Pairing an African safari with a beach makes for a winning combination. Seeing herds of elephants traversing the savanna, cheetahs on the prowl, and lion prides relaxing and playing and after a short flight, you can be on the beach relaxing, snorkeling in crystal clear waters.
But did you know that sunscreens can be hazardous to marine life?
Coral Reefs make up to 1% of the ocean floor, yet they are home to over 25% of all marine life.
Certain ingredients in sunscreens are toxic to corals and reef fishes. Studies have shown that sunscreens worn by swimmers, divers, and snorkelers, contributed to the destruction of coral reefs. Common sunscreen ingredients, such as Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3, BP-3), Butylparaben and Octinoxate (Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate) can bleach and seriously damage coral reefs.
How can you can help
Choose coral reef-safe sunscreens. Here is our list:
Raw Elements Their face and body lotion is reef safe and made from certified all-natural ingredients. It provides UVA-UVB true broad-spectrum protection and is available in a recyclable/reusable tin. As a performance-driven sunscreen, it is very water-resistant beyond 80 minutes, yet so gentle and moisturizing it is perfect for kids. Packed with biologically active antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and extracts.
Badger sunscreens provide excellent broad-spectrum protection without using any questionable chemicals, as well as Cruelty-free and Reef friendly.
The Badger business is devoted to and built around the principles of kindness, compassion, and environmental stewardship. It is a small, family-owned, and run business, from New Hampshire, USA.
Blending the finest organic plant extracts, exotic oils, beeswax, and minerals to make the safest, most effective products possible to soothe, heal, protect and treat your body.
Badger sunscreens
Black Girl Sunscreen was created and founded by Shontay Lundy, as she saw a need for a seemingly forgotten demographic. Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30 and BGS Kids SPF 50, were both created with Black and Brown skin in mind. Shontay wanted a sunscreen that would not only protect her skin from UVA and UVB rays, but one that would not leave a white, grey, or filmy cast on her skin. In creating these products, Shontay wanted to ensure her products were not only consumer-friendly but also great for the environment. Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30 and BGS Kids SPF 50 are cruelty-free, free of fragrance and parabens, natural, vegan, and coral reef safe. They have great moisturizing oils as well as they are infused with avocado, jojoba, sunflower oil, and other natural ingredients. Black Girl Sunscreen
Alba is cruelty-free, neither their products nor the ingredients in them, are tested on animals. Made with 100% vegetarian ingredients. All their sunscreens are biodegradable, meaning the formulas have been tested according to industry standards and shown to break down in nature to minimize their impact on the Earth. “We believe our products should only include ingredients that make them work better, which is why we avoid the unnecessary use of all artificial coloring agents”.
Stream 2 sea is a biodegradable, mineral sunscreen for the face and body. It is high-performance and mineral-based. It has been rigorously tested for biodegradability and aquatic toxicity. It contains our potent antioxidant blend of Green Tea, Tulsi, Wakame, and Olive Leaf.
sunscreen products are tested to ensure they will not harm fish and other aquatic life when used as directed. Their products are not tested on animals.
Stream 2 Sea was founded in 2015 in Wauchula, FL after a dive trip in Palau made CEO & Founder Autumn realize that the products we put on our bodies have many ingredients that could be highly toxic to our fragile aquatic ecosystem and even to us.
