I really wanted to like this sunscreen. It was very thick, gritty, smelly and tough to rub in and then try to get it off! I get that its supposed to be that way because of the zinc oxide but, I also burned using this product. Yes, I reapplied as directed, Im fair skinned and so Im verrrry vigilant about sunscreen. Theres another reef safe sunscreen that works better but, I think the name will be blocked if I put it here. It will show up if you research it.

Do not buy this stuff. My boyfriend and I bought it for a trip to the Galapagos Islands so we were slathering it on 5 days straight. Both of our skin is completely dried out and peeling off and our hands are red and raw and peeling. Literally have not used it in 3 days now and my skin looks like that of a 90 year old I sure hope this situation gets better. Thankful I did not use it on my face.

I purchased this for my trip to Mexico where they are pretty strict about what you can wear when swimming/snorkeling/diving in certain areas. This worked great. Here is what I believe you should know:
1. It does go on thick so be prepared to do some rubbing
2. It takes a while, but it will eventually rub MOSTLY into the skin
3. There is a slight white sheen left on your skin. No matter how long I rubbed, it never fully absorbed into the skin.
4. It isn't necessarily an unpleasant odor, but it certainly isn't neutral. I guess I'd call it musty & earthy if anything. Would be great if they could mask it with a floral or tropical aroma.
5. It works great! I've gotten some pretty bad sunburns before because I'm an idiot and forget to pay attention while swimming. Even if the water is cool, having your back facing the sun for long periods of time never ends well. Except when wearing this sunscreen. I never got sunburned or even red after 7 days of swimming and snorkeling. That's a huge discovery for me!
6. It won't come off in the water. I used this daily for hours snorkeling and swimming in the beautiful Caribbean waters. It didn't come off until I washed it off. Speaking of washing...
7. It does take some scrubbing to get it completely off your skin. Depending on how much you use, it might take more than one hand washing to get it off. However, once I showered, it seemed to come off without worry.
8. It can and does sometimes leave a residue on your clothes. Where I stayed had a washing machine so I was able to wash my clothes throughout the week. Whatever might have transferred onto my clothing came off in the wash. I cannot confirm what might happen if you leave it on for an extended time (if you can't wash it before traveling home).
9. This smaller size is perfect for a week of vacationing. There was barely anything left after and entire week of use. I'm 6'-3" and I used it everywhere except my bathing suit (shorts) region. A little goes a long way if you are patient and rub.
Great product. I'll be ordering it at least twice a year.

If you are used to traditional sunscreen using chemicals such as oxybenzone to protect against the sun, this will be a tough product for you. However, if you're a user of this type of sunscreen with the zinc oxide instead of the chemical based sunscreens, you will LOVE this. We used ThinkBaby brand for a long while, but I noticed my skin would become irritated with ThinkBaby and my son developed a rash. NOT with Raw Elements! With Raw Elements, my sensitive 40 year old skin is WELL protected, moisturized, and doesn't feel dry or break out afterwards. I have tried many natural zinc oxide based sunscreens and this one, along with Beauty by Earth, is a favorite.
Raw Elements is an excellent sunscreen for all over body use/on a heavy outside activity day. We use this for our family when we go to the beach. It's not a good one for everyday/out on the town usage (I use Beauty by Earth for this) due to its thickness, but I truly love it for going to the swim park, beach/ocean, or other longer daytime activities, especially those involving water. The water will bead and roll right off of you, and it's tough for the kids to wipe off, so better protection (I have a child who wipes his eyes frequently when coming out of the water).
It covers well, and if used properly and reapplied after 80 minutes in the sun, it protects well. We went all summer at the beach and various other activities and with our fair skin were NEVER burned. We always reapply in high exposed areas after being out for about 90 min. I noticed some reviewers commented on the smell. I am sensitive to smells and this did not bother me. It's due to the ingredients used, so to me it smells like putty - hard to describe. It is not strong, in my opinion, and my children became accustomed to it over the summer after using it frequently.

The ingredients in the sunscreen couldn't get any better, and the moisturizing aspect of it is a huge plus for our family's sensitive skin. We've used this for 3 months solid, never any issues. Yes, it's zinc oxide so you have to really rub it in. But once you do, it covers well.
I like the squeeze bottle, but my favorite is the tin can because I feel I can get every ounce of sunscreen from it easily. It's sometimes more expensive, so I buy according to Amazon's latest price trends on the containers.

I wanted to love this sunscreen. The ingredients read more like a lotion and I was so excited. It's got a weird smell to it - my kids hated the smell - I put it on and went tubing. It lasted great! Didn't wash off at all and there lays the problem. Here I am day 2 and so sticky I couldn't get a good nights sleep. I soaped up twice last night but just can't get it off. On the flip side I'm sure my skin is being nurtured by all the butters and bees wax but ..... the sticky feeling ruined it for me.