I bought the Alba Botanica Pure Lavender Sunscreen SPF 45 a few days ago because I hadn't ever tried it before. I shouldn't have wasted my money on this sunscreen. I thought it looked interesting because it was lavender scented and you don't really see that much with sunblock [well I've never seen it before]. I like Alba products because they are natural but this is definitely a let down. The lavender scent isn't too overpowering, it's just kind of light and calming. The problem with the sunscreen is the greasy feel and it's lack of absorption. The lotion just has a greasy feel to it right when you put it in your hands. When I put it on my arms I felt like I just sat there rubbing and rubbing to try to get it absorbed into my skin. It left that white film on my skin that would NOT go away. I tried using less of the product when I was putting it on my legs, thinking I just used too much on my arms. But I still had the same problem. It just wants to sit on top of my skin. I don't know how well it protects you from the sun because I washed the greasy mess off my body. I do NOT recommend Alba Botanica Pure Lavender Sunscreen SPF 45. It's a real let down.

evlmidget

Undisclosed

In our family we have a wide range of skin types, from my dry, super sensitive skin to my step-daughter's typical teenage skin to my daughter's baby sensitive skin and my husband who is half Irish and half Italian and who's skin will tan one day and burn the next. As a result I have always just had a lot of different types of sunscreen in my beach bag. When my mom joined us at the beach one day with her Alba Botanica Sunscreen I decided to try it on myself first, I figured if my skin could handle it than I would try it on everyone else. I was really impressed with how easy it was to smooth on and rub in and even after a whole day at the beach (where I'm sure I wasn't as diligent as I should have been about reapplying) my skin was completely unirritated and unburned. The next time we went I put it on the hubby and the kids and although I am better at reapplying the kids sunscreen than my own I still worry about them burning. Neither did. The big kid had a bit more tan than she had started the day with and the little one was as pale as ever. Alba is much less expensive, and much more readily available than a lot of the natural sunscreen brands and it works great!

mariecarey

USA

I have used Alba Botanica's various sunscreens for years, so when I saw the lavender scented variety on sale at my local grocery store I decided it was worth a try. The sunscreen is similar to the others in the Alba Botanica line in that it is made from natural ingredients that are safe for use all over your skin. The scent is ok, it isn't overwhelming and fades quickly. I'm not a huge fan of lavender scented products usually so that's a good thing. The sunscreen itself is a bit greasier than some of the others in the line. I definitely couldn't use this on my face without breaking out. It doesn't absorb very easily, you really have to rub it in to not be left with a white tint all over your skin. This is pretty common in natural sunscreens though, so it's not surprising. Once on, it seems to last a long time, and definitely keeps me from getting burnt while I'm in the sun. Overall, this sunscreen isn't my favorite, but it gets the job done, and I would buy it again if my other favorites weren't available.

Poofs

Voorhees, NJ

I purchased Alba Botanica Natural Very Emollient Sunblock in Pure Lavender scent online when I was needing a greater SPF product for when I was outside in the sun for hours. Titanium Dioxide is listed as one of the active ingredients. The product is a thick, white cream which absorbs readily into the skin and leaves a smooth feel to the skin. I love the way it makes my skin feel! It is not as thick or as effective as zinc oxide at blocking the sun's rays. It should be reapplied periodically during sun exposure and after swimming. The product has somewhat of a strong lavender scent, which may trigger asthma or allergy symptoms in those suffering from respiratory problems. I would caution people with breathing problems to avoid the lavender scent. I prefer unscented, but the lavender scent was the only option with an SPF of 45 when I placed my order. The scent does dissipate some several minutes after the product is applied.

lovehomemade

USA

I give this product a five out of ten score mainly due to the fact that it has a very obvious white film to it that makes my skin look extra pale and unattractive. In the summertime, I prefer to have a golden tan that compliments my complexion. Sadly this sunscreen was also extremely difficult to blend. I found it a hassle always finding white spots all over my skin in areas that I had a hard time blending the product. Overall the sunscreen provides wonderful protection from the sun, but I will not be purchasing it again. There are so many other sunscreen products out there that do not have the heavy consistency and white residue. Scent Has no scent, which is an appealing attribute. Absorption Is extremely greasy and has to be rubbed in compulsively in order to get rid of the white tint. Longevity Thick consistency lasts for a long time, although it feels greasy throughout. Effectiveness Protects my skin. Ease of Application Extremely difficult to blend the white cream onto my skin.

