In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleOur Top PicksReviewsChoosing a Reef-Safe SunscreenThe Bottom LineCommon QuestionsOur Trusted Expertise
In This ArticleView All
In This Article
View All
Our Top Picks
Reviews
Choosing a Reef-Safe Sunscreen
The Bottom Line
Common Questions
Our Trusted Expertise
Photo:COURTESY OF BRAND
COURTESY OF BRAND
It’s well-known that overexposure to UV rays can cause premature skin aging and increase your risk of skin cancer. And it’s no secret that sunscreen plays an important role in protecting your skin from UV rays. Depending on the type you slather on, however, your go-to sunscreen may be protecting your skin at the expense of coral reefs—one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth.
The loss of coral reefs can’t be attributed to chemical sunscreens alone, but it’s one aspect we can easily do something about—and that’s making the switch to reef-friendly sunscreens. We chatted with dermatologists and got their input on which sunscreens are best to help protect the reefs, and held some tests and reviews of our own—looking at the feel of reef-safe sunscreens on our skin, their opacity and whether they transfer to clothing and their level of water resistance. Here are the top picks.
Our Top PicksBest Overall:SALEThinksport SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen at Amazon$22$17Jump to ReviewAlso Great:Sun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion at Amazon$18Jump to ReviewBest for Sensitive Skin:Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen at Amazon$18Jump to ReviewBest Moisturizing:Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Stick at Amazon$13Jump to ReviewBest for Scalp:Supergoop! Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35 at AmazonJump to ReviewBest Fragrance-Free:Badger Sunscreen Cream at Amazon$18Jump to Review
Best Overall:SALEThinksport SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen at Amazon$22$17Jump to ReviewAlso Great:Sun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion at Amazon$18Jump to ReviewBest for Sensitive Skin:Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen at Amazon$18Jump to ReviewBest Moisturizing:Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Stick at Amazon$13Jump to ReviewBest for Scalp:Supergoop! Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35 at AmazonJump to ReviewBest Fragrance-Free:Badger Sunscreen Cream at Amazon$18Jump to Review
Best Overall:SALEThinksport SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen at Amazon$22$17Jump to Review
Best Overall:SALEThinksport SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen at Amazon$22$17
Best Overall:
SALE
Also Great:Sun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion at Amazon$18Jump to Review
Also Great:Sun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion at Amazon$18
Also Great:
Best for Sensitive Skin:Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen at Amazon$18Jump to Review
Best for Sensitive Skin:Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen at Amazon$18
Best for Sensitive Skin:
Best Moisturizing:Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Stick at Amazon$13Jump to Review
Best Moisturizing:Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Stick at Amazon$13
Best Moisturizing:
Best for Scalp:Supergoop! Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35 at AmazonJump to Review
Best for Scalp:Supergoop! Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35 at Amazon
Best for Scalp:
Best Fragrance-Free:Badger Sunscreen Cream at Amazon$18Jump to Review
Best Fragrance-Free:Badger Sunscreen Cream at Amazon$18
Best Fragrance-Free:
Best OverallThinksport SPF 50+ Mineral SunscreenPHOTO: Amazon$22$17 at Amazon$20 at Target$16$15 at Walmart
Best OverallThinksport SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen
Best Overall
Thinksport SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen
PHOTO: Amazon
$22$17 at Amazon$20 at Target$16$15 at Walmart
What we like:It can be used on all types of skin and has a nice lemony scent.
What to know:This sunscreen is somewhat thin and runny.
This mineral sunscreen absorbs easily with a nongreasy feel and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. We found it comparable to putting on an everyday body lotion—going on smoothly though slightly runny and no noticeable slick feeling of sunscreen on the skin. It was distinctly white when applied, and it transferred to clothing after getting wet. A slight lemony smell was also detected during the testing.
