Reef Safe Face Sunscreen Products

Sunscreens are a double-edged sword when it comes to the ocean because while sunscreen protects us from the sun’s harmful UV rays, research over the years is finding that some ingredients in sunscreen can harm our delicate coral. When we enter the water to snorkel or dive these beautiful reefs, many of us may not consider how the products that are rinsing off our bodies may be affecting our fragile coral reefs.

Researchers testing the effects of sunscreen on corals have found that certain chemicals in sunscreen, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, can create coral viruses. As a result, the coral then becomes sick and expels their life-giving algae. Without these algae, the coral “bleaches” (turns white), and often dies. Unfortunately, when one part of the coral reef environment is harmed, the entire ecosystem is affected. On vacation, we may not think that our short time in the ocean while snorkeling or diving will do much damage, but for coral reefs, all of this kind of exposure to sunscreen adds up. In fact, research has found that up to 6,000 tons of sunscreen enters coral reefs around the world each year. Most of this is concentrated on popular tourist sites known for snorkeling and diving. This means that our most popular beloved coral reefs, such as those in famous national parks, are exposed to the majority of sunscreens.

Keep in mind: As of January 2021, Hawaii will ban the sale of sunscreens containing two common chemicals, oxybenzone and octinoxate, which many researchers worldwide have deemed potentially harmful to aquatic life. Other destinations that will also enforce this ban are: Key West Florida, US Virgin Islands, Caribbean island of Bonair, and Palau (a country in the western Pacific Ocean). However, oxybenzone and octinoxate — two of the most commonly used UV blockers worldwide — aren’t the only ingredients that can be damaging to marine life.