I’ve Tried UpCircle’s Mineral Sunscreen – Here Is What I Thought About It

Overall Rating:

4.77/5

Effective Protection = 4.9

Value For Money = 4.6

Ease Of Use = 4.8

White Film On Skin = 4.8

Protecting my skin from the sun while also protecting our environment is my aim this summer. So I’ve tried the mineral sunscreen by UpCircle to see if it can deliver.

Most of the conventional sunscreens available in the UK contain organic or chemical UV filters. Through a lot of research I have found out that those are bad for our environment.

Thankfully, that doesn’t mean we have to stop using sun protection, instead it means we have to switch to eco-friendly sunscreen alternatives: mineral or inorganic sunscreen.

In my UpCircle sunscreen review, I share my experience with their mineral sunscreen so you can make the right choice for your skin and the environment this summer.

Who Are UpCircle?

Founded in 2016, UK-based company UpCircle was initially a coffee-based skincare brand, but with a sustainability twist. The coffee used to make their products was upcycled from used coffee grounds from artisan coffee shops.

With success came growth, and the founders, siblings Will and Anna, expanded their range over the years. Now they have a wide range of natural skin care products.

Each of their products includes at least one upcycled ingredient and is made in the UK. They now have more than 50 upcycled ingredients, isn’t that absolutely fabulous?

“One Man’s Rubish Is Another Man’s Treasure”

I love that they turn a waste product from one industry, into a high-quality ingredient for their skin care products.

And they have been really creative in sourcing their “waste”, working with businesses from the food and drinks industry, the flower industry, the furniture industry, and many more.

Many of their upcycled ingredients, for example, are by-products from the juicing industry, where they use the pulp or seeds from the waste and turn them into benefical ingredients for your skin. And you won’t find any nasty chemcials in their products either.

Their environmental ethos continues with their packaging, which is 99% plastic free. What about the remaining 1%, I hear you ask. Well, they offer plastic-free refills for those. So if you have a pump that contains plastic, you keep it and buy a plastic-free refill, so no plastic waste.

As packaging they use glass and aluminium lids, both recyclable at home in the UK. And more importantly, these materials can be recycled again and again, unlike plastic. The cardboard boxes the products come in are made from FSC certified materials, as are their marketing materials.

Even the fillers that protect the products during transit are plastic-free. The shipping “peanuts” they use might look like plastic ones, but they are made of corn starch. They will completely dissolve in water or can be composted.

Return Refill System

They also aim for a closed loop packaging system. This means you can send back empty glass jars and bottles (after you have cleaned them) for free. They will then steralise them, refill them, and send them back to you.

Taking part in this scheme isn’t just good for the environment, but also your purse, because you get a discount on these products. Win-win!

If you want an eco-friendly brand that has thought of everyting, you found it with UpCircle.

Super Light Consistency

Unlike many other mineral sunscreens I have tried, the UpCircle sunscreen has very light consistency, which makes it much easier to rub in. That’s because it’s oil based rather than butter based, like others that often use shea butter.

The upcycled ingredient is raspberry seed oil, which they get from the juicing industry. It’s a hydrating substance that will protect your skin, thanks to high the amounts of antioxidants it contains.

Other beneficial natural ingredients include aloe vera leaf extract, sunflower oil, and lavender oil, which also gives the sun cream a lovely, fresh scent, that is wonderfully subtle.

No White Marks

Because of the light consistency, you won’t get any white marks, as long as you make sure your rub in the cream well. This is something that many people are worried about when considering a mineral sunscreen.

The mineral UV filters reflect between 30% to 50% of visible light, which can give the skin a whitish cast, according to a 2015 study.

But, the formulation of the UpCircle sunscreen is such that if there are any white marks, they are hardly visible. This is great news for you, if you were worried about looking like a ghost.

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Effective Broad Spectrum Protection

Let’s get to the most important point of my UpCircle sunscreen review: is it effective in protecting your skin from the sun?

