Protecting skin from the ravages of the sun with sunscreen is something that most of us do routinely during the summer months, but do we think about the impact that has on nature before we reach for the SPF? Austria-based Ringana Sunscreen has.
Ringana has been developing natural and sustainable skincare products and health supplements since 1996 and has now added sunscreen to the range. There are currently two variants available, one with SPF 20 and a second specifically for the face with SPF 15.
Like most of Ringana’s products, the sunscreens are made using fresh ingredients, giving them shelf lives of just 10 weeks from opening. While this sounds pretty short, it will cover the summer holiday season, which for most of us includes a week or two away in the sunshine, so it shouldn’t pose a problem with waste.
One of the most important factors relating to Ringana’s fresh sunscreen products is that they are nano-free and, therefore, ocean safe. They are vegan friendly too, using natural products and no preservatives, hence the short shelf life.
While this all sounds great, what are the products actually like? The first thing you notice is the consistency. It has a feel akin to a slightly runny moisturising cream, which is a positive point, as it spreads well over the skin and is absorbed quickly. Once it’s on the skin and rubbed in, there is no lingering stickiness, just a slightly matt feeling that fades gradually. What we didn’t enjoy was the smell of the product. It’s a rather tricky scent to describe, but it reminded us of the smell of liquid foundation. Ringana has opted not to add any artificial perfume to the sunscreen, which is understandable from their environmental perspective. Still, if I’m going to use it across much of my skin during a holiday, I’d prefer a more pleasant scent.
Those in the know tell us that if we’re out in the sun, we should be applying high-factor protection, but Ringana has decided to make a maximum SFP of 20. It suggests that the average skin can provide up to 15 minutes of natural protection from the sun, so the addition of SFP 20 will boost that protection to a maximum of five hours in direct sun without burning. Ringana does concede that this is theoretical, based on the correct use of the sunscreen, and that instructions for the proper use of the product suggest that each person should apply 36g of its sunscreen to achieve that protection.
That’s more than a quarter of the 125ml bottle, per person, per application. At £35 per bottle direct from the manufacturer
, it isn’t a sunscreen for the faint-hearted. Few of us use sunscreen to the letter of the application instructions, but with careful application and sensible use, it’s likely to last a fair bit longer. However, it might not give the highest level of protection.
I think I’d feel more comfortable with a higher SPF, but if the numbers on the bottle don’t faze you and sustainability is high up on your skincare agenda, then Ringana Fresh sunscreen is well worth trying out.
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