xanthan Gum, Zemea Propanediol. (*Certified Organic)

*Learn more about their ingredients here.



Have you tried Block Island Organics Sunscreen? What are some of your favorite sun products to use in the Summer? Let me know below! 

Peace & Love,
Sabrina xo

*Product was generously sent to me for review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sunny Days Essentials - Coola Suncare for Face & Body

I've always been a huge believer in wearing sunscreen. And not just outside in the sun either. I wear sunscreen everyday, rain or shine, all year round. I've honestly gotten to the point where I feel kind of naked without it! Obsessive much? Maybe. But I'd like to think that my sunscreen OCD is at least partly responsible for my looking much younger than my age! ;-)

That all being said, I have tried many different varieties of sunscreens -  tinted, un-tinted, tacky, greasy, powder, cream, liquid - you name it, I've tried it. And while there are a few that I have grown quite fond of, I am still always on the prowl for the "one" sunscreen that will make me forsake all others. Ok, maybe that is a wee dramatic, but you get my drift. ;-)

Which brings me to my latest product (and newest sunscreen) obsession - Coola Suncare.

*PR Samples. Photo by Chickweed & Blush

Incorporating a "farm to face" sourcing philosophy, Coola uses the freshest and most natural ingredients as possible. Each product is formulated to protect and nourish the skin with vitamins and age-defying anti-oxidants, and is free from parabens, paba, petroleum and phthalates.

I had been interested in trying Coola for awhile and when they generously sent some things for me to review, I was beyond excited!

Here is what I tried:

1) SPF 30 Unscented Matte Tint - For those of us with oily skin, this is a great product to have, especially in the Summer! Despite the fact that it contains dimethicone (an ingredient I try to avoid), I still adore this sunscreen! It goes on so smoothly and is lightly tinted - not enough for any real kind of coverage, but enough to even out your skin. The shade is a bit on the yellow side of things, so it helps to tone down any redness that might be going on too! Because the coverage is so light, I still need to use a mineral foundation, though thanks to the silicone in it, this acts as a primer as well. So far, no break outs have occurred since I have been using this, though I only wear this when going out for extra protection and as a primer under my make-up.

More reasons to love this:

Ideal for normal or oily skin
Lightly tinted
Preservative free formula
Infused with Certified Organic Ingredients
Water Resistant (40 minutes)
No nano-sized particles

Price - $36 for 1.7oz
Ingredients - Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (Sunscreen) 3.2%, Zinc Oxide (Sunscreen) 1.8%

Inactive Ingredients: Aluminum Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii (ORGANIC Shea Butter), Cucumis Sativus (ORGANIC Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin (ORGANIC), Hydrogen Dimethicone, Iron Oxides, Isopropyl Myristate, Isopropyl Titianium Triisostearate, Linum Usitatissimum (ORGANIC Linseed) Seed Oil, Mica, Oenothera Biennis (ORGANIC Evening Primrose) Oil, Plankton Extract, Polyamide-5, Polysilicone-11, Propylene Carbonate, Rosa Canina (ORGANIC) Fruit Oil, Silica Silylate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Synthetic Wax

Organic Ingredients: Cucumber Fruit Extract Evening Primrose Oil Glycerin Linseed Seed Oil Rose Hip Oil Shea Butter

2) Body SPF 30 Plumeria Moisturizer -  I'll be honest, as militant as I am about wearing sunscreen on my face, neck and chest, I generally forget about the rest of me (though to be fair, I usually never wear less than capri's and a tee or tank top in the Summer when outside). So, for someone like me, this is the perfect solution as it smells just like a delicious sweet and floral body lotion (think Bath & Body Works "Sweet Pea" lotion). I also love that it isn't at all tacky nor does it leave a white cast on your bod either! With this, I will have no excuse not to protect all of me from the sun's rays!

More reasons to love this:

Hypoallergenic
Paraben Free
Ultra Sheer
Oxybenzone Free
No nano-sized particles
Water Resistant (40 minutes)

Price - $32 for 5oz
Ingredients - Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (Sunscreen) 1.9% Octinoxate (Sunscreen) 2.2%
Inactive Ingredients: Argania Spinosa (ORGANIC) Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (ORGANIC Shea Butter), Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (ORGANIC Orange) Fruit Water, Cucumis Sativus (ORGANIC Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Fragrance, Glycerin (ORGANIC), Oenothera Biennis (ORGANIC Evening Primrose) Oil, Olea Europaea (ORGANIC Olive) Fruit Oil, Plankton Extract, Rosa Canina (ORGANIC) Fruit Extract, Shellac, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Water, Xanthan Gum
Organic Ingredients: Argania Spinosa Kernal Oil, Shea Butter, Orange Fruit Water, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Evening Primrose Oil, Rose Hip Fruit Extract, Olive Fruit Oil


Have you ever tried Coola Suncare? Which product is your favorite? Let me know below! 

Peace & Love,

~Sabrina xx

*Products were generously sent to me for review, however, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own