
Nano-particles from mineral based sunscreens can cause damage to reefs when they are absorbed, even if the particles are too small for us to see. In general, a reef safe sunscreen will be mineral based, but not all of these products are eco-friendly either. Mineral based is typically a better choice than chemical based. If they contain either of the two chemicals that we’ve spoken about, oxybenzone or octinoxate, then it’s a sunscreen that you want to avoid. If you are looking for eco-friendly sunscreen, always check the ingredients. With chemical based sunscreens in particular, many people can have allergies to the ingredients.
REEF SAFE SUNSCREEN SPF 50 SKIN
Then there is mineral based, which provides a barrier between our skin and the sun.

There is chemical based, which is designed to absorb the UV rays before it hits our skin. Sunscreen generally comes in one of two different forms. This post does contain affiliate links which means we might make a commission off of a purchase you make, but this is at no additional cost to you! Affiliate links help us keep The Honest Consumer as a free resource to those learning about conscious consumerism. We’ve put together this guide that details everything we know about sunscreen and its effects on the environment, as well as some tips to help you stay safe in the sun – the eco-friendly way.

These dangers affect not only us, but also the natural world we live in, particularly our oceans. As a society we’ve been focusing on the very real dangers of sun exposure and skin-cancer, but the products that we are using to keep ourselves safe may in fact be having other consequences.
