I've Been Diving for 22 Years—These Are the 8 Best Reef-safe Sunscreens I've Tried

Travel + Leisure

3 days ago

I was 13 the first time I saw a coral reef. The endless blue of the ocean gave way to an explosion of color unlike anything I'd seen before. Colorful schools of fish moved around vibrant corals while the sun shone through, glittering like a stained glass window set aflame by the sun. In the 22 years since that moment, I've been fortunate enough to go snorkeling and diving all over the world, from the cold waters of Jeju Island in Korea to the warmth of the Indian Ocean in Seychelles and numerous places in the Caribbean.
Although coral reefs are still magical, there is an uncomfortable truth anyone who knows the ocean has to painfully acknowledge: Corals are dying. According to the National Park Service, swimmers leech an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 tons of sunscreen into the ocean every year, and sunscreen has been linked to coral bleaching—a phenomenon wherein coral loses its vibrant pigment and turns white over time, becoming weak and susceptible to starvation and death.
It's been a long time since I've seen a truly thriving reef; even the one I visited in middle school is mostly bleached now. Though we may not individually have the power to reverse climate change, there are smaller—albeit very significant—actions that we can take, like switching to reef-safe sunscreens. Since terms like 'reef-safe' are unregulated, consumers should look out for specific ingredients when choosing an eco-conscious sunscreen, especially oxybenzone and octinoxate. Now banned in places like Hawaii, Mexico, and Aruba, these ingredients aren't just harmful for marine life, but have also been linked to hormone disruption in humans. Other toxic ingredients to avoid include non-nano-sized zinc or titanium, parabens, and triclosan.
To keep coral reefs as healthy as possible while diving, I've tested out several reef-safe sunscreens. Keep scrolling for eight travel-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens I recommend that are perfectly sized for stowing in your carry-on luggage.
Thrive's Mineral Face SPF is the only reef-safe facial sunscreen I found that was able to replace my regular one. The formula states that it's made for sensitive skin, and it delivers on its promise. It's lightweight and soothing for my rosacea and acne-prone face. It also leaves no white cast. As a bonus, all Thrive products are plastic negative, meaning that the company recovers more plastic from the ocean than it uses to package its products. My only qualm with it is that the SPF is lower than I would like, and that the body sunscreen is too large to pack in a carry-on.
Since it costs nearly $30 for 2 ounces, I wouldn't use this product when I'm at the beach and need to reapply sunscreen around the clock. Instead, I'd use this for daily life and SPF touch-ups, and opt for longer-lasting options when I plan to be outside in the sun all day. It's important to remember that using reef-safe sunscreen is still important for protecting aquatic environments, even if you're not near the ocean—harmful chemicals from non-reef-safe sunscreens can seep into local water sources when you shower.
SurfDurt Mineral SPF is now one of my favorite facial sunscreens, especially because of its impressively short list of 10 ingredients, including organic cocoa butter, organic coconut oil, and natural iron oxide pigment. There is nothing on the list that I don't recognize, so I feel comfortable diving while wearing it, knowing I'm not harming the very reefs that I'm swimming next to.
I've also found that this product is perfect for kids. My three-year-old niece, who usually hates putting on sunscreen, loves it so much to the point where I have to tell her to save some for later. Since it's not a messy, runny liquid, she's able to put it on herself, making the SPF application process feel more like a game than an annoying pre-pool requirement. Since I have mixed skin, this sunscreen is a bit too greasy for me to use every day. But when I made my brother, another sunscreen hater, try it, he said that it worked well for his dry skin.
I love that you don't have to ever worry about the sunscreen spilling all over your suitcase or purse, and that you can reuse the cool bamboo and tin packaging to pack things like jewelry and pills once you're run out of product. If you've never used tin sunscreen before, try it out for yourself; you'll probably end up appreciating how nice and smooth it feels without leaving your hands gooey or greasy.
