Shwally Sunbalm Stick – Lightly Tinted SPF 20
Clean mineral sun care you can throw in a beach bag. Non-nano zinc oxide in a nourishing base of grass-fed tallow and organic avocado oil, lightly tinted so it blends in instead of leaving you ghostly.
- Non-nano zinc oxide, one of only two filters the FDA proposed as safe and effective
- Lightly tinted with iron oxide to cut the white cast
- Grass-fed tallow, avocado oil and shea leave skin cared for, not chalky
- Mess-free stick for faces, ears, noses and quick reapplication
- 6 ingredients, no chemical filters, no fragrance and no preservatives
The protection of our Mineral SunBalm, now in a stick you can swipe with one hand. Non-nano zinc oxide sits on top of your skin in a nourishing base of grass-fed tallow, organic avocado oil, shea butter and beeswax.
A light tint from iron oxide helps it blend in instead of leaving a ghostly white cast. Six ingredients, no chemical filters, no fragrance, and no preservatives needed because it's water-free.
Clean mineral sun care shouldn't cost more than the chemical stuff. We keep ours simple and priced for everyday, every-summer use.
Ingredients: 100% Grass-Fed Tallow, Organic Avocado Pulp Oil, Non-Nano Zinc Oxide, Unrefined Beeswax, Unrefined Shea Butter, Iron Oxide
What you won't find: Chemical UV filters, Oxybenzone & octinoxate, Nano particles, Fragrance, Preservatives.
- Swipe. 15 minutes before sun, swipe a thick layer over face, ears, nose and shoulders.
- Blend. Rub in with your fingertips until the tint evens out.
- Reapply. At least every 2 hours, and right after swimming, sweating or towel drying.
- Stack. In peak midday sun, add shade, a hat and protective clothing.
- Morning · Defend: Shwally Elemental C Brightening Serum. Antioxidant support underneath.
- Outside · Protect: Shwally Sunbalm Stick – Lightly Tinted SPF 20. Swipe on and reapply every 2 hours.
- Body · Cover: Shwally Zinc & Avocado Mineral SunBalms. The tub, for arms, legs and backs.
- After sun · Replenish: Shwally Dream Body Lotion – Tallow & Probiotics. Soften sun-dried skin after the beach.
Buy It With
Buy It With
Sun Protection That Goes Where You Go
Tubs are perfect at home. But at the beach, on the trail or chasing kids around the park, you need something you can grab and swipe with one hand.
Our Sunbalm Stick carries the same philosophy as our Mineral SunBalm: non-nano zinc oxide in grass-fed tallow and avocado oil, now in a solid stick with shea butter and beeswax to help it glide and stay put.
Zinc oxide is a mineral that sits on top of the skin to help block UV. A touch of iron oxide gives it a light tint, so it blends in more naturally than untinted mineral formulas.
Swipe on a thick layer, rub it in, and get back outside.
We hope you love it as much as we do.
-Amanda
Shwally vs.
- UV filters: Non-nano zinc oxide (mineral) (typical: chemical filters like oxybenzone)
- Base: Tallow, avocado, shea, beeswax (typical: synthetic emollients and fillers)
- Fragrance: None (typical: often added)
- Preservatives: None needed, water-free (typical: usually required)
- Format: Solid stick, no drips (typical: lotion or aerosol spray)
How It Feels
The Research Behind It
Published studies on these ingredients, summarized in our own words. They describe the ingredients, not tests of this product.
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In an FDA-run clinical trial, 48 adults applied four common chemical sunscreens. All six chemical filters tested (avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate and octinoxate) reached blood levels above the FDA's threshold for further safety testing, most after a single day. The FDA stressed the health impact is unknown and that people should keep using sunscreen. Our stick uses none of these filters.
Source: Matta MK, et al. JAMA, 2020. View study
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In a double-blind trial, 68 people prone to sun-triggered dark patches used either a UV-only sunscreen or one with iron oxide to block visible light, both SPF 50 or higher, for 8 weeks alongside the same brightening treatment. The iron oxide group improved more: 15% more on the severity score and 28% more on color measurements.
Source: Castanedo-Cazares JP, et al. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 2014. View study
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In its 2019 proposed sunscreen rule, the FDA proposed that only two active ingredients, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, be recognized as safe and effective based on the available data.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Proposed rule on sunscreen drug products, February 2019.
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In people with medium-to-deep skin exposed to visible light, iron oxide formulas significantly protected against light-induced darkening, while a non-tinted mineral SPF 50+ performed about the same as unprotected skin.
Source: Dumbuya H, et al. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2020.
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Zinc oxide blocks both UVB and long-wave UVA, and it's photostable, meaning it doesn't break down in sunlight the way some chemical filters can.
Source: Mitchnick MA, Fairhurst D, Pinnell SR. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1999.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Same philosophy, new format. The stick adds shea butter and a light iron oxide tint in a solid, mess-free stick, great for faces and reapplying on the go. Our SunBalm comes in a tub in SPF 30 and 40.
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The stick is labeled SPF 20 when applied in a thick, even layer. For long days outdoors, reapply often and pair it with shade and protective clothing.
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It's lightly tinted with iron oxide to reduce the white cast common with mineral sunscreens. How it looks can vary by skin tone.
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It isn't labeled water-resistant, so reapply right after swimming, sweating or towel drying.
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It contains no oxybenzone or octinoxate, the two chemical filters Hawaii banned in 2021 over concerns for coral reefs.
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At least every 2 hours, and after swimming, sweating or towel drying. For children under 6 months, ask a doctor.