Good snorkeling lip sunscreen can be challenging to find. We always choose mineral ones for our health and that of the creatures of the ocean. Water-resistance and protecting our lips from sunburn are the two things we look for.
Good news! We have finally found some lip sunblocks that we can recommend.
Our Snorkeling Lip Sunscreen Test
Once we found some sunscreen lip balms to try, we took them snorkeling. We put them on at least 15 minutes before getting in the water. And then, we checked after the snorkel to see if we could feel or see them still on. We also made sure we did not get burned lips.
Similar to our regular sunscreen tests, we tested these snorkeling lip sunscreens for:
- Preventing sunburn
- Water-resistance
- Ease of application
- Cosmetic appearance
Also like our regular sunscreen tests, we only use and test reef-friendly, biodegradable, mineral lip sunscreens (made with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, or a combination). We don’t test ones made with chemical sunscreens known to harm reefs and not good for our health. Read more about these chemicals on our sunscreen page.
Best Snorkeling Lip Sunscreen Test Winners
We are pleased to share with you our favorite snorkeling lip sunscreen and another that works well too.
We include the ingredient lists below so that you can verify you are using the same formulation we tested. If the company changes its formulation, it may not work the same as it did in our tests.
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Note: Our suggestions come from hands-on experience. We hope you find them helpful. You can help us if you purchase from the links below. We may make a small commission, as an Amazon Associate or from other companies, at no extra cost to you.
Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sport Stick SPF 30
Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sport Stick SPF 30 (on Amazon) is our number one pick for reef-friendly snorkeling lip sunscreen. When we were searching for lip sunscreens, we realized that some companies were only offering stick sunscreens that were made to be used on lips along with other parts of the face, so this stick is larger than a normal lip balm. This one is rated 80 minutes water-resistant and it stays on very well during a snorkel.
One confusing thing we don’t like about this product is their use of the words “Clear Zinc” on their label. Those words are usually used by companies who use nano-sized zinc oxide, which is NOT reef-friendly. But, the zinc used in this product is non-nano sized and therefore believed to be reef-friendly.
It does go on slightly white, but has an easy spreading consistency. We did not get burned lips while using this snorkeling lip sunscreen.
Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sport Stick SPF 30 Results
- Preventing Sunburn: Excellent
- Water-Resistance: Excellent
- Ease of Application: Excellent
- Cosmetic Appearance: Slightly White
Ingredients: Non-nano Zinc Oxide 15.0%, Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Calophyllum Tacamahaca Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Jojoba Esters, Octyldodecyl Oleate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopherol. *Certified Organic Ingredients
Stream2Sea Sun Protect Lip Balms SPF 30
Our favorite reef safe sunscreen company, Stream2Sea, has three SPF 30 sunscreen lip balms. They have a Naturally Naked Sun Protect Lip Balm (unflavored and unscented), a cherry vanilla one, and a cucumber mint one. Stream2Sea is graciously offering our site visitors 10% off your first order by using the coupon code TropicalSnorkeling on Stream2Sea’s website at the links above.
While these lip balms stay on throughout a snorkel and protect lips from sunburn, they do not have the most enjoyable consistency. When you first put them on they are gritty. It does smooth out some after being on for a few minutes, but they stay a bit gritty. They are also very white in appearance. For these two reasons, we prefer using the Babo Botanicals one above.
Stream2Sea’s products are all tested reef safe, so, that is a good reason to use this product over the one above.
Stream2Sea Sun Protect Lip Balms SPF 30 Results
- Preventing Sunburn: Excellent
- Water-Resistance: Excellent
- Application: Good
- Cosmetic Appearance: White
Ingredients (Naturally Naked): Titanium Dioxide 7% (Non-Nano), Zinc Oxide 6% (Non-Nano), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Camellia Sinenis (Green Tea) Leaf, Ocimum Tinuiflorum (Tulsi) Leaf, Alaria Esculenta (Wakame Seaweed), and Olea Europa (Olive) Leaf Extracts in Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Candelilla Cera Wax, Caprylic Capric Triglycerides, Copernicia Prunifera (Carnauba) Wax, Cetyl Esters, Glyceryl Caprylate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Mica, Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E), Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Rice Starch, Silica, Sorbitan Olivate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter.
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Other Snorkeling Lip Sunscreens We Tested
RAW Elements Lip Rescue 30 SPF
Though this product is rated 80 minutes water-resistant, we could not bring ourselves to test it because we disliked the texture and scent so much.