Frequently Asked Questions

Shipping and Returns

If you are not happy with your purchase and would like to make a return or an exchange, please contact us within 30 days. We are available for any concerns or questions. Returns requested after the 30 day limit will not be accepted.

Please include your name and order number, and your reason for requesting a return, and our customer service team will respond with a return label. Please secure the label clearly on the outside of the package. We are not able to process refunds for items that have not been returned using our labels.

Once returns have been received, refunds may take up to 10 days to process. All refunds will be credited to your original form of payment.  We are unable to refund shipping costs. 

International orders are non-refundable and cannot be returned or exchanged, unless the item is damaged or defective.

We ship on the same or next business day from California. You can choose standard USPS or Priority USPS to expedite domestic orders. We unfortunately cannot guarantee shipping arrival time.

Free USPS Shipping on all orders over $50 in the US. 

For orders under $50 we offer a flat rate of $4.44 for standard shipping, and $9.99 for expedited shipping.

We currently ship to U.S. Outlying Islands, Canada, Japan and Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong.

If your country is not on that list, please reach out directly to us here and we will do our best to accommodate you. We unfortunately cannot guarantee shipping to every country. We also cannot guarantee international shipment times because shipments can get delayed in customs. Please send us a message to inquire, but please know that we are unable to take responsibility for any customs, duties, taxes or local fees that may be incurred. We appreciate your understanding.

Cost depends on Country, you’ll find our pricing options at cart checkout.

If you are reporting a damaged or defective item, please include a photo of the item. We will email you a free return label and will issue a refund when we have received your item.

If you need to change your shipping address before your order is shipped please promptly email support@avasol.com. We are not able to redirect orders once they are in transit, in this event please contact the carrier and reference your tracking number for any special delivery requests.

Please contact us if your package was lost stolen or damaged, and we will do our best to assist you. We cannot accept responsibility for orders sent to freight forwarders or delivered to freight forwarding addresses.

Usage tips

This depends on your individual skin, the conditions you will be exposed to, and how long you will be in the sun. We recommend the Surfers Barrier Stick for harsh conditions and water-based activities. The SPF 50+ provides a stronger protection than the SPF 30+ stick, so keep your individual skin barrier in mind. The Environmental Defense Cream provides broad spectrum SPF 30 + and is a great option for less harsh conditions and daywear.

The general scientific consensus is that people burn the most easily if they a) don’t apply enough sunscreen to begin with, or b) forget to reapply. The golden rule is to apply sunscreen every hour or two, depending on how quickly your skin tends to burn and the strength of the sun conditions. Further reapplication is necessary after vigorous activity that could remove sunscreen, such as swimming, toweling, or excessive sweating and rubbing. Keep your individual skin and sun conditions in mind, and don’t forget to reapply! All Avasol sunscreens are 80 minute water resistant.

The only reason not to use it on your lips would be if you were allergic to one of the ingredients. Otherwise, go for it and protect your lips.

It is important to keep your stick out of direct heat - avoid leaving your Surfer's Barrier Stick on your car dashboard. Direct heat from sunlight can cause the waxes and butters to melt. For optimal consistency store it at room-temperature. However if it softens or melts by accident and hardens again it is still usable and will protect your skin.

When it's time to remove the sunscreen, use a cloth, oil-based cleanser, or a makeup remover for effortless cleansing.

Tinted sunscreens may occasionally leave stains on clothing. To prevent any mishaps, we recommend giving the stick a few minutes to fully absorb into your skin before putting on or taking off clothes. This allows the formula to set and minimizes the risk of transfer.

In the rare event that the sunscreen does come into contact with clothing and leaves a stain, pre-treat it with a stain remover before washing. This extra step ensures the best chance of removing any potential marks.

Of course you want your natural skin to shine! To minimize the look of the minerals on your skin we made our sunscreen tinted to blend in naturally with your skin tone. The iron oxides, mica and premium oils will give you that glowing skin while providing maximum protection from the sun. That way you can look good and feel good, knowing that you are protecting your skin, the environment and reducing waste all at once.

Avasol is allergy tested and dermatologist approved. However we always recommend you test the product before use, by applying a small amount on the inside of the elbow and checking for a reaction. With our unique combination of natural ingredients we hope you’ll find that Avasol is a safe product for you and your family.

Yes, the expiration date for our products can be found printed on the cork on the bottom of the stick.

On the pouch you'll find it below the barcode and list of ingredients.

Expiration format:  03/24 = MM/YY

Yes, all our sunscreens have been independently tested and certified 80-minute water resistant. Our sunscreen holds up against the elements while you make the most of your outdoor adventures thanks to its blend of Candelilla Wax and Beeswax.