The UV filter used, is zinc oxide, which provides broad spectrum protection, according to a study from 2005. This means this sunscreen will protect you from UVA and UVB radiation, keeping your skin as healthy as possible.

Importantly, the zinc oxide is used in non-nano form, which is the most eco-friendly from possible, according to a study from 2018. My only complaint is that they only offer SPF 25. Because I have very fair skin, I prefer to use a higher sun protection factor, ideally SPF 50.

No Redness After Sun Exposure

I have now used the UpCircle sunscreen several times and it protected me perfectly from the sun. There was no redness, even after sitting in full sunlight for an hour to watch an outdoor theatre performance.

Even when out for my morning run, the sun cream kept my skin protected. I did notice some white patches where I’ve been sweating, but that’s normal. We know that if you sweat you need to reapply to stay protected.

However, as I was only out for 30 minutes, the sunscreen was effective in keeping the sun’s UV radiation at bay. So I’m very happy with the effectiveness of this mineral sunscreen.

Soft Skin Even Days After

One thing I love about this sun cream is that it seems to nourrish my skin while protecting it. Straight after putting it on, my skin felt soft and hydrated, which is great as I tend to have dry skin.

But even a couple of days after using it, my skin sill felt wonderfully soft. I never had that with any of the chemical sunscreens I used before. Also, my skin didn’t play up either.

I have, what I call angry skin, which gets red and dry when I use anything else on my face than my normal moituriser. This can be a huge problem. But because UpCircle only uses natural ingredients, their sunscreen doesn’t make my skin angry.

This is a huge relief, because it means that I can confidently use it to protect my skin from the sun’s radiation. I could even use it as a daily SPF moisturiser during summer.

A Bit Pricier Than Other Mineral Sunscreens

While I absolutley love the UpCircle concept and their sunscreen in particular, they are a bit more expensive than other mineral sunscreens. Compared to conventional chemcial sunscreens, pretty much all mineral ones are more expensive.

That’s because synthetic ingredients are much cheaper than natural ingredients. But the UpCircle sunscreen is also more expensive than other mineral sunscreens I have tried.

Depsite of this, you do get real value for money. Effective protection from UV raditation, without nasty chemcials that harm our environment, packaged in zero-waste packaging that’s pretty much plastic-free.

And the knowledge that you are doing your bit for our planet. So you do get a lot for your money.

94% Positive Reviews On Trustpilot

I always like to check what others think, before I buy. And I did the same with UpCircle. They have a 4.7-star rating on Trustpilot from over 1,900 reviews, with 94% giving either a 5- or 4-star review.

What customers love most is the environmental ethos of the company, but also the products. I was especially pleased to see many people with sensitive skin or other skin issues saying that the products work great for them.

Of the 6% negative reviews who gave 3 stars or less, the issues mostly ocurred around delivery or non-delivery. Although some people did say the products didn’t work for them.

4.2-Star Rating For Sunscreen

Regarding the sunscreen itself, it has a 4.2-star rating from just over 60 reviews on their Amazon store. 76% gave a 4- or 5-star review. Most customers agreed with me saying it offers effective protection.

Again, many customers with senstive skin noted that it didn’t cause irritations, which is great to see.

Of the 11% who gave a 1- or 2-star review, some did say the sunscreen left a white cast. However, others said it would disapear over time.

Overall, UpCircle has very happy customers, that love their products and their ethos.

Final Thoughts On My Experience

To close my UpCircle sunscreen review, I’d like to say that despite the higher price, I would heartily recommend it to anyone who wants to swap to eco-friendly sun protection.

Products that contain natural upcycled ingredients that were waste or by-products from other industries is the way forward in my opinion. It allows us to reduce waste without compromising on quality or effectiveness.

The UpCircle sunscreen lets you protect your skin while also protecting the environment, on more than one level. And I just love that.

So if you want to switch to eco-friendly sun protection this summer, this mineral sunscreen is definitely worth a try.

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