This mineral-based sunscreen doesn't leave white residue behind - it protects my family's fair skin and is reef-friendly

• Mineral-based sunscreens that are reef-safe are becoming an increasingly popular sunscreen choice.
• Goddess Garden Organics offers four sunscreen formulations: daily, sport, kids, and baby. They also offer three delivery options: lotion, spray, and stick.
• The stick goes on so smoothly and almost clear. It is easy to remember to swipe a little sunscreen on my face every day and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin.

Everyone should be wearing sunscreen on a daily basis to protect their skin, but I have pretty fair skin, so sunscreen is also a must for me if I don't want to look like a lobster after a day in the sun. My husband has even fairer skin, and it doesn't take much at all for him to burn. Between the two of us, our daughter didn't stand a chance at inheriting a dark complexion. It's safe to say we go through quite a bit of sunscreen in our family.

It wasn't until recently that I realized how damaging conventional sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate were to the environment, and I cringe now thinking back to when I used conventional sunscreen in Hawaii - years before the state banned sunscreen that was harming the coral reefs. Sunscreen must now be reef-safe in Hawaii and Key West, Florida, so more people are looking for mineral-based, reef-safe sunscreen.

Read more: The best eco-friendly mineral sunscreen you can buy

For years, it was so much more practical and convenient to use spray-on sunscreen that barely needed to be rubbed in at all, and honestly, I didn't know any different. But when you know better, you do better, which is why I always use mineral sunscreen now. It's a better choice all around.

Mineral-based sunscreen has come a long way from thick, white cream that never rubs in. Goddess Garden Organics offers a variety of mostly zinc-oxide-based sunscreens, so no matter what type you're looking for, they likely have a product that will meet your need.

The Goddess Garden Organics sunscreen line

Goddess Garden Organics sent me their recently updated formula of daily, sport, kids, and baby sunscreens. They also offer lip balm, after-sun products, tinted moisturizer with SPF protection, and many other products to take care of your skin. For their sunscreens, you can choose from lotions, sprays, or sticks. I was really happy to find that they offer mineral-based sunscreen in more than just a lotion, which is how most mineral sunscreens are formulated. Goddess Garden sunscreens are free of parabens and phthalates and are also cruelty-free.

My favorite product in the Goddess Garden sunscreen line is the stick, which contains I often forget to put sunscreen on for daily wear, even though I know I should. The stick makes it so easy to swipe some sunscreen on especially because it goes on almost clear. A few swipes around my face and very minimal rubbing in, and you'd never even know I had it on.

In addition to having very fair skin, I also have extremely sensitive skin. A lot of products irritate my skin, specifically my face. While everyone's skin is different, this sunscreen hasn't irritated my face at all. It also hasn't irritated my 1-year-old daughter's skin.

When you have kids or you're spending a day at the beach, water-resistant sunscreen is a necessity. Goddess Garden says their sport sunscreens are water-resistant up to 80 minutes. The sunscreen also has a subtle yet pleasant scent as they add organic lavender essential oil and no other fragrance.

The two biggest questions: Does it rub in well, and does it work?

The answers to these two questions are a resounding yes and yes! I'd say the lotion only took a tad bit longer to rub in than a conventional sunscreen lotion. The spray comes out very white, but also rubs in very quickly. I was most impressed with the stick. It went on my face smoothly and was almost transparent even without any rubbing.

My daughter and I wore this sunscreen on a hot, sunny day of blueberry picking, and neither of us got sunburned. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) rated Goddess Garden's lotion and stick sunscreens a 1 (the best rating) in their sunscreen guide, meaning they provide good UVA/UVB protection, and the ingredients pose little- to no-known health concerns. Goddess Garden's spray sunscreens rank a 3 (out of 10), which is slightly higher but still good.

A potential con

As I mentioned, my whole family has very fair skin, so this works great for us, but it might be harder to rub in completely on darker complexions.

The bottom line

Goddess Garden Organics has a mineral-based sunscreen for every need and occasion, from daily spray sunscreen when you're in a hurry to a sunscreen stick for your baby when precision really matters.

Another good mineral-based sunscreen option is Blue Lizard, which has packaging that changes color when exposed to UV light to remind you to use it.

Whether you're planning a trip to Hawaii or the Florida Keys where sunscreens must be reef-safe, or you're just looking for a better option for you and your family, Goddess Garden is a great line to check out.

Pros: Mineral-based, reef-safe formula; free of harmful chemicals; offered in many formulas and delivery methods

Cons: It might be hard to completely get rid of the white residue on darker complexions.

Buy Goddess Garden Organics sunscreen products, $5.70 and up, at Amazon