A closer look at what’s actually in today’s sunscreens, and why fewer ingredients, less processing, and no palm-derived inputs can make all the difference.

We’re really pleased to be included in Ethical Consumer’s latest sunscreen guide, and to see Shade rank so strongly - one of the top 4 ethical sunscreen sin the UK.

If you haven’t seen it, you can read the full guide here (subscription required):
https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/health-beauty/shopping-guide/sunscreens

In a previous post, I talked about how microbusinesses like ours are assessed. In this one, I want to focus on something much simpler:

What’s actually in the sunscreens themselves.

Because when you strip everything else away, that’s what you’re putting on your skin, every day.

What most sunscreens are made of

If you take a typical sunscreen, even many of the “natural” ones, the formulation is usually quite complex.

Most contain water as a base, which immediately means preservatives are required to stop microbial growth. To combine water and oils, emulsifiers are needed, many of which are derived from palm oil or similar feedstocks. On top of that, it’s common to see fragrance or essential oils added, along with stabilisers and other supporting ingredients.

None of this is unusual, it’s simply how most cosmetic products are built.

But it does mean that even “cleaner” sunscreens often involve multiple processing steps, more complex supply chains, and a longer list of ingredients than you might expect.

A simpler formulation

Shade takes a different approach.

It’s made from just four ingredients: non-nano zinc oxide, coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax.

That’s it.

There’s no water, so there’s no need for preservatives. There are no emulsifiers, no fragrance, and no synthetic additives.

And importantly:

Shade is the only sunscreen in the Ethical Consumer guide that does not contain palm oil or palm-derived ingredients in any form.

That’s significant, because palm-derived inputs are often present in ways that aren’t immediately obvious, particularly in emulsifiers and stabilising ingredients.

Processing and environmental impact

Another aspect that’s often overlooked is how ingredients are made.

Many of the additional components found in more complex formulations rely on more intensive processing and multi-step supply chains, each with their own environmental footprint.

By contrast, the ingredients in Shade are largely unrefined, mechanically extracted, and produced using relatively simple methods. The only exception is zinc oxide, which isn’t extracted in the same way, but produced via a controlled mineral process, typically the French process, where zinc is oxidised to form zinc oxide.

Fewer steps, less processing, and a more direct route from source to product.

It’s a quieter part of the story, but it matters.

Does simpler still work?

Yes, and this is the key point.

Shade has been independently tested for SPF and UVA protection, including in vivo testing on human volunteers, and it’s been used in the real world for over a decade.

Because it’s made primarily from oils and waxes, with around 9% beeswax, it forms a durable, water-resistant layer on the skin. It adheres well, and doesn’t wash off easily, which is exactly what you want from a sunscreen.

What that means in practice

There is a trade-off, and it’s worth being upfront about it.

Shade doesn’t disappear completely on the skin. It’s thicker than many conventional sunscreens, and it leaves a visible layer. It takes a bit more care to apply.

But that visibility also has an advantage, you can see where you’ve applied it, and you know your skin is covered.

A different way to compare sunscreens

If you step back and look at the products themselves, rather than the companies behind them, a slightly different picture emerges.

You could broadly group sunscreens like this:

Simple, anhydrous formulas like Shade, with minimal ingredients, no preservatives, no palm-derived emulsifiers, no fragrance, and low processing.

Natural emulsions, often strong on ethics overall, but still using water-based systems, which means preservatives, and typically including palm-derived ingredients and sometimes fragrance or essential oils.

Conventional sunscreens, highly engineered, easy to apply, and widely available, but generally more complex in formulation, with synthetic additives and longer supply chains.

That’s obviously a simplification, but it highlights how different the products themselves can be.

Why this matters

If you’re someone who reads ingredient lists, this probably won’t be new to you.

But it’s easy for the detail to get lost when products are grouped together under the same label, “natural”, “ethical”, or “sensitive”.

Looking closely at the formulation tells a more complete story.

Why just one formula?

Because, with sensible sun exposure and responsible use, it’s all that’s needed.

Shade is a concentrated formula, so the level of protection is partly in your control. Apply it more generously for higher protection, or more lightly when less is needed.

SPF is ultimately a guide, and in real-world use it depends heavily on how the product is applied.

We don’t believe you need endless variations of essentially the same formula. What matters is a reliable base you understand and can use appropriately.

We’d rather focus on helping as many people as possible switch to a better, healthier, more ethical sunscreen, than reinventing the wheel to satisfy market demand.

Why choose Shade?

If you’re looking for something with as few ingredients as possible, without preservatives, fragrance or palm-derived inputs, and with a straightforward, transparent formulation, then Shade is designed with exactly that in mind.

It’s not about making sunscreen feel invisible. It’s about making it understandable.

And once you’ve found something you trust, you don’t really need to keep searching.

Sometimes, simpler really is better.
And that’s what we’ve proven with Shade, over more than a decade.