Reefsafe Sunscreen: What is it?

People ask me about reefsafe sunscreen all the time and I am more than happy to answer their questions. I would like to offer some more extensive resources here for those of you who want more information on the subject. Wearing reefsafe sunscreen is one of those extremely important things you can do to curb your impact on the wildlife of our planet. When we visit the Caribbean one of the first things we want to do is get our snorkel gear on and jump in the water! Show some love for all that beauty, wear reefsafe sunscreen!

Wear reefsafe sunscreen when you're snorkeling on your next vacation.

Four common sunscreen ingredients have been found to kill or bleach coral at extremely low concentrations (as low as one drop in 6.5 Olympic sized swimming pools). This means that the conventional sunscreens many people are wearing are extremely TOXIC to the LIVING coral.

• Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3, BP-3) - Sunscreen ingredient that disrupts coral reproduction, causes coral bleaching, and damages coral DNA. Oxybenzone is found in over 3500 sunscreen products worldwide.


• Butylparaben - Preservative ingredient shown to cause coral bleaching.


• Octinoxate (Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate) - Sunscreen ingredient shown to cause coral bleaching.


• 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4MBC) - Sunscreen ingredient shown to cause coral bleaching. Allowed in Europe and Canada, not in USA or Japan. 

My favorite reefsafe sunscreen is Badger. They are a fabulous company that really cares about the environment and offers alot of information on the topic. Check out their page here. There are other brands on the market so choose one that works the best for you. Anything that is biodegradable is ok. Zinc based sunscreens are the best!

A great article in the Washington Post in 2015 will really help you understand how very seriously terrible Oxybenzone is. Check it out! Here is a link to the study. Oxybenzone is really nasty stuff that you probably don't want on your skin anyways. Coral reefs are vital to the life of the oceans and are home to 25% of the ocean's marine life! They are amazing living creatures. You will find some amazing information on coral at earthjustice.org

If you enjoy snorkeling you should really pay attention to this. Change starts with you! I always remind myself that just because everyone else on the beach is spraying themselves with chemicals doesn't mean that I should get discouraged and give up! We need to remember to try to make our impact on the environment as small as possible. Our places we call paradise are being jeopardized and it is up to us to show our gratitude.

Paradise in the Caribbean sun.

Love the Sea Turtles, save our oceans

Sea Turtles are amazing creatures. We are blessed to still beable to see these prehistoric creatures swimming in our waters. This post will help you find information on sea turtle conservation and what you can do to ensure their survival. The following are a few suggestions of things you can do without even donating money or time.

Hibiscus Jazz offers some fabulous totes that can be reused over and over again!

1.) Say no to single use plastic bags. Sure you have to remember your reusable bags but make it a habit. I keep one rolled up in my purse and one in my car. When plastic escapes our landfills and ends up in the ocean it does irreparable damage to our reefs and sea life. Turtles ingest them because they are easily mistaken for jelly fish, a staple of many sea turtles' diets. They smother the coral just like they can suffocate any other living creature. When you REFUSE plastic you are helping to save our oceans and the life within it. You are making the world a better place! Visit The Plastic Coalition to learn more about how you can reduce your use of plastic!

Learn more about the harmful effects of sunscreens here https://www.badgerbalm.com/s-35-coral-reef-safe-sunscreen.aspx

2.) Only use reef safe sunscreen when you are swimming in the ocean. Conventional sunscreens are full of nasty ingredients that have been found to contribute to the bleaching of our coral reefs. Anything that is bleaching coral can't be good for the overall health of the ocean and turtle habitats. Our skin is our largest organ so you probably don't want that stuff on you either. I know, I know those zinc based sunscreens can leave a little more white on your skin than you like but it's really a small price to pay for the life of the coral and sea turtles. When I see people covering themselves in spray cans full of sunscreen and then jumping in the water to snorkel I cringe. Just think of all of those chemicals soaking into the reef. Multiply that by all the visitors to coral reefs every year. Really the best way to keep the sun off of you when you are snorkeling is by wearing a rash guard or long sleeve shirt.

Say No to Plastic Straws!

3.) Refuse plastic straws. We really need to be more aware of this epidemic. As a beach loving community we need to speak up about this. Plastic straws litter our beaches and end up in the ocean where sea life ingests them. Tell your server when you sit down at your table that you do not want a straw and tell them why! They are harmful to the ocean. Encourage your friends to do the same.

Be the change you want to see in the world! Sure you might have to keep reminding yourself to do these things but it is totally worth it. When I see a sea turtle in the wild and feel that joy that only a majestic creature like that can give me, I think it's the least I can do for them! Bring your reusable bags to the store, sport that white streaked face and drink your cocktails straight out of the glass! Be a champion for sea turtles. Be compassionate and love nature!