Thinksport
Quick verdict: Thinksport is what happens when a brand optimizes for the test rather than the shelf. It has held EWG’s best sunscreen rating since 2010, it’s EWG Verified, the active is non-nano zinc oxide, and it costs a fraction of the boutique mineral brands. It’s also water-resistant enough for actual swimming, which most mineral formulas aren’t. It leaves a cast. Our rating: 4.2 out of 5.
Who they are
Kevin Brodwick founded the company in 2009 after looking for a baby product without the chemicals he’d been reading about and not finding one. Thinkbaby came first, Thinksport followed, and both run on the same formulation philosophy: start from the restricted list and work backwards.
It’s independent and still founder-led.
What they get right
0 , which requires full ingredient disclosure and compliance with EWG’s restricted list, reviewed rather than self-declared. The sunscreens have also carried EWG’s top rating since 2010, which is a long run of consistency rather than a single good year.
Non-nano zinc oxide as the only active, with no oxybenzone or octinoxate. That’s the formulation the reef-safe legislation actually targets, and the one that avoids the hormone questions attached to chemical filters.
It holds up in water, rated to 80 minutes, which is the practical failure point for most mineral sunscreens and the reason people abandon them at the beach.
The price is the quiet advantage. Mineral sunscreen usually carries a premium; Thinksport doesn’t, which matters for a product you’re supposed to reapply generously every two hours.
Where they fall short
It leaves a white cast, and there’s no way around that with a meaningful percentage of non-nano zinc. On deeper skin tones this is a real limitation rather than an aesthetic quibble, and it is the single most common reason people go back to chemical sunscreen.
The texture is thick and takes work to rub in. That’s the same tradeoff from a different angle.
Certification is product-level rather than company-level: EWG Verified covers the formula, but there’s no B Corp or equivalent assessing how the business operates, and the sustainability story around packaging is thin.
What they sell and what it costs
Mineral sunscreens in lotion, stick and spray formats, separate baby and kids lines under the Thinkbaby name, plus a small body care range. Sunscreens typically run $12 to $20, which undercuts most of the reef-safe specialists.
Who it’s actually for
Families, swimmers, and anyone who wants the highest-rated mineral protection without paying boutique prices. It’s the best value in sun care in this directory.
If the cast is a dealbreaker, look at a tinted mineral formula. If you want organic certification alongside it, Badger.
Deals and discounts
No affiliate program on our side, so nothing here earns us anything.
Related reading
- Reef-Safe Sunscreen: 7 Mineral Picks That Rub In
- 7 Skincare Ingredients to Avoid
- Endocrine Disruptors in Cosmetics: 6 to Know by Name
Frequently asked questions
Is Thinksport reef-safe?
Its active is non-nano zinc oxide with no oxybenzone or octinoxate, which is exactly what the Hawaii legislation and reef-safe guidance target. Worth remembering that “reef-safe” isn’t a regulated term, so the useful check is always the active ingredient rather than the phrase on the front of the bottle.
Why does Thinksport still leave a white cast?
Because the zinc is doing the work. Zinc oxide sits on the surface and reflects light, and at a percentage high enough for real protection it is visible. Brands reduce the cast with nano particles or chemical filters, and Thinksport uses neither. Rubbing it in warm and applying in thin layers helps; it won’t disappear.
Is Thinkbaby the same as Thinksport?
Same company and the same formulation approach, with Thinkbaby aimed at babies and small children. The main practical difference is the SPF and the scent profile. Both hold EWG Verification.
Does it actually stay on in water?
Yes, it’s rated water-resistant to 80 minutes, which is the top of the range the FDA allows a sunscreen to claim. That’s unusual for mineral formulas and it’s the main reason this one survives an actual beach day rather than washing off in the first swim.