Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature |  Numbrrrz | Sun Bum |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Deep hydration + barrier protection | SPF protection + light moisture |
| Chemical sunscreens | No | Yes (avobenzone, octisalate) |
| Organic base ingredients | Yes | Some — mixed organic/conventional |
| Ingredient count | 4 | 10-15 |
| Best used for | All-day lip care and hydration | Beach/sun-specific SPF protection |
| Contains processed derivatives | No | Yes (coconut alkanes, etc.) |
| Year-round daily use suitability | Excellent — lightweight daily wear | Primarily designed for outdoor/sun exposure occasions |
| Preservative approach | Vitamin E — natural antioxidant | Synthetic stabilizers to protect UV filters |
| Cruelty-free / reef-safe | Cruelty-free — no reef concerns (no UV chemicals) | Cruelty-free — markets as reef-friendly but contains avobenzone |
Primary purpose
Deep hydration + barrier protection
SPF protection + light moisture
Chemical sunscreens
No
Yes (avobenzone, octisalate)
Organic base ingredients
Yes
Some — mixed organic/conventional
Ingredient count
4
10-15
Best used for
All-day lip care and hydration
Beach/sun-specific SPF protection
Contains processed derivatives
No
Yes (coconut alkanes, etc.)
Year-round daily use suitability
Excellent — lightweight daily wear
Primarily designed for outdoor/sun exposure occasions
Preservative approach
Vitamin E — natural antioxidant
Synthetic stabilizers to protect UV filters
Cruelty-free / reef-safe
Cruelty-free — no reef concerns (no UV chemicals)
Cruelty-free — markets as reef-friendly but contains avobenzone
Who Owns Sun Bum?
Big Corp SubsidiarySC Johnson -- Household Products
Also makes: Windex, Raid, Ziploc, Glade, Off!
Why Numbrrrz Wins
No chemical sunscreen ingredients (avobenzone, octisalate, etc.)
No aloe vera gel (often contains preservatives and additives)
Simpler formula — 4 ingredients vs. Sun Bum's 10-15
No coconut alkanes or other processed derivatives
Fully organic — no conventionally grown ingredients
Better everyday lip care foundation (pair with a separate SPF lip product)
Deep Dive
Learn more about Sun Bum and the ingredients mentioned in this comparison.
Why Switch to Numbrrrz?
Sun Bum makes good SPF lip products for beach days, but their formula is designed primarily for sun protection, not deep lip care. The chemical sunscreens (avobenzone, octisalate) are necessary for SPF but are not something you want on your lips 365 days a year. For daily lip care, Numbrrrz provides superior hydration and nourishment. Many customers use Numbrrrz as their everyday lip balm and layer a Sun Bum SPF product on top only when they need extended sun protection — getting the best of both worlds. The chemical UV filters in Sun Bum lip products deserve a closer look. Avobenzone, while effective at blocking UVA rays, is known to degrade in sunlight (ironic for a sunscreen) and is stabilized with other chemicals like octocrylene. Octisalate (octyl salicylate) serves as both a UV filter and a solvent for avobenzone. These are necessary trade-offs for sun protection, but they come with concerns: avobenzone has been detected in blood plasma after topical application, and the FDA has requested additional safety data on several chemical UV filters. For a day at the beach, these trade-offs make sense. For your morning commute, an evening out, or working from home, there is no reason to apply chemical UV filters to your lips. Sun Bum has built a genuinely cool brand around beach culture, and their products serve a real purpose. We are not suggesting you stop using SPF lip protection for outdoor activities. But the Sun Bum lip balm should not be your only lip product. Numbrrrz provides the daily hydration and nourishment foundation that your lips need year-round, and Sun Bum (or any SPF lip product) can be layered on top when UV protection is actually warranted. Think of it as a two-product system: Numbrrrz for health, SPF for sun.
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