Maybe you’ve seen Primally Pure’s controversial “poison-free sunscreen” billboards, or you’re just curious to try a new tallow-based mineral sunscreen. Well, there’s been LOTS of hype around their new Sun Cream, so you know I had to give it a try and see what the fuss is all about. Keep reading for a full review!
This post contains commissionable links. I purchased this sunscreen myself, and this review reflects my honest, unsponsored thoughts. Thanks for supporting my blog!
About Primally Pure
Primally Pure was founded in 2015 by Bethany McDaniel. Her family owned an organic livestock farm, and that’s when she discovered the power of eating real food. She began making homemade personal care products with ingredients straight from the farm!
The brand has experienced massive growth and now offers a range of products, including skincare, body care, deodorant, hair care, baby, and home supplies. The ingredients truly are pure, with a focus on animal-based, organic, natural, wildcrafted, and ancestral formulas.
Primally Pure SPF30 Face & Body Sun Cream Review 🧴
Primally Pure recently launched a highly anticipated sun care line, which includes SPF30 sun cream, SPF25 solid sun stick, and an SPF15 lip balm. This review will highlight the sun cream! Some quick info about it:
- Reef safe
- Made in the USA 🇺🇸
- Ideal for sensitive skin
- Water resistant for 80 minutes
- Broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection
- Available in Unscented or Lavender Mint
- Sustainably sourced ingredients and nothing artificial
- No industrialized seed oils or PUFAs, which can be unstable when exposed to heat, light, and oxygen—they’re concerning in sunscreen because they oxidize and can cause inflammation, skin sensitivity, and produce damaging free radicals.
Price:
$38 for 3.4 fl. oz. This is somewhat expensive IMO, especially if you’re not accustomed to buying non-toxic products, but I think it’s justifiable due to the quality of ingredients.
Ingredients:
Major points here, because this is one of the cleanest, most minimal sunscreens I’ve ever seen! Here’s what’s in it:
- 25% non-nano zinc oxide (for physical sun protection)
- Caprylic/capric triglyceride (fractionated coconut oil)
- Organic tallow from grass-fed cows 🐮 (learn more about the benefits of tallow in this article!)
- Organic beeswax
- Organic coconut oil
- Organic mango butter
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E, an antioxidant to preserve the formula and prevent oxidation)
And then the scented version simply has added organic lavender and peppermint essential oils. No synthetic fragrances! 👏
⚠️ Just a heads up: Since this contains coconut oil (comedogenic), it might not be suitable for facial use if you have acne-prone skin. I typically prefer more lightweight tinted sunscreens made specifically for facial use anyway.
Smell:
The Unscented cream is odorless for the most part! It doesn’t smell “beefy” or like French fries 😅 but there is a *very* faint tallow smell if you take a big whiff up close. But nothing noticeable even from a short distance.
I wanted to try the Lavender Mint, but it was sold out, although it sounds lovely!
Related post: “Unscented vs. Fragrance Free vs. Essential Oil Free Skincare: What’s the Difference?”
Packaging:
It comes in a BPA-free plastic tube with a cap that twists open. I’ve never seen a cap like this, and it’s a cool concept! However, it can be hard to squeeze out, and you need to use both hands. The formula also solidifies in colder temperatures, making it even more difficult to get out then (thankfully I really only need to use SPF when it’s warm out anyway). You can remove the cap completely, though, for easier dispensing.
Also, when you twist the cap closed, some excess cream oozes out, which can be a little messy.
Texture & Application Experience:
The sunscreen feels nourishing as you apply it, thanks to the tallow, butters, and oils, but it’s quite thick! It melts and absorbs decently into skin, but it does leave some greasiness behind and a semi-dewy finish. Like most mineral sunscreens, it takes longer to blend than chemical sunscreens because of the nature of zinc oxide, and it’s not the most “slick” consistency.
Primally Pure claims to have a sheer finish, but I notice a slight white cast, especially on hairy areas like forearms; it rubs in much better on smooth areas like shoulders or shaved legs. It’s definitely not as pasty as other mineral sunscreens I’ve tried, but I also wouldn’t say that it applies 100% clearly. Of course, I can only speak to my fair skin tone and experience!
Overall, I prefer it for body use. In addition to the coconut oil note I mentioned earlier, it’s just a little too thick for facial use. I wouldn’t wear it underneath makeup either, but maybe for a makeup-free beach day or just being active outdoors.
Lastly, I’ve noticed some separation—sometimes a bit of oil will come out at the first squeeze. This only seems to happen when it’s really hot.
Use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount 🏷️
SPF15 Lip Balm Thoughts
I also got the Unscented SPF15 Lip Balm and I like it! It’s super moisturizing and feels great on my lips. It does leave a slightly opaque white layer on lips, but not bad; that’s pretty much inevitable with all mineral SPF lip products I’ve tried (especially the untinted ones). You can always throw some lip gloss on top to cover that up. I’d buy it again!
Comparison: Primally Pure Sun Cream vs. Sky & Sol Sunscreen
And because I know you might be wondering how these two brands compare! Sky & Sol’s sunscreen is similar: minimal ingredients, is made with grass-fed tallow, and has no seed oils, to name a few. Here’s how they differ:
I genuinely think both are good options, and it might depend on what you’re going for! Sky & Sol’s blends better (particularly on hairy areas like forearms) and offers higher SPF coverage (they have an SPF30 version too). I also like that it doesn’t have coconut oil, so I can use it on my face without breaking out. However, I totally appreciate the purity of Primally Pure: mostly organic, even fewer ingredients, and made in the USA is a huge bonus.
You can read my full review of Sky & Sol’s sunscreen here!
Final Thoughts About Primally Pure Sun Cream ☀️
Overall, I’m pretty impressed with Primally Pure’s Sun Cream and would likely buy it again! It’s one of the cleanest, most minimal sunscreens I’ve ever used—no seed oils, mostly organic ingredients, and truly made with care. While the thick texture and slight white cast might not be for everyone (and the packaging could be improved), I love how nourishing it feels and appreciate the brand’s commitment to purity. It works well for body use, and I find the formula to be effective and gentle. It’s definitely earned a spot in my summer lineup!
Use code ORGANICALLYBECCA for a discount 🏷️
Let me know if this was a helpful review, and you can drop any questions in the comments section below! Thanks a bunch for reading and trusting my recommendations 💚
