Summer Essentials: Reef Safe Sunscreen — 101 Ways to Save The Planet

In honor of World Oceans Day (June 8) and summer being just around the corner (or already arrived for some of us!) I wanted to share some of my favorite reef safe sunscreen brands. If you aren’t applying sunscreen daily, you should consider working it into your everyday skincare routine -- yes, even in the winter, if you are staying indoors all day, always. wear. sunscreen. Okay, rant over.

However, there are important environmental considerations to make when choosing a sunscreen, as many contain toxic ingredients, such as oxybenzone and/or octinoxate (they even sound icky) that cause coral bleaching, disrupt coral reproduction and damage coral DNA. It is especially important if you are traveling to or live near a beach and plan on swimming, snorkeling, etc.

I’ll never forget how, on a trip to Cancun a few years ago, my girlfriends and I went snorkeling for a day at a popular spot for turtle sightings (be still my heart) and colorful coral reefs. Yes, we swam with the turtles (one of my favorite vacation memories), but the colorful reefs? Not so much. Instead, we saw withering, brown-beige coral damaged by thousands of tourists over the years. This was a sobering moment and the first time I started to be extra conscious of the ingredients in sunscreens I choose to wear on these trips.

The Importance of Coral Reefs

Aside from destroying the picturesque underwater landscape, the destruction of coral reefs is devastating to the whole marine ecosystem. Coral reefs are crucial infrastructure, protecting their environments from storm and tsunami damage -- islands such as the Maldives, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and more are built on coral reefs and wouldn’t exist (and be amazing travel destinations) without the reefs’ protection. These labyrinths are major habitats for tons of marine life and are major biodiversity hotspots when in healthy conditions. This biodiversity makes them important food sources, attracting different kinds of marine life that humans rely on for food -- especially in developing countries.

Already, a significant portion of coral reefs have died off. A 2017 study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that 56 percent of coral surrounding Hawaii’s Big Island, 44 percent surrounding West Maui and 32 percent of Oahu’s reefs were bleached. To mitigate further damage, Hawaii passed a bill essentially banning the sale or distribution of sunscreen containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, effective January 1, 2021. Other places, like parts of Florida, have been working on similar legislation.

Reef Safe Sunscreens

Fortunately, tons of brands are aware of the harmful effects sunscreen can have and offer mineral-based, ocean friendly products. While perusing options, keep an eye out for labels like “non-nano zinc oxide” and “reef friendly” to let you know they are safe to wear in the water. You can also wear more UVB-protective clothing at the beach to reduce the amount of sunscreen you need overall.