are your products reef-friendly?
while there is no specific test to certify a sunscreen as reef-friendly, many of our sunscreens adhere to all of the guidelines of being considered reef-friendly, meaning they are free of the chemical sunscreen actives oxybenzone and octonixate, and utilize plant based ingredients. this includes our entire mineral collection along with an assortment of our classic sunscreens. we have always been free of oxybenzone, and as these guidelines have continued to develop, coola is taking the appropriate steps towards being entirely octinoxate-free by the end of 2018.our passion has always been to create organic sunscreens that safely protect our friends and our environment. we look at the entire sunscreen formula – not just spf actives – when evaluating our success. over fifty percent of us waterways are polluted, with much of the damage coming from the over-use of pesticides. we try to be as eco-friendly as possible by sourcing our raw ingredients from organic farms significantly reducing our impact on rivers and streams, and the oceans they run into- and we think that’s best for the environment!
coola offers two very distinct sunscreen collections - classic and mineral. the active sun protection ingredients are the main difference between the two. our classic sunscreens use the latest fda approved chemical actives designed to absorb and dissipate uva/uvb rays, while our mineral sunscreens use mineral (also commonly referred to as “physical”) active ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to scatter and reflect uva/uvb rays. all of our formulas are blended into luxurious, moisturizing bases, and guarantee broad-spectrum protection from both uva and uvb rays.
while there is no specific test to certify a sunscreen as reef-friendly, many of our sunscreens adhere to all of the guidelines of being considered reef-friendly, meaning they are free of the chemical sunscreen actives oxybenzone and octonixate, and utilize plant based ingredients. this includes our entire mineral collection along with an assortment of our classic sunscreens. we have always been free of oxybenzone, and as these guidelines have continued to develop, coola is taking the appropriate steps towards being entirely octinoxate-free by the end of 2018.our passion has always been to create organic sunscreens that safely protect our friends and our environment. we look at the entire sunscreen formula – not just spf actives – when evaluating our success. over fifty percent of us waterways are polluted, with much of the damage coming from the over-use of pesticides. we try to be as eco-friendly as possible by sourcing our raw ingredients from organic farms significantly reducing our impact on rivers and streams, and the oceans they run into- and we think that’s best for the environment! coola makes luxury organic suncare! here at coola, we believe there is a sunscreen for everyone and choose to create formulas that look and feel good on the skin, but are above all, safe and effective! we offer several collections including our award-winning classic and mineral sunscreen collections, beauty collection, sunless tan collection, and post-sun environmental repair+ line. our full line of luxury sun and skincare products incorporate a farm to face sourcing philosophy, using the freshest and most natural ingredients whenever possible. look for our organic formulas that contain over 70% certified organic ingredients and are easily identified by our organic seals. additionally, we formulate with plant protection, which allows us to achieve clinically tested, broad spectrum and antioxidant-rich protection while using fewer traditional actives. all of our coola products are made in the usa. spf stands for sun protection factor and refers to a sunscreen's ability to deflect uvb rays, those responsible for burning. use a broad spectrum spf 30 sunscreen daily to protect not only against sunburn, but reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging caused by the sun. uva rays are responsible for premature aging, while uvb rays are responsible for burning, so you want to look for a sunscreen that is ‘broad spectrum’, which means that it protects against both uva and uvb rays. rest assured, all coola sunscreens guarantee broad spectrum protection! the active sun protection ingredients are the main difference between the two. our classic sunscreens use active ingredients (also commonly referred to as “chemicals”) designed to absorb and dissipate uva/uvb rays (by converting into heat), while our mineral sunscreens use mineral (also commonly referred to as “physical”) active ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to scatter and reflect uva/uvb rays. our classic sunscreens and mineral sunscreens are blended into luxurious, moisturizing bases which make up about 90% of the product, and 70% of this includes certified organic ingredients.our classic sunscreen should be applied at least 30 minutes before sun exposure, while our mineral sunscreens are effective right after application. all of our formulations, both classic and mineral, guarantee broad-spectrum protection from both uva and uvb rays. the expiration date on our face and body products can be found on the crimp seal of the tubes, while our spray cans and liplux products can be found on the bottom of the can and stick. the code that is embossed on the crimp seal will indicate the batch number and will then read ex, with the first two numbers indicating the month and the last two numbers indicating the year. for example: a4ex0116 is a product that has expired in january of 2016.after the printed expiration date, the sunscreen actives will start to lose its effectiveness. this is not to say it is completely ineffective, however we can no longer claim the spf levels listed on the bottle. because of this, we always recommend using your product before expiration to ensure you are receiving full spf protection. for continued sun protection, sunscreen should be applied at least every 2 hours, if playing in water, swimming, or sweating, should be applied after the water resistant time (40 minutes to 80 minutes), as well as after towel drying. you should always apply plenty of sunscreen. we recommend about one teaspoon (5ml) for each arm, each leg, front, back, face (which includes your neck and ears). that's about 35ml for a full body application. yes, our body sunscreens are safe for use on the face and vice versa, however our body lotions will feel a little bit thicker than our face formulas. additionally, if using our body sprays on the face, we suggest first spraying onto the hands and pressing onto the face. as with all skincare products, we suggest doing a small patch test for any sensitivities prior to use. all of our products are safe for use during pregnancy as well as nursing, however, we suggest reaching out to your physician for any specific concerns. all of our sunscreens are safe for use on kids, however we understand that everyone has different sensitivities and suggest doing a small patch test prior to use. for ultra sensitive skin, we offer our mineral baby spf 50 lotion and baby stick! while all of our sunscreens are safe to use around the mouth area, we do not suggest applying directly to the lips. coola offers an assortment of lip specific products with spf. as with all facial products, when applying sunscreen to the face, we recommend applying around the orbital bone and avoiding the eye