Ingredients and Packaging

Yes. All our products are USDA Certified 100% Biobased. That means all our products have undergone third-party certified testing that is strictly monitored by the USDA Biopreferred Program. A biobased product is derived from 100% natural ingredients, such as plants, minerals and other renewable natural sources

All of our ingredients are natural and USDA Certified 100% Biobased, and we opt for organic, sustainable wildcrafted and fair-trade ingredients when possible. The following ingredients in our products are certified organic: Coconut Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Tamanu Oil, Argan Oil, Cupuacu Seed Butter, Shea Butter, Beeswax, Vanilla Fruit Extract, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Cinnamon Leaf Oil. The sunscreen actives Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are minerals, not vegetables, and therefore can't be certified organic.

Check out the individual product pages to see the list of ingredients and which ones aren’t certified organic.

There is accumulating evidence that chemical sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate do serious harm to marine ecosystems and coral reefs. That’s why we have taken extra steps to ensure the reef safety of our products. We meticulously source high-quality, non-nano, uncoated Zinc Oxide, and independently test it for particle size using advanced imaging technology to ensure that our Zinc and Titanium Dioxide aren't nano-particles clumped together to imitate non-nano but still rub on clear. 

As a conscious consumer we want you to be aware that “reef safe” is an unregulated term, and prone to some serious greenwashing. That means that "reef safe" can be put on a label even when the product is full of ingredients that are known to be harmful to marine life, including Nano- particle versions of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. 

A truly non-toxic, non-nano sunscreen will always create a visible physical barrier. While our sunscreen may not rub on clear, we solved this problem by adding a beautiful tint to even out your skin tone. You can trust that Avasol is "safer for the ocean,” meaning that our ingredients are 100% bio-based and the safest that we can find for the ocean and the planet.

Avasol is made in USA (specifically California) of U.S. and imported ingredients.

Our products aren't vegan because we formulate with certified organic, sustainably sourced bee products. We have given it careful consideration and opted to use beeswax because it helps our producers and there are no satisfying vegan alternatives. Beeswax is made up of hundreds of major and minor chemical components that contribute to the overall formula it is used in. 

The original vegan standards that advised against bee products are based on traditional factory-farmed beekeeping practices and not the organic standards that we adhere to. If you choose to try Avasol, please know that the bees are not harmed. We only work with organic beekeepers who use sustainable crop production. We believe that organic beekeeping is critical to the future of the planet, and that its production and gathering is sustainable and positive to the surrounding communities and environment.

Avasol conducts NO animal testing. Surprisingly, some still do animal testing, but it never was a consideration of ours and never will be. We only test on humans, starting with ourselves and our families. It helps if you start with raw ingredients that are 100% safe.

Research so far has established that topical use of Silica in skincare poses no health risks. Silica comes in two forms: amorphous and microcrystalline. We only use amorphous silica, with no possibility for the presence of microcrystalline silica. While powder silica presents a threat if airborne, when mixed into our sunscreen it is free from the threat of inhalation and totally safe.

Research so far has established that topical use of Titanium Dioxide in skincare poses no health risks. It poses a health concern only when regularly inhaled as a powder, but that risk is eliminated in our products because it is mixed into a stick sunscreen formula. We use uncoated, non-nano titanium dioxide to ensure that it is not absorbed into the body. You’ll find Titanium Dioxide in the SPF 50+ Surfers Barrier Stick. The Surfers Barrier Stick SPF 30 and Environmental Defense Cream do not contain Titanium Dioxide.

Yes, they are. Avasol does not use hydrologized wheat protein, or any similar wheat related ingredients in any of our products. We don't use any gluten in our manufacturing.

No, our products do not contain any parabens. Our ingredients are 100% natural and biobased.

Some of the oils used in Avasol products are derived from nut trees, for example the Tamanu oil and Coconut Oil. Please check the full list of ingredients if you have allergies or sensitivities.

Our paperboard tube was an industry first when we launched our company in 2010. We have not pursued a biodegradable certification to make claims of compostability of our tube, because of the prohibitive cost of doing so. We have however done third party testing of the materials we use to produce the paperboard tube, to ensure that it contains zero harmful chemicals to the environment.

The plastic reducing aluminum pouch we use for the environmental defense cream was chosen over a plastic bottle, and is made with the smallest possible spout we could source. We are working towards innovating a better packaging alternative for our cream, with the goal of getting it to the point of being biodegradable as well.

We do not use fragrance, but some of the sun-safe essential oils and butters we use give the product their distinctive scent profile. Please check out the full ingredients list on the individual product pages if you have allergies or sensitivities.

Wholesale

Feel free to reach out to us here to request a wholesale account.

Other Questions?

Contact us here.