SPF:50 |Volume:0.64, 3, 6 fluid ounces |Skin Type:Oily to sensitive |Active Ingredients:Zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Hydrating
Also GreatSun Bum Mineral Sunscreen LotionPHOTO: Amazon$18$16 at Amazon$18 at Ulta$20 at CVSWhat we like:This sunscreen is lightweight and not greasy.What to know:It leaves a whitish hue on your skin after application.Sun Bum Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen is certifiedHawaii Act 104 reef compliant, which means it is free of oxybenzone and octinoxate—two chemicals that are believed to be bad for the coral reefs, causing coral bleaching. Its formula is also zinc-based and non-nano, which is also better for coral reefs. And it’s hypoallergenic and gluten-free.This sunscreen, like any others, needs to be reapplied every 80 minutes and immediately after swimming and drying yourself off with a towel. Great to use on sensitive skin, this sunscreen is light in weight and has a non-oily feeling but does tend to leave a white cast on the skin.SPF:50 |Volume:3 fluid ounces |Skin Type:Sensitive |Active Ingredients:Zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Hypoallergenic
Also GreatSun Bum Mineral Sunscreen LotionPHOTO: Amazon$18$16 at Amazon$18 at Ulta$20 at CVS
Also GreatSun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
Also Great
Sun Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
$18$16 at Amazon$18 at Ulta$20 at CVS
What we like:This sunscreen is lightweight and not greasy.
What to know:It leaves a whitish hue on your skin after application.
Sun Bum Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen is certifiedHawaii Act 104 reef compliant, which means it is free of oxybenzone and octinoxate—two chemicals that are believed to be bad for the coral reefs, causing coral bleaching. Its formula is also zinc-based and non-nano, which is also better for coral reefs. And it’s hypoallergenic and gluten-free.
This sunscreen, like any others, needs to be reapplied every 80 minutes and immediately after swimming and drying yourself off with a towel. Great to use on sensitive skin, this sunscreen is light in weight and has a non-oily feeling but does tend to leave a white cast on the skin.
SPF:50 |Volume:3 fluid ounces |Skin Type:Sensitive |Active Ingredients:Zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Hypoallergenic
Best for Sensitive SkinBabo Botanicals Clear Zinc SunscreenPHOTO: Amazon$18 at Amazon$20$18 at WalmartView on IHerbWhat we like:It does not leave a white cast on your skin after being applied.What to know:There is a strong chemical smell to this sunscreen.Specially formulated for folks with super-sensitive skin, Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen is fast-absorbing and—as its name implies—goes on clear (not white). The 100% non-nano, zinc formula provides 80 minutes of water- and sweat-resistant coverage. During our tests, the sunscreen was a bit thick right out of the container, yet when applied, it absorbed fairly quickly and did not leave a white hue on the skin. After it got wet, the sunscreen did run—leaving streaks down the skin—and some of it transferred onto clothing, although there was no real change in the feel of it on the skin. Also, the sunscreen emitted a strong chemical odor that was not the most pleasant to sensitive noses (even though it’s supposedly fragrance-free).SPF:30 |Volume:3 fluid ounces |Skin Type:Sensitive |Active Ingredients:Non-nano zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Dermatologist tested
Best for Sensitive SkinBabo Botanicals Clear Zinc SunscreenPHOTO: Amazon$18 at Amazon$20$18 at WalmartView on IHerb
Best for Sensitive SkinBabo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen
Best for Sensitive Skin
Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen
$18 at Amazon$20$18 at WalmartView on IHerb
What we like:It does not leave a white cast on your skin after being applied.
What to know:There is a strong chemical smell to this sunscreen.
Specially formulated for folks with super-sensitive skin, Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen is fast-absorbing and—as its name implies—goes on clear (not white). The 100% non-nano, zinc formula provides 80 minutes of water- and sweat-resistant coverage. During our tests, the sunscreen was a bit thick right out of the container, yet when applied, it absorbed fairly quickly and did not leave a white hue on the skin. After it got wet, the sunscreen did run—leaving streaks down the skin—and some of it transferred onto clothing, although there was no real change in the feel of it on the skin. Also, the sunscreen emitted a strong chemical odor that was not the most pleasant to sensitive noses (even though it’s supposedly fragrance-free).
