Our Top 5 Picks
Reef Safe sunscreens are so easy to find these days. I suppose the hardest part for when searching for the perfect sunscreen is finding one that doesn't leave a white or purple cast. You want one that's smooth, sits on the skin nicely, but still gets the job done without having to be a chemical sunscreen. Some "reef- safe" sunscreens may also claim to be reef safe, but when you look closely at the ingredients, they are not. Because we've lived in the tropics for so long, we know all the best sunscreens for face and body. Mineral - based active ingredients you'll want your sunscreen to have are Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. These provide broad- spectrum protection and wont harm the reef! One thing to keep in mind with Mineral sunscreens is they act as a barrier sitting in the surface of the skin, unlike chemical screens that get absorbed by the skin. But like with all sunscreens, you'll need to reapply through out the day! These sunscreens can be used by guys or girls. Links to these products are highlighted in gold.
1. SuperGoop
This is one of our favorite sunscreen brands. 1. Because they have mineral based options and 2. most of the are non- comedogenic meaning they don't cause acne. 3. They're affordable. Trust me, with someone who has struggled with acne as an adult, you can't' go wrong with these products!
SuperGoop ZincScreen (face)
This sunscreen is one of my favorites for dry skin. It uses only zinc with a light pink hue, so it goes on translucent. It leaves a nice and glowy look and wear great alone or with makeup.
SuperGoop 100% Mineral (Face and Body Formulas)
They have a whole line of the Play sunscreens. You'll notice some bottles have a dark blue label and some have a light turquoise label. The turquoise ones are 100% mineral sunscreens. They apply nicely, and come in all different formulas. They are reef friendly, of course and the best part is they're water resistant for up to 80 minutes. I use this line of face and body all the time, but especially if I'll be doing a lot of water activities like surfing, diving and swimming.
SuperGoop Matte Screen (face)
This is my everyday face sunscreen. I have a more oily and acne- prone skin type and I feel this works better for my skin because of that. I love the Matte Screen for days where I am wearing makeup because it has a nice blurring effect, is oil free and also acts a primer. It can be used alone as well!
2. Tizo Ultra Zinc Face and Body
I have used this sunscreen for years after my acne- specialist recommended it to me. It melts right into the skin and is one of my favorites to this day. It also works great for darker skin tones, is reef friendly, preservative free and cruelty free. I also love that this is face and body. Meaning you don't need to buy two separate bottles. It's convenient and affordable.
3. Tula skincare mineral Magic (Face)
This sunscreen is light weight, reef-safe and non-comedogenic. It has probiotic extracts to help balance the skin and also helps with the damaging effects of blue light. The bottle is compact and can easily be carried in you bag.
4. Blue Lizard Sensitive (Body)
This is a 50 SPF Zinc Oxide Formula for the body. It's super affordable and is great for sensitive skin. They come in different sized bottles and have formulations for lotions and sunscreen sticks.
5. Raw Elements
They have a ton of different formulas and is a really popular brand in Hawaii. We were introduced to it by a surfer! I love that they use 95% Zinc Oxide and have options for tints.
We hope we gave you a bit of inspiration for some reef- friendly sunscreens!
Of course, you'll want to do a test strip first to see which ones work best for you! Everyone's skin is different, so what works for Walker and I, may not work for you.
Here is a list of ingredients to steer clear of when searching for a sunscreen:
- Oxybenzone
- Avobenzone
- Homosalate
- Octinoxate
- Octocrylene
- Cinoxate
- Dioxybenzone
- Ensulizole