The Choosy Chick fun in the sun bag

I love summer, I count days until I get to wear sun dresses and shorts. Days are long, evenings are warm, I spend as much time as humanly possible outside, and of course since my skin is on show it needs protection (yes even if it's cloudy). Normally around April, I start hunting down body care products that will work for both Mr RF and I. This year I did not have to work as hard, the Choosy chick did most of it for me with their Fun in the sun bag.

 

What you get is a cute jute bag, made with recycled sari fabric, filled with full sized and travel sized goodies. There are some variations that are clearly outlined in the description of this bundle. In my bag I found following products:

 

Raw elements broad spectrum SPF 30. This sunscreen is water resistant for up to 80 minutes, a perfect companion for a beach holiday or for a day out at an outside pool. Because of this the consistency is on the thick side, I normally use an antioxidant body oil before applying sunscreen anyway, and I've noticed it does the trick for this particular one to spread easily. There are a few things that make this sunscreen stand out in my eyes. Firstly, it is stated that it is reef safe, if you read any of the articles that talk about the effects of sunscreens on marine life, reefs in particular, you might feel the same way as I do about being careful as to what you use on a beach holiday. Secondly, it is the combination of ingredients in this product that I find pretty impressive. Organic green tea, organic black tea, organic hemp seed oil, organic coffee bean, mango butter, cocoa butter, to name a few. It is like an antioxidant power house, mixed in with skin nourishing butters and of course the broad spectrum protection comes from 23% non nano zinc oxide. This product is also non gmo project verified. It seriously ticks all the boxes for me, plus Mr RF has not complained about it, and that's a huge thing since he is unusually fussy with sunscreens.

 

Raw elements Eco tint SPF 30 stick. This is almost identical to the above sunscreen but is in a stick form and has a slight tint. For the life of me I can't figure out what gives this product a tint, but it is very light. I wanted to take a picture but you can't actually see anything, it subtly evens out the skin tone if you are very fair, otherwise it is your solution if you are not a fan of white cast that most zinc based sunscreens leave behind, this one doesn't. I don't feel like I need a moisturiser under it, it is very nourishing and more than plenty for my oily summer skin. Happy to report no break outs or irritations after use.

 

Badger sport stick SPF 35. Ever since I discovered this stick, about four years ago, it has been my summer must have. This was the first natural sunscreen I was able to use on my face without my skin going haywire, it is a real shame that due to the new EU regulations it is no longer sold in UK. I believe I have reviewed this sunscreen, but it was awhile ago. I like that the ingredients list is pretty short, in addition to zinc oxide this stick is made of extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, Shea butter, sunflower vitamin E. Based on this list I was originally worried that it might be too thick for me, but I guess combined with zinc it just works. My face stays matte all day long, and since I'm already pretty pale, it evens out my skin tone and I'm more than happy to roam makeup free.

 

Badger sunscreen lip balm SPF 15. This is exactly the same as the sport stick but with a lower percentage of zinc oxide. It smells exactly the same, light scent with a faint hint of chocolate, but feels a little smoother when applied. I think if you forgot your sport stick but needed to reapply sunscreen, you could easily use this on your face and ears. It does make my lips look as if I applied one of those flesh toned/nude lipsticks, the effect is not unwelcome. All in all I do like this lip balm better than other SPF lip balms I have tried. People often don't bother with SPF on the lips, but skin here is thinner than everywhere else, you do need to look after your kissers.

 

Badger balm anti-bug spray. I like to spend time by the water in the summer, and so do all the bugs. I am a favourite mosquito snack, so before an evening stroll in the park or by the river, I take precautions. I have yet to find a bug repellent spray that would smell nice. I know it's not exactly on the cards, this is definitely the least offensive I have come across. More importantly I haven't had a reaction to it, and these sort of things often irritate sensitive skin (there is a warning on the bottle saying that allergic reactions in some individuals are a possibility). It is DEET free and made with all organic ingredients. In this kit I have a travel sized bottle of 79.85ml, I'm expecting it to last all summer since I don't use it all that frequently. Happy to report no bug bites yet this summer.

 

Solavedi healing calendula day cream with EPF. EPF stands for ecological protection factor, there is some zinc in this cream, approximately 8 SPF, but it is not specified on the bottle as I am guessing it has not been tested or designed as a sunscreen type product. I am a diehard face oil fan, and it's so rare for a face cream to suit me that I can count the ones that do on one hand. This little 15ml travel sized bottle is pretty much the reason why I haven't touched a bottle of face oil for almost a month. It is so good, sinks in like a dream, I only need about a pump, and it makes my face feel super soft. My big problem with moisturisers is that most of them make my skin look blotchy and my pores appear ginormous, none of that with this beauty. Extremely tempted to get a full size, I think it has potential to become a permanent part of my collection, time will tell.

 

Buttercup & Jake cocoa calendula balm. This little dinky 0.5 oz sample sized pot is the last piece of the puzzle. This multipurpose balm for dry or irritated areas smells like white chocolate cupcakes. It's fairly warm at the moment and the consistency of this balm right now is super soft. It goes on like melted butter and absorbs really well. If it was a bigger pot, I would be tempted to use it all over as after sun. For the time being I have been using it on my elbows from time to time, and on my under arms after shaving irritated them. A very useful product to have around.

 

I am super happy with this kit, I think it is a really good selection. If it did have an after sun product I think it would go from amazing to epic, but I did have fun choosing one on my own, and the kit is called "fun in the sun" not "fun in the sun and after", so I will let it slide. I absolutely love the jute bag, and have been keeping all the products in there when not in use, just in case I need to quickly grab and go, the whole shebang easily fits into a back pack or a larger shoulder bag. I hope these kits are available next year as well, I am most definitely planning on repurchasing.