SPF:30 |Volume:3 fluid ounces |Skin Type:Sensitive |Active Ingredients:Non-nano zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Dermatologist tested
Best MoisturizingBlue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen StickPHOTO: Amazon$13 at Amazon$12$9 at WalmartView on Bluelizardsunscreen.com
Best MoisturizingBlue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Stick
Best Moisturizing
Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Stick
$13 at Amazon$12$9 at WalmartView on Bluelizardsunscreen.com
What we like:Skin is left feeling hydrated without that heavy feel of a typical sunscreen lotion.
What to know:The sunscreen has a slight odor and is not completely unscented.
During testing, we loved that this sunscreen left no whitish cast when applied, and it worked well after getting wet with no real change or streaking. The stick made it easy to apply, and it didn’t have that heavy feeling on the skin you typically get after applying sunscreen. There was no noticeable transfer of the product onto clothing during testing. Plus, the skin felt hydrated. There was a slight smell to the sunscreen, but it was not overpowering.
SPF:50 |Volume:0.50 ounce |Skin Type:Sensitive |Active Ingredients:Zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Sun protection
Best for ScalpSupergoop! Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35PHOTO: AmazonView on Amazon$35 at NordstromView on Shopbop.comWhat we like:It can be used every day in your hair care routine.What to know:It is a bit pricey.As diligent as we are about protecting our skin with SPF clothing, many of us forget to protect our scalp. Enter Supergoop! with this reef-friendly sunscreen powder that goes on much like a dry shampoo, only with the bonus of broad-spectrum SPF 35 UV protection. Simply spray this on the part in your hair and then blend it in with your fingertips or a brush. It can be used every day as part of your daily hair care routine, too.While you don’t use much during one application, at less than 1 ounce, this product is on the more expensive side at $34 per bottle.SPF:35 |Volume:0.71 ounces |Skin Type:All |Active Ingredients:Zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Sun protection, antioxidant, nourishing
Best for ScalpSupergoop! Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35PHOTO: AmazonView on Amazon$35 at NordstromView on Shopbop.com
Best for ScalpSupergoop! Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35
Best for Scalp
Supergoop! Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35
View on Amazon$35 at NordstromView on Shopbop.com
What we like:It can be used every day in your hair care routine.
What to know:It is a bit pricey.
As diligent as we are about protecting our skin with SPF clothing, many of us forget to protect our scalp. Enter Supergoop! with this reef-friendly sunscreen powder that goes on much like a dry shampoo, only with the bonus of broad-spectrum SPF 35 UV protection. Simply spray this on the part in your hair and then blend it in with your fingertips or a brush. It can be used every day as part of your daily hair care routine, too.
While you don’t use much during one application, at less than 1 ounce, this product is on the more expensive side at $34 per bottle.
SPF:35 |Volume:0.71 ounces |Skin Type:All |Active Ingredients:Zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Sun protection, antioxidant, nourishing
Best Fragrance-FreeBadger Sunscreen CreamPHOTO: Amazon$18$16 at Amazon$16 at Target$16 at Walmart
Best Fragrance-FreeBadger Sunscreen Cream
Best Fragrance-Free
Badger Sunscreen Cream
$18$16 at Amazon$16 at Target$16 at Walmart
What we like:It contains only four simple ingredients.
What to know:The sunscreen comes out of the tube a bit thick and can be hard to put on.
Badger’s Sport Mineral Sunscreen Cream contains only four ingredients: zinc oxide, sunflower oil, beeswax, and vitamin E. It’s hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, making it suitable for all skin types. It is a bit thick and can be hard to get out of the tube and apply, but it rubs in clear to blend with most skin tones.
SPF:40 |Volume:2.9 fluid ounces |Skin Type:All |Active Ingredients:Uncoated zinc oxide |Product Benefits:Hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic
Despite how much it’s used, the terms “reef-safe” and “reef-friendly” aren’t regulated. There’s also no clear definition being used among manufacturers. Instead, it’s up to the consumer—you—to find out if the sunscreen you’re purchasing is actually “reef-friendly.”
