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SPF Me, NaturallyHow hard is it to find a facial moisturizer containing sunscreenthat not only protects your skin, but absorbs nicely? Ourgallant guy goes in search of the good stuff.

By Kevin Raub

I'm highly particular about what I putor;.my face-you can call me a pretty boy,I guess-so it's with no small hesitationthat I step now into the world of natural SPFmoisturizers. I have been a moisturizer manfor a few years, but it wasn't until recentlythat I realized that having a little SPFin mymorning douse of hydration could do a lottowards routine skin cancer maintenance.I hadn't considered natural or organicmoisturizers before because I found tratmost natural sunscreens are a pain to rub in,and I'm not really up for wandering aroundlooking like a corpse. So, I begin my searchwith one goal in mind: Find a natural SPFmoisturizer that absorbs nicely and protectsmy skin from the sun.

Vegetarians and PETAlove BeautyWithout Cruelty's Organic FacialMoisturizer SPF I2 (www.bwcorganics.com).but it's really more of a sunscreen than amoisturizer, making it the most difficult torub in of all choices here, especially if youhave some residual facial hair. Aloe vera,lavender hydrosol, shea butter, rosehip seedoil, tamanu oil, and cucumber extract roundout the organic ingredients while vitaminC and coenzyme Qro neutralize free radicaldamage. If you're heading to the beach, thisone is nice since you're already in a rubbing-in frame of mind; every morning, though, istoo much work

Aubrey Organics' Green Tea and GingkoMoisturizer SPF I5 (www.aubrey-organics.com) rubs in lighter and easier than most ofthe moisturizers here. Organic jojoba oil andRosa Mosqueta handle the hydration, whileMatcha green tea powder and vitamin E giveThe Reisman to free radical damage. Thisone wins for miracle marketing: For one,rubbing gingko into my face every morningsomehow makes me feel smarter, though Ihave no calculable proof.

Zia's Skin Basics Daily Moisture ScreenSPF I5 (www.zianatural.com)is lightweightand mild, rubbing in easy (even with

stubble), utilizing organic aloe, cucumberextract, and rice bran oil for a non-greasybase. Organic chamomile sooths the skinwhile organic jojoba and shea butter supportcellular renewal and ward off the effects ofenvironmental stress. It offers full UVA/UVBprotection and its sleek, glass cylinder hous-ing wins the award here for both handinessin travel and modern design. But as I learnedfirst drop .ng it over the sink results ina llJangled mess glass shards and goo.

llimberly Saye of London's Anti-Oxidant Daily; oisturizing Cream SPF25 (ww .. erlysayer:com) is interesting inthat of all of the moisturizers here, it feelsthe least like an organic product. That's dueto its use of water-processed emulsifiers,which are higher quality and churn out aless greasy product. The sun block compo-nent here, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide,is certified organic along with antioxidantslike beech bud extract and numerous es-sential oils. If you're uneasy about switch-ing over to organic, this is the product foryou. And for a zinc-based product, it rubs insurprisingly welL

Green Apple Moisturizer SPF I5 fromJuice Beauty (www.juicebeauty.com)calls oncertified organic apple and lemon juices togive your face a burst of citrus along withfull spectrum, chemical-free SPFprotection.It rubs in exactly as it should, and disappearsjust as quickly. I'm a fan. And it deliversa boost of age-defying antioxidants andcoenzyme Qro to ward off wrinkles. My onlycomplaint is with the packaging: After thefirst few pumps, it's hard to get out, despitebeing nearly fulL tIl

Kevin Raub is a travel and entertainment

journalist and a contributing writer at

Organic Spa. His work appears regularly in

Travel-Leisure, Town £r COlin try, American

Way, Dame, and Lonely Planet, among others.

He lives in Los Angeles.