Sunscreen Review: Beyond Coastal

Krysta Gunvalson June 13, 2016 Gear Review, Sunscreen

As a kid growing up on the East Coast, my family flocked to the ocean each summer for sun, sand, and surf (or in my case, to lay on the beach until I was crispy brown). I refused sunscreen for years, worried about interfering with my tanning abilities, and even applied tanning oil for a few summers. The results were always the same. My Italian heritage helps my skin not to burn, but after days in the sun, that gorgeous tan would eventually peel into a sickening, snake-like shedding process. It wasn’t until years later, when I started spending hours on the pavement marathon training, that I began to care about my skin.

Featured Event

So far, the cancer gods have been kind to my reckless childhood ways, but these days I leave nothing to chance. As I’ve mentioned before, you should sooner complete all of your runs naked and dehydrated before leaving the house without sunscreen. I have a few favorite products, but was intrigued when we recently received a few samples from a natural and active suncare brand called Beyond Coastal.

About Beyond Coastal

Beyond Coastal, a sunscreen company started by skier and surfer, Shawn Biega, is based out of Salt Lake City, Utah (where they see an average of 222 sunny days per year, respectively). Biega started the company after years of using disappointing products from other brands, noting that most sunscreens were “greasy, chemical laden formulas that claimed broad spectrum protection.” Beyond Coastal boasts true broad-spectrum protection and moisturizing botanical antioxidants that nourish, repair, and hydrate your skin – perfect for athletes and beach-bathers alike.

I was drawn to Beyond Coastal for their clean ingredient list and sweat-proof formulas. As a runner who primarily runs in the daytime, sunscreen is important (because skin damage and cancer), and as a runner who sweats a lot, water resistant sunscreen is crucial. I took a few Beyond Coastal products for a spin for both a leisurely hike and a hot, sunny run. Here’s how it went:

Beyond Coastal Suncare Products

Beyond Coastal Active Sunscreen SPF 34 – I’ve never heard of SPF 34, but the Beyond Coastal Active Sunscreen promised broad spectrum, water resistant protection for up to 80 minutes, so it was my go-to choice for a sweaty 8 miler.
As described, the sunscreen went on clear (no white streaks!), moisturized my skin, and felt clean and non-greasy. My run only lasted 66 minutes, but by the end I was dripping with sweat and came home with no sunburn in sight!

Beyond Coastal Active Facestick SPF 30 – I’m pretty faithful to my tried and true 3-in-1 foundation/moisturizer/SPF, but I gave this one a go on a recent 4 mile hike (with 500 ft of climbing, no less.) As with the Active Sunscreen, the Facestick promised easy to apply, water-resistant, broad spectrum coverage for 40 minutes.
True to their word, the Facestick is easy to apply and went on clear – no Ug Lee moments here! (Salute your Shorts, anyone?) I loved the citrus scent of this product and applied liberally. On the hike, this product worked just fine, but when I tried it again on the aforementioned sweaty run, my entire face turned into a puddle. I’m pretty sure all of the sunscreen dripped onto the sidewalk within the first mile. I want to love you, Facestick, but I think I’ll stick to what works for me.

Beyond Coastal Lip Balm SPF 15 – SPF for your lips, you say? Yep, it’s important to apply protection onto your puckers, too. The Beyond Coastal Lip Balm has just 11 ingredients, and comes in four delicious flavors – Citrus Grove, Cherry Blossom, Vanilla Bean, and Mint Leaf.

I tried all four, but am partial to Cherry Blossom. This stuff glides on smooth and stays put through heavy, open-mouth breathing, water-guzzling, and lip-smacking, all without constant reapplication. I happily used this lip balm through both hike and run and my lips still feel refreshed and moisturized.

Overall, I will definitely be using and trying more suncare products by Beyond Coastal. I love their commitment to using clean ingredients, and their active line is perfect for running, biking, hiking, and all sweaty, summer activities.