Hawaiian-based Kokua Sun Care contains natural, locally-grown ingredients like spirulina, noni, flower extracts, and seed oils; however, its formula also includes chemical ingredients. Despite being the most expensive sunscreen on the list, its texture isn't very smooth, so you'll have to thoroughly rub it in. That said, it has a high SPF, and it doesn't leave a white cast or have a strong smell, which are two factors that I believe justify the high price.
For the packaging, the company uses bio-based sugar cane that is chemically identical to polyethylene, making it easy to recycle. Because sugar cane absorbs more CO2 while growing than the amount that is released when making the packaging, this is considered a carbon-negative packaging solution, giving this sunscreen option bonus points for eco-friendliness.
Badger sunscreen is dermatologist-approved, and it's not hard to see why. The product is fairly lightweight and doesn't leave a white cast, which means you can reapply it multiple times without overwhelming your skin. It wins bonus points for its high SPF and relatively low price.
The brand's facial sunscreen is great as well, and it doesn't make my sensitive skin react. I could definitely see this becoming my to-go product for daily protection if I couldn't shell out $30 for the Thrive restock. I use the tin version in order to reduce plastic waste, but the company has a tube sunscreen with 50 percent recycled plastic packaging, and all products are made in solar-powered facilities within the U.S.
The thing I love the most about Raw Elements' SPF is that you can recognize everything on the ingredient list. Besides non-nano zinc oxide, you'll find ingredients like sunflower, organic beeswax, mango, green tea leaf extract, rosemary, and coffee. This gives the product a strong smell, but it's not a chemical one, so I actually prefer its scent to that of most 'regular' sunscreens.
Other positives are that it doesn't leave a white cast, and that it feels nourishing, especially if you have dry skin. While the product is supposed to be used on both the body and face, my sensitive face immediately started itching when I put it on. The rest of my body reacts well to it, though, so I'd recommend this as an affordable body sunscreen made with natural ingredients.
Besides having the coolest logo out of all the sunscreens on this list, Raw Love SPF earns points for being the smoothest tin sunscreen I've ever tried. Its ingredient list is short and mostly made up of organic ingredients, like coconut oil and shea butter, and it has a fresh, minty smell. This Maui-based brand was founded by a marine biologist, which explains its commitment and dedication to keeping things natural and healthy for both humans and sea life.
Unfortunately for me, this product is a bit too oily to put daily on my mixed-type skin, though Amazon reviews claim it works well with other skin types—some people even use it as a makeup primer. While the product's consistency is fantastic, it only comes in a 2-ounce or 4-ounce packaging, so if you need to keep it TSA-friendly, you'll have to opt for the smaller of the two. There is a minimal white cast that wasn't very noticeable on my pale skin, though it might be more obvious on darker skin tones.
Stream2Sea's sunscreen is not greasy and doesn't make my rosacea flare up—this alone immediately earned it a spot on this list. I also like that the product is biodegradable and packaged in recycled materials. The only downside is that it leaves a noticeable white cast, even after rubbing intensely. If this is a non-negotiable for you, I've found that the tinned balm version doesn't have this issue, so I'll certainly be making it my go-to for dive days when I mostly reapply to my hands and face.
Besides foregoing the use of harmful chemicals, the company claims to have developed a sunscreen product that actually helps corals—aptly named Coral Care—by providing nutrients that naturally exist in sea water, though this study is still being peer reviewed. Although the Coral Care sunscreen line isn't available on Amazon yet, you can purchase it on Stream2Sea's website.
While Blue Lizard's products are Hawaiian Act 104-compliant—meaning that they contain no octinoxate or oxybenzone—they do have more chemical ingredients than the other options on this list. Still, this sunscreen has a high SPF, works well for sensitive skin, and beats out the competition in terms of affordability. It was also the only reef-safe sunscreen that I could find at my local drugstore, making it more easily accessible than brands that you have to order online.
It is worth noting that it rubs clear when you first put it on, but then turns slightly white when you go into the water. Overall, I'd keep this as a last-minute or low-budget option for when you can't get any of the other recommended sunscreens—and despite this shortcoming, I'd definitely still choose it over products made with chemicals that are harming the ocean.
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