First, start with the ingredient list. Reef-friendly sunscreens are mineral-based. Look for at least one of these ingredients: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. “Rather than absorb into the skin like chemical sunscreens, these minerals sit on top and act as a shield, reflecting the sun’s rays away from the skin,” says New York City-based cosmetic dermatologistMichele Green, M.D.Mineral sunscreens inherently offer broad-spectrum UVA and UVB coverage.
Reef-friendly sunscreens don’t contain chemical ingredients. So anything listed beyond titanium dioxide or zinc oxide and is hard to pronounce could indicate a chemical ingredient. The biggest offenders, according to SaveTheReef (an organization dedicated to saving the world’s oceans and marine life), are oxybenzone (also called benzophenone-3 and BP-3), octinoxate, mineral oil (petrolatum), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octocrylene, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), parabens and triclosan.
If you want to be extra diligent, browse sunscreen brand websites to see if they provide intel on how they specifically go about defining “reef-friendly.”
The Bottom Line: The Best Reef-Safe Sunscreens
If you’re looking for a reef-safe sunscreen that’s also fairly safe for your skin and effective at blocking the rays,Thinksport Safe Sunscreen SPF 50+(view at Amazon) checks all of those boxes. That’s why we chose it as our best overall. Another good option that we and our experts liked isSun Bum Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion(view at Amazon). This reef-safe sunscreen is our runner-up as it is lightweight, non-greasy feeling when applied, hypoallergenic and gluten-free.
Are all mineral sunscreens reef-safe?
Do reef-safe sunscreens work?
In a word: Yes! Mineral sunscreens provide a physical barrier between you and the sun’s rays, reducing your risk of sunburn, premature aging andskin cancer. Since mineral sunscreens sit on top of your skin, they can also be a gentler option for sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Where is non-reef-safe sunscreen banned?
Non-reef-safe sunscreens are currently banned in Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau, Aruba, Bonaire, and parts of Florida (Key West) and Mexico. However, if you plan on snorkeling or scuba diving, it’s always best to check your destination’s regulations regarding reef-safe sunscreens before you travel.
Why are coral reefs so important for our environment?
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.US Department of Commerce, N.O. and A.A. (2018)Skincare Chemicals and Coral Reefs.Protect Land + Sea Certification –Haereticus.Reef Safe Sunscreen Guide |Save the Reef.US EPA, OAR.Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation and Sun Exposure. 26 Nov. 2018.US EPA, OW.Basic Information about Coral Reefs. 30 Jan. 2017.US EPA, OW.Basic Information about Coral Reefs. 30 Jan. 2017.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.US Department of Commerce, N.O. and A.A. (2018)Skincare Chemicals and Coral Reefs.Protect Land + Sea Certification –Haereticus.Reef Safe Sunscreen Guide |Save the Reef.US EPA, OAR.Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation and Sun Exposure. 26 Nov. 2018.US EPA, OW.Basic Information about Coral Reefs. 30 Jan. 2017.US EPA, OW.Basic Information about Coral Reefs. 30 Jan. 2017.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
US Department of Commerce, N.O. and A.A. (2018)Skincare Chemicals and Coral Reefs.Protect Land + Sea Certification –Haereticus.Reef Safe Sunscreen Guide |Save the Reef.US EPA, OAR.Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation and Sun Exposure. 26 Nov. 2018.US EPA, OW.Basic Information about Coral Reefs. 30 Jan. 2017.US EPA, OW.Basic Information about Coral Reefs. 30 Jan. 2017.
US Department of Commerce, N.O. and A.A. (2018)Skincare Chemicals and Coral Reefs.
Protect Land + Sea Certification –Haereticus.
Reef Safe Sunscreen Guide |Save the Reef.
US EPA, OAR.Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation and Sun Exposure. 26 Nov. 2018.
US EPA, OW.Basic Information about Coral Reefs. 30 Jan. 2017.
