Everything You Need To Know About Our Tuff Stuff Natural Zinc

Strap in. We're going through everything you want to know about our best selling natural zinc tinted covering cream. We'll be going through how Tuff Stuff works, what makes it so effective, and some product tips and tricks to help you incorporate this product into your daily skincare routine. 

What is Tuff Stuff used for?

Fun fact, Tuff Stuff was originally formulated for surf instructors (holla at our Surf Sister gals). Picture yourself spending all day at the beach. You're in and out of the wind and water. And you're doing this up to 5 days a week. What are you going to need most?

UV protection and water resistance. And a lot of it. 

The purpose of Tuff Stuff is to keep your skin protected during activities where you will be consistently exposed to harsh environmental conditions. The incredible sweat and water resistancy of Tuff Stuff makes it ideal for activities such as swimming, surfing, boating, skiing, hiking, camping, working outside, etc. Because our covering cream is a thicker formula, it can’t be easily wiped off and will keep your skin protected and hydrated, leaving you safe to enjoy the great outdoors without the looming threat of applying heaps of aloe vera afterwards.

What makes Tuff Stuff so effective?

The active ingredient in Tuff Stuff is zinc oxide, a mineral UV blocker. Mineral sunscreens are occasionally called physical sunscreens as they provide a physical barrier between your skin and the sun’s rays. Physical blockers, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, lie on the skin’s surface and reflect UV rays away from the skin. You can think of it as thousands of tiny shields working to prevent skin damage by bouncing away all those pesky UV rays. 

This is in contrast to the mechanism of “chemical” sunscreens which work by penetrating the skin and absorbing and dissipating UV rays. Through a chemical reaction, the active ingredients in chemical sunscreens convert the UV rays into heat and release it from the body. 

Because mineral UV blockers sit on top of the skin and deflect heat and energy from the sun, physical sunscreens are ideal for people with sensitive skin, those recovering from skin procedures, or for people with heat-activated skin (ie, rosacea and redness).  As a bonus for those with rosier skin, the slight white cast you may see with physical sunscreens also helps to minimize and camouflage any redness. Another benefit of using mineral UV blockers is that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are more reef-friendly ingredients compared to oxybenzone, octinoxate, butylparaben, and 4-methylbenzylidine camphor found in chemical sunscreens. Tuff Stuff is good for your skin, but good for the earth too. 

Tuff Stuff is tinted to blend more seamlessly into skin. Although our tint is not a one size fits all, it definitely won’t leave you looking like a white nosed lifeguard from the 80’s. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic we were not able to launch a second shade, but it is high on our priority list for next summer! We are committed to offering inclusive products as Green Room grows. 

Tuff Stuff tips and tricks

If you are interested in modifying your Tuff Stuff for a lighter daily coverage, we got you covered! All you need to transform your natural zinc is any basic oil serum or daily moisturizer of your choice. Take a small amount of Tuff Stuff and smear it on the back of your hand. Add a dab of the oil serum or moisturizer to the Tuff Stuff and mix it all together with your finger, using the back of your hand as a palette. This method will allow you to adjust the formula to the thickness you desire. Please keep in mind that by diluting the formula, you are also diluting the level of UV protection so a reapplication after a few hours may be needed. 

On top of a smooth, dewy glow, you’re now also armoured with a layer of much needed protection to promote healthy and graceful ageing! Some additional steps we prefer to add to this part of our skincare routine is:

1. We like to apply some of our For Your Face lotion as a base layer before putting on our Tuff Stuff mixture. We find this acts as an effective primer and helps to smooth out the surface of the skin. 
2. If you are someone who prefers more of a matte look, any powdered makeup or even plain arrowroot powder can be applied to your skin after putting on your Tuff Stuff to help absorb any excess oil. 

Click here to watch the full video showing you how we modify our Tuff Stuff for daily wear! We are so stoked that Tuff Stuff is able to offer “hardcore” coverage for intense sport and activity, but can also be transformed into a custom formula perfect for everyday use! 

After some time you may start to notice your Tuff Stuff harden slightly or form small lumps. Shea butter can start to crystallize if it is subjected to fluctuations in temperature (which is completely normal as we transition from summer to winter and back to summer). Luckily, there’s a super quick and easy way to fix that! Add a very small amount of water to a pot and bring it to a boil. The temperature shouldn’t be too high because we want to heat the water slowly. Make sure the water level isn’t high enough that it will boil into the formula - this is super important! With the lid off, place your Tuff Stuff in the water and wait for it to soften. Once melted, give it a quick stir and pop it in the fridge for approximately 10 minutes. Your Tuff Stuff will now be as smooth as the day you opened it! Here’s a video demonstrating how to give your Tuff Stuff this quick makeover! 

A few more tips and tricks from your local Tuff Stuff professionals; 

1. Warming the product up before application on colder days will make it softer and easier to apply evenly to your face. Store your Tuff Stuff in your pocket or warm it up a little bit using friction from your fingers. 
2. Tuff Stuff is super water resistant for a reason and you will find that even at the end of a full day, you may need more than just a quick rinse to get it off. “Like-dissolves-like” meaning that compounds of a similar chemistry are soluble within each other. Another use for our For Your Face lotion is taking off your Tuff Stuff! Both of these products are oil-based so all you need to do is rub a little lotion into the zinc to lift it up and you’ll be able to rinse it off and wipe it away easy-peasy! We have a video explaining this here!

What type of day do you just NEED to have your Tuff Stuff? We most definitely have our little tins of zinc while we are getting salty at the beach and boating around Vancouver Island (friends with boats are the best kind of friends, am I right?). Share your ideal Tuff Stuff day and leave a comment below!