getbacktoserenity

USA

I really like this sunscreen for my body but it is a little heavy for the face.I love the way it smells, if you don't like lavender you will not like this sunscreen ,Alba makes other great sunscreens that are unscented.I love that it is chemical free and cruelty free. Scent strong lavender scent

bobbinc

USA

My all-time favorite sunscreen. Absolutely the best we've ever tried. My one and only complaint is that it's hard to find! I go through a LOT of sunscreen, and when I do find this stuff, I buy about 3 or 4 of them. The last time, however, my sisters talked me into selling them a few because they fell in love with it when we were all on vacation together. Neither of them had even heard of Alba before. Getting on the web to purchase has made it quick and easier. I and my sisters all love this sunscreen for us and our kids. We feel it's safer and doesn't have that cheesy, fake coconut smell that draws all the bugs in. It's MUCH easier on the eyes than other sunscreens, too. Like all sunscreens, however, it needs to be reapplied often. No more than any other sunscreen I've used before, though. I really can't find anything negative to say about this sunscreen; even the price is reasonable for being organic. I really think families need to keep this on hand, even in the winter for the faces. Absorption Not greasy at all, but not drying on the skin either. A perfect balance.

LoriZT

USA

This sunscreen does a great job at protecting your skin from the sun. Unlike most sunscreens, this one has an amazing lavender scent. Scent The smell is unlike any other sunscreen. It smells of sweet lavender blossoms. Absorption This absorbs into my skin really well, and I'm always careful to not over apply. Longevity Although the bottle says that you should reapply throughout the day, this sunscreen lasts me until I wash it off in the shower with body wash. Effectiveness I have very sensitive skin that burns easily. When I use this sunscreen I don't have any problems with burning at all. Last summer I was burn free! Ease of Application Very easy to apply, just rub it in. It can get melted and messy in the heat. I always store mine in the fridge to keep it from melting.

cimaed

USA

I bought some of the lavender sunscreen, and the fragrance free mineral version, on sale at Whole Foods. I rubbed it on and went back the next day and got several more tubes, of both types. The lavender smells wonderful and both products go on smoothly, but the lavender slightly more so. I like the mineral one because I feel those ingredients are effective right away, tho the text on both bottles say to wait 15 min. But both are natural formulations according to the tube, and feel wonderful on. They absorb well but the best part is how moisturizing they are. I plan to start using other Alba products based on my experience with the sunscreens. They are definitely a quality product. Effectiveness I use sunscreen so regularly that I might not notice the difference as easily, but I've been using it regularly and don't perceive any sun damage or effects.

nileagain

Silver Spring, MD

Being a lover of "natural" skincare products, I was drawn to the Alba Botanica line, conviently sold at my local Fred Meyer grocery store (in their natural foods department).  I love Freddy's because they have a section for travel sized products, and I often try them first to see if I like them or not, and if I do I return to purchase the full sized version. This is how I first tried Alba Botanica SUN Sunscreen in the Organic Lavender scent.  When I was a teenager I used to use coconut scented sunscreen, and one day I broke out in a rash from head to toe.  Since that time I have not been able to tolerate coconut scented products, and many sunscreens indeed do smell like coconut. Lavender is one of my favorite essential oil scents, but some products on the market that are labeled "lavender" don't really have real lavender oils, and they don't smell like real lavender.  This sunscreen really does smell like the real thing because it contains lavender - in fact lavender is the second ingredient. It comes out of the tube in a white cream, and this absorbs very easily and quickly into the skin, leaving no greasy feel behind.  It contains a sunscreen with a protection factor of 30, and will protect the skin against both UVA and UVB rays.  The front of the tube claims that the sunscreen is "Very water resistant", but recommends that it be reapplied after 40 minutes of exercise or water activities. For animal lovers (such as myself) you will be pleased to know that Alba Botanica does not test their products on defenseless animals.  This is a 100% vegetarian based sunscreen.  For those looking for a more natural sunscreen, this is it.  There are no parabens, and the ingredients are amazing.  The SPF 30 does a good job of protecting the skin from sunburn, the only time I have been burned this summer was when I burned the back of my neck in Hawaii, but I failed to put sunscreen on that area of my body, so it was my own fault. Alba Botanica Lavender Sunscreen with a SPF of 30 is good for my skin, it makes it feel nourished and mooisturized, and it smells heavenly.  What's not to love? Scent Love lavender and this smells like a field of lavender, very nice and Absorption Absorbs well, that is one thing I like about this sunscreen! Longevity Lasts for several hours at a time Effectiveness Saves my skin from sunburns! It does what it is supposed to do without some of the more harmful chemicals Ease of Application Just rub it in like hand lotion

Suze51

Eagle River, AK