What is 'reef safe' SPF actually?

Now that the sun is starting to shine (for more days than one) and we are all getting ready to live our lives outdoors again (yay!) we need to remember to protect our skin from sun damage and environmental factors.

Not only is it important to choose clean skincare and sun protection for your own health but it’s also important to choose mindfully when you buy, as your choices can and will have an effect on the environment, especially when going in the ocean this summer!


Why would my SPF have a bad effect on our coral reefs?

When you swim with sunscreen on, chemicals like oxybenzone can seep into the water, where they're absorbed by corals. These substances contain nanoparticles that can disrupt coral's reproduction and growth cycles, ultimately leading to bleaching


So what is ‘reef safe’ sunscreen actually?

The term seems to be thrown around a lot so here are the facts and what you actually need to look out for when purchasing your next SPF.


Physical vs Chemical sunscreen

Chemical sunscreen absorbs into the skin and then absorbs UV rays, converts the rays into heat, and releases them from the body. ... Physical or ‘Mineral’ sunblock sits on top of the skin and reflects the sun's rays. The minerals titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the main active ingredients in physical sun blocks.


Ingredients to look for: 

  • Zinc oxide 

  • Titanium dioxide


Ingredients to avoid: 

Oxybenzone and octinoxate are the main culprits. The reason they are so widely used in sunscreen is that they absorb the harmful UV rays. Oxybenzone, for example, is toxic in four different ways: it causes damage to the DNA that may lead to cancer and developmental abnormalities, it is an endocrine disruptor, it causes deformations in juvenile corals, and, lastly, it leads to bleaching.

Check the label! Make sure your sunscreen does not contain the following harmful substances:

  • Oxybenzone

  • Octinoxate

  • Octocrylene

  • Homosalate

  • 4-methylbenzylidene camphor

  • PABA

  • Parabens

  • Triclosan

  • Any nanoparticles or “nano-sized” zinc or titanium (if it doesn’t explicitly say “micro-sized” or “non-nano” and it can rub in, it’s probably nano-sized)

  • Any form of microplastics, such as “exfoliating beads”

Any good SPF reccommendations?


Here are some really good options which (seem to) tick all the boxes for me:


I hope this helps you be more informed when next purchasing your sun protection for your next holiday. Of course hats are the most efficient way of staying safe from the sun’s harmful rays, but if you are using sunscreen, please keep our oceans and coral reefs in mind as well and know that your choices really do matter! Naturally some of these products are more pricey than you are used to spending on SPF, but quality over quantity is always my motto - and in the end the benefits are there for both your health and the environment, so it’s a win-win really!

Serena Moll