area. should product get into the eyes, rinse with water to remove. to protect your eyes from sun damage, we kindly suggest wearing sunglasses that absorb or block uva/uvb rays, and large brimmed hats, whenever possible! because we formulate our mineral products by separating and encapsulating each particle, our products offer not only the most transparent application, but also the best, most even uv protection. however, if getting a sheer application remains a concern, we would love to suggest any products from our classic, non-mineral collection. the products within this collection have a weightless formulation that absorbs instantly into the skin. and because they are formulated with non-mineral actives, there is no potential for whitening of the skin. our classic collection contains the latest fda approved chemical actives and are the ewg’s highest-ranking non-mineral lotion and spray lotions. by formulating with over 70%+ certified organic ingredients, our formulas are designed with sensitive skin in mind, and greatly reduce the potential for irritation. at coola, we believe in creating a sunscreen for everyone, and there is a huge demand for non-mineral sunscreens. the reason the demand for these products is so high is due to the weightless feel that absorbs so nicely into the skin. what coola has done, to create the most safe and effective non-mineral sunscreens is formulate our products with natural plant phyto-protectors, which naturally boost our sunscreen’s effectiveness and greatly reduce the potential for irritation. we also have integrated in a organic emulsifier, hydresia o, extracted from safflower oil. this emulsifier acts as a barrier on the skin and only allows water-soluble ingredients to penetrate the epidermis. the coola classic collection contains 70-97% organic ingredients. we are one of the only sunscreen companies in the world to be able to make this claim! the fda recognises organic content in otc (over the counter) drug products, which include sunscreen, as follows: the percent organic refers to all the ingredients except the active ingredients. the reason why active ingredients aren’t recognised is because no sunscreen active ingredients (mineral or non-mineral) can ever be certified organic. this is simply because they cannot be farmed because they don’t ‘grow’. as a company, coola strives to be as transparent as possible. even though fda labelling doesn’t require us to, we include the words “organic inactives” after labelling the percent organic on all of our products. after all, we can’t expect everyone to know how the fda regulates organic content in otc products and we want to keep our customers as informed as possible. coola wants to be able to give our users the safest options when it comes to the sunscreens you put on your body so we do not use harmful aerosol in our spray cans. not only is aerosol bad for you to breathe in, it is also harmful to the environment! what coola has done is utilized air-compression so that our spray cans are safe to use on and around the face. additionally, this air-compressed bag on valve technology allows you to use every last drop of sunscreen! many of our sunscreens are water resistant up to 40 or 80 minutes. keep in mind no sunscreen can be waterproof, so make sure to reapply at least every two hours, and immediately after towel drying! many of our products are gluten-free, with the exception of our spf30 rosilliance bb+ creams, and our mineral sport spf30 citrus mimosa lotion. however, as with all food sensitivities, our suppliers may share manufacturing equipment with gluten containing ingredients. likewise for our facility, we have ingredients in our facility that contain gluten. we do not have dedicated equipment for gluten free products. although our cleaning procedures are validated to fda standards, we have not validated cleaning procedures to guarantee no gluten cross-contamination. many of our products are vegan friendly! you can see them here. coola offers two very distinct sunscreen collections - classic and mineral. the active sun protection ingredients are the main difference between the two. our classic sunscreens use the latest fda approved chemical actives designed to absorb and dissipate uva/uvb rays, while our mineral sunscreens use mineral (also commonly referred to as “physical”) active ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to scatter and reflect uva/uvb rays. all of our formulas are blended into luxurious, moisturizing bases, and guarantee broad-spectrum protection from both uva and uvb rays. we formulate our mineral sunscreens by uniquely, separating and encapsulating each active in an effort to keep them equidistant from each other. this equal dispersal provides not only the most transparent application, but also the best protection, as the active particles evenly reflect uv rays. our entire collection is completely animal cruelty free. you can find our cruelty free symbol of approval on packaging for the products in the form of the animal cruelty free heart bunny. we do not test our ingredients or products on animals during any point of production; the same can be said for any third parties, and we can verify that our ingredient suppliers do not test the ingredients or supplies on animals. you can sign up to our coola rewards programme here - we'll give you 30 points just for signing up to get you started. you can check your points balance at any time by clicking on the gift icon on the bottom left-hand corner of any page of our website. for every dollar you spend, you'll earn 1 point. collect points to earn discounts.250 points = $10 off your next purchase500 points = $20 off your next purchase1000 points = $50 off your next purchaseyou'll be emailed a special discount code every time you earn a new reward. you can also earn rewards by sharing us with your friends and family.  use your unique referral link by clicking the gift icon once you're logged in. share this with your friends, and when they make a purchase using your code, you'll earn a $5 voucher for your next purchase! parabens are a group of compounds used as preservatives, usually in pharmaceuticals and cosmetic products, but they are also found in the food industry. all of coolas products are paraben free. paba stands for para-aminobenzoic acid and is usually found in cosmetic products. all of coolas products are paba free. here at coola, we believe what we keep out of our products is equally important as what we put into it! that's why we follow a strict restricted ingredient list that goes beyond industry standards to exclude over 870+ questionable or harmful ingredients from all of our formulations and remain free of ingredients like parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrance, oxybenzone and octinoxate. in the event that your products are faulty or cause an allergic reaction, we will provide you with a full refund or exchange within 14 days of the original purchase date. exchanges must be for another product to the same value. please note we will not accept a return after 14 days and we will not accept returns of opened products (with the exception of if an allergic reaction has occurred). we strongly recommend that you visit one of our stockists prior to purchasing online to ensure the correct colour, shade, texture etc is purchased - as we will not provide refunds or exchanges based on change-of-mind. for more details about how to return products see our returns policy