What Do We Mean When We Say Reef Safe Sunscreen?

Have you noticed that shopping for UV protection can be a bit confusing? There are terms like broad spectrum, photostable, and hypoallergenic to contend with, and it can make the job of choosing the right one for your needs rather difficult. Another term that’s often bandied around is Reef Safe Sunscreen , which sounds simple enough, but what does it actually mean?

It’s actually pretty simple and related (as is pretty obvious) to keeping the world’s precious coral reefs safe. If it’s not a problem you were aware of, let us enlighten you about an ongoing issue that could see these natural wonders disappear forever.

Reef Safe Sunscreen Should Be the Only Choice

Since the 1950s, we’ve lost around ½ of the world’s coral reefs. Stop and think about that for a moment. In just 70 years, half of the areas known as “the rainforests of the sea” due to their abundant marine life have been lost, and one of the main culprits may surprise you. Chemical sunscreens and the toxins that some contain are believed to be at the root of the problem, but the good news is that reef safe sunscreen may offer some hope.

Many chemical brands contain ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are known to lead to a tragic phenomenon known as coral bleaching. This leaves these areas white and uninhabitable. Anywhere between 6,000 and 14,000 tons of chemical sunscreen finds its way into our oceans on an annual basis, and it’s literally choking the life out of fish, mollusks and crustaceans.

The shaft of light in this otherwise dark tunnel is a sunscreen that doesn’t contain these toxins and still protects you from UV damage. If enough people switch to this reef-safe sun lotion, there may be a chance of saving these natural wonders for future generations to enjoy.

What Does Reef-Safe Protection Look Like?

If you want to do your bit and switch to a reef-friendly brand, you need to know what one looks like. Basically, what you should be looking for is a mineral sunscreen like those produced by major manufacturers like Blue Lizard. Containing naturally occurring compounds like zinc oxide, products like these are benign and cause none of the coral bleaching that their chemical counterparts do.

A great side effect of sunscreens like these is they also happen to give you broad-spectrum coverage, meaning that you get protection from UVA and UVB rays. Believe it or not, some chemical brands don’t protect the skin against both.

Why Not Switch to Reef Safe Sunscreen Today?

When you consider that mineral sunscreens offer great protection against UV damage while also keeping our oceans clean and the things that live in them safe, switching over from a chemical brand is something of a no-brainer! If more people took that step, we’d have a great opportunity to keep this natural wonder safe for the long term.

So, the next time you go shopping for sunscreen online, keep the term reef safe in mind, as choosing a product that displays it on the packaging could make a real difference.

Joanie Moretti, California Business Journal