Beet The Sun SPF 40

There is a version of this story where KraveBeauty quietly reformulates, slaps a new label on it, and hopes nobody notices. That is not what happened. When Liah Yoo pulled the original Beet Shield off shelves in 2021 after independent SPF testing raised questions about its protection level, she did it publicly, with a detailed statement, and without hedging. The replacement took two years to develop and arrived not as a triumphant sequel but as an honest acknowledgment that sometimes starting over is the only option.

Beet The Sun SPF 40 PA+++ is, by any measure, a simpler sunscreen than the one it replaced. The next-generation European UV filters — Tinosorb S, Uvinul A Plus, Uvinul T 150 — are gone, replaced by the FDA-approved quartet of Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (10%), Octisalate (5%), and Octocrylene (3%). These are well-established, thoroughly studied filters that have protected millions of faces for decades. They are also, honestly, less exciting. Avobenzone needs stabilization to prevent photodegradation (provided here by Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene and Octocrylene), and Homosalate at 10% has faced ongoing scrutiny from the European Commission regarding potential endocrine effects — though it remains FDA-approved at this concentration.

What KraveBeauty improved is everything around the filters. The alcohol that sat prominently in the original Beet Shield’s formula is gone entirely, replaced by a gentler solvent system built on Propanediol and Pentylene Glycol. This makes the reformulation significantly more accessible for dry and sensitive skin types who had to skip the original. Bisabolol — a chamomile-derived anti-inflammatory — provides calming support, and Hyaluronic Acid adds a hydrating dimension that the original lacked. The base formula is, pound for pound, more skin-friendly.

The beetroot extract remains, serving as both an antioxidant and a brand identity anchor. Beta Vulgaris root extract is rich in betalains, which function as free radical scavengers that address the oxidative damage UV light generates even after passing through filter protection. It is flanked by Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E), Salix Alba bark extract, and Solidago Virgaurea extract for a modest but functional antioxidant support system — less dramatic than the original’s EGCG-resveratrol-vitamin C trio, but present and working.

Texturally, this is a pleasant but unremarkable lightweight lotion. It applies milky, absorbs within a minute, and settles into a natural finish that is neither dewy nor matte. There is no white cast on any skin tone, no discernible scent, and no tacky residue. It layers well under most makeup, though some users report pilling when reapplying over existing product — a common issue with sunscreens containing polymeric thickeners.

The packaging deserves a brief mention: a 50 mL squeeze tube made from 90% post-consumer recycled plastic, replacing the original’s bottle format. It is compact, hygienic, and travel-friendly. Small detail, but it reflects the B Corp values KraveBeauty has committed to.

At twenty dollars for 50 mL, this sits in the accessible middle of the sunscreen market. You are paying for a competent, well-formulated, fragrance-free daily sunscreen with a thoughtful antioxidant component and ethical packaging — but not for breakthrough UV filter technology. The value proposition is fair rather than exceptional.

The honest assessment is this: Beet The Sun SPF 40 is a good sunscreen that lives in the shadow of a great (if flawed) one. It does everything it promises — protects against UV, feels lightweight, causes minimal irritation, and does it all without alcohol, fragrance, or pretension. It does not, however, make your skin feel the way the original Beet Shield did. That dewy, barely-there, this-feels-like-the-future quality was partly a product of its cutting-edge filter system and partly a product of the alcohol that carried it. The trade-off — less elegance for more reliability and gentleness — is the right one, but it is still a trade-off that loyal fans feel.