Quick Summary:

Date Tested: 06/20/2022

Beautycounter. Never heard of this company… *Tappity Tap* *Google.com* *click* – A company founded by a successful woman who wants to make clean and conscious beauty products *click* Made a list of bad ingredients to not include in cosmetic products because those ingredients are bad AKA – Never List *click* Formulate, advocate, educate, and some social mission stuff *click* Blueprint for clean. *pause* *squeaky hamster wheel turning* *eyebrow raise* “NICE!”

Every sunscreen product I test eventually ends up with some research into the company that makes it. Whether its just about the ingredients used, the company story or where to buy the product, I end up getting a small taste of the company at large. I believe however, Beautycounter is the first cosmetic company I have researched where I initially believed it to be a mail order MLM type of business but after reading a little bit about it, did a complete 180 and was instead impressed with what the company and leadership stood for (also realized its not an MLM). A lifestyle brand at its fullest, Beauty counter does seek good for the customers who purchase their products, good for the earth it operates in, and good for the broader community at large. It has since been acquired by a private equity firm, but hopefully it doesn’t alter the culture and idea behind the brand.

Anyways, in this sunscreen review I test the Beautycounter Countersun SPF 30 lotion. It is a Mineral based formulation containing Zinc Oxide at 19%. I admit that when I tested this product I still believed Beautycounter to be an MLM, so I tested it twice because the results of the test were dare I say it…TOO GOOD. haha. Ok, so there is some bias when I see a product, but like Shakira’s hips, the numbers don’t lie. That how it goes right?

The Beautycounter SPF30 reduced UVI by 99.82%, UVA by 99.91%, and UVB by 98.39%! Fantastic results for a mineral based sunscreen. If you’re thinking at this point “the sunscreen tester is a fanboy, he’s just shilling this fancy brand company like a cryptocurrency” – I will step in here and say there is a catch to this lotion…and that to many, it may be a deal-breaker… It is thick.

The Countersun sunscreen characteristics at a glance:

• Formulated with non-nano zinc oxide, a physical, mineral sun protection technology that bounces the sun’s rays away from the skin.
• Reef-friendly
• Water-resistant for up to 40 minutes
• Viscosity is thick

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Beautycounter SPF30 UV blocking test results

Ultraviolet light quick reference:

UVA: The Ultraviolet wavelength from 315nm – 400nm. The “Aging UV light” – Causes wrinkles.
UVB: The Ultraviolet wavelength from 280nm – 315nm. The “Bad UV light” – Causes skin cancer.
UVI: The global sun UV index. The more a sunscreen can reduce the level of UVI, the better.

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UV test results:

Ultraviolet sensor readings:

Want to know more about how I test sunscreen? Head here to read about the details.

Testing notes:

The Countersun SPF30 is a fantastic mineral based ultraviolet blocker. Its thick, protects well, and the company seems pretty cool. The issue here now though is not whether or not it blocks UV, but rather…will the person using this product like the way it feels applied to the face on a daily basis? Thicker formulations are typical for active sunscreen type applications (pool, beach, amusement park) where sweating and physical activity are expected. I didn’t expect this thickness from the Countersun lotion because nowhere on the packaging does it mention the word “active” or suggest it is for this type of use case. On the website however, ARE pictures of the sunscreen product on a beach. So there’s that.

Anyways, I can’t vouch for how it feels, but it DOES protect against the suns harmful ultraviolet light.

I recommend it.