Salty Girls Guide To Reef Safe Sunscreen
Before we start quick reminder- I know it’s September, but technically it is still summer! Sun care is still important, and don’t forget summer isn’t the only time when SPF should be used! Also, this post does contain some products that were gifted to me by their respective companies. As always, all opinions I share are my own as I would never want to steer you towards something that I wouldn’t myself purchase! Okay, with that all said here we go!
I am a lady of the lake. I’m an ocean lover. I’m a surfer. I am someone who thrives in the sun and the water.
With that said, here is my confession: I’ve never really taken a dive into sunscreen and sun care that is truly safe for the environment.
So many sunscreens and suncare products contain chemicals that are extremely harmful to reefs and contribute to their bleaching. I make it to the ocean any chance I can get, but as of now my time in the sun and water comes from time spent in Lake Michigan or the pool.
So why the worry about being reef safe? I think it’s pretty safe to assume that chemicals that are harming reefs are likely to do harm to the lake as well, and honestly it’s probably not great to be putting on and letting soak into our bodies either.
I decided to test out and give you my thoughts on a handful of suncare products that are reef safe, natural, sustainable etc. because to me it’s another way to walk the walk instead of just talking the talk. I feel so passionately about caring for and protecting our waters and sunscreen plays a role in that!
Okay, so what makes a product reef safe?
These ingredients are proven to be toxic and harmful to coral reefs, fish and other marine life. You can read more about what to look for in a reef safe sunscreen, here. Also, as much I’d love to give you a review on every reef safe option, I can’t. So, if your interested in trying out some brands other than the ones we are going to chat about today, here’s a great list to pull from!
The biggest thing that felt different with these natural and reef safe sunscreens is that they don’t fully rub in. I didn’t know this before, but I learned that this is because the ingredients are natural. In other chemical sunscreens, they rub in and dissolve into the skin because of the chemicals in them. I found the best way to work in these better sunscreen options is to use a small amount at a time and be patient. You may not be able to throw these products on as quickly as their chemical counterparts, but with a little extra time put into application you can assure you are protecting Mama Earth.
SURFDURT
First up we’ve got Surfdurt! I’ve been LOVING Surfdurt for all over my face when going out for a lake surf (yay so summer waves on Lake Michigan!) This surf paste is made from the all natural ingredients: Non nano zinc oxide, organic cocoa butter, organic coconut oil, organic jojoba oil, avocado oil, beeswax, beeswax derivative, mango butter, vitamin E and iron oxide pigment.
Surfdurt has both tan tinted products and white products to choose from. In addition, they have two packaging options: a bamboo and aluminum tin (like the one I have) or an aluminum tin which is a little bit more compact! With a sunscreen aiming to be natural and do no harm to the waters it seems fitting their packaging is all plastic free!
A women owned company focused on products that are safe for all ecosystem, help rebuild bee hives and help support farmer- If you ask me Surfdurt is an all around amazing company to support!
RAW ELEMENTS
Next up on the reef safe list is Raw Elements! This brand is amazing because they have a large variety of products to choose from like tinted, non-tinted, daily SPF, lip protection and children’s formulas. In addition to the different formulas there’s also different application/packaging options like a tube of cream sun screen, a face and body formula in a tin, packaging with a pump and a solid stick. They really have all the bases covered! I found I really like the Raw Elements Face and Body Tin. It’s SPF 30 and made from non nano zinc oxide, organic sunflower oil, organic green tea, organic black tea, organic coffee bean, organic hemp seed oil, organic cocoa butter, natural mango butter, organic beeswax, natural rosemary oil extract and natural vitamin E. Because it’s in a tin I find it forces me to apply slowly with small amounts to make sure I am fully protected! I also really loved the Herbal Rescue Lip Balm (that is also reef safe!) It’s super nourishing for my lips that are super prone to sunburn!
Stream2Sea
Stream2Sea is another great company that offers a wide variety of products ranging from sunscreens to mask defog and hair care products. Not only are Stream2Sea sunscreens tested to be safe for the oceans and their inhabitants, but they are also proven safe for freshwater fish! Stream2Sea is also among the first companies to be certified shark free, meaning none of its ingredients are made up of shark (because yes, apparently shark is another ingredient hiding in so many products!)
Because it’s a cream product it definitely is one that takes getting a little getting used to like I mentioned earlier. It does leave a bit of a white cast but working in small quantities really helps rub it in as much as it’s able to! I tried out their Body Sort Sunscreen in SPF 30, but they also have an SPF 20 available and a tinted formula available.
One thing I noticed about many reef safe sunscreens is that they come in small quantities with ones similar to Stream2Sea averaging 3-4 (ish) ounces a bottle. What’s great about Stream2Sea is they have options including 1 oz, 3 oz and 32 oz bottles.
In addition to the sunscreen, I tried out their leave in conditioner which is also made to be reef safe! My color treated blonde hair soaks up conditioner after spending so much time in the lake, sand and pool and this one was great!
Okay, now I know what you are thinking: “Mads this brand seems great, and so environmentally focused so why does it come in plastic tubes?” Well, their packaging isn’t actually plastic, it’s made from a sugarcane resin (except those big 32oz containers, those are made from recycled milk jugs!) Any plastic baggies that may come with shipping are also eco friendly and proven to actually bio degrade once they hit landfills (surprise many compostable plastic materials can actually only compost in a commercial facility.)
EIR NYC
Eir is a skincare company whose products are made with clean, chemical free and earthly ingredients. In addition to making products that you can feel good about, they also work to minimize their carbon footprint and make it so their package is able to be completely recycled. I tested out the Surf Mud and have loved it! With SPF 30, Surf Mud is made of just 7 ingredients to be protective but also hydrating. I use the tin version of Surf Mud, but it’s also offered in a stick form that is SPF 50.
In addition to the SPF, I tried out Eir’s Sunset Oil, a body oil meant to rehydrate sun soaked skin. This was actually my first time trying a body oil, but I loved it’s thick consistency and found it nice and hydrating!
Mad Hippie
Mad Hippie is my current skin care go to! I have found that I really enjoy their Facial SPF as just an everyday SPF! One thing I’ve been trying to be on top of is applying and SPF everyday! This one is natural and nice and light weight!
More Salty Girls Guides, here!