As of January 1st, all sunscreens sold in Hawaii will be reef-safe. You can buy it once you land at all Hawaii grocery stores, Costco, department stores, convenience stores, and is often given out for free on tours, like whale watching in Maui .

The study by the non-profit Haereticus Environmental Laboratories in partnership with NOAA found oxybenzone and octinoxate to cause coral bleaching. The authors found that baby coral exposed to oxybenzone and octinoxate showed signs of distress, including coