Why choose reef safe sunscreens?

We all know that sun protection and using sunscreen is of the utmost importance and countless studies have shown that if you plan on having some fun in the sun, even for a few minutes, you should put on that sunscreen.

With all that sunscreen, has come lots of chemicals that effect coral reefs in harmful ways. Chemicals such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which have been included into sunscreens for years, are not only harmful for coral reefs but have been found to be toxic for humans as well.

What to avoid: Chemicals in common sunscreens

• Avoid sunscreens that contain petroleum, also called mineral oils, because it is harmful to wildlife and it takes years to biodegrade.
• Avoid oxybenzone and octinoxate because it bleaches coral reefs; sunscreens that contain these chemicals are banned in Hawaii.
• Lastly, avoid sunscreens that have a high content of Titanium Dioxide, which does not biodegrade.

Hawaii’s steps to protect its reefs

The beautiful state of Hawaii is the first state in the  U.S. to ban the sale of unsafe for coral reef sunscreens. This law will go into effect in January of 2021 but a lot of retailers in the state have started to only sell coral reef safe sunscreens.

I think that this is a great step in protecting Hawaii’s reefs and I hope to see this adopted all over the world. Hawaii, and Maui in particular, are very important to me and I am all for doing my best to preserve that natural beauty.

5 Coral Reef Safe Sunscreens

1. Badger SPF 30 Unscented Sunscreen Cream– $13.59 on target.com for a 2.9 fl oz bottle. It is both water and sweat resistant for up to 40 minutes and it contains a bunch of skin loving oils likes Vitamin E and sunflower oil.
2. Banana Boat Simply Protect Sport Sunscreen Lotion–  $9.99 on target.com for a 9 fl oz bottle. Water and sweat resistant for up to 80 minutes.
3. Raw Love SPF 35 All-natural Mineral Sunscreen– $16.99 for a 2 oz tin on the companies website. This Maui based sunscreen is very concentrated, so use it sparingly.
4. All Good Sport Sunscreen Lotion Water Resistant- SPF 30- $14.99 on target.com for a 3 fl oz bottle. As the name says, it’s water resistant and it is made with green tea and rose hips among other great ingredients.
5. Thinksport Safe Sunscreen Lotion – SPF 50+ – $12.99 on target.com for a 3 fl oz bottle. It is water resistant for up to 80 minutes.

I would love to hear if you have used any of these sunscreens or if you know of  any other coral safe sunscreens that I missed, let me know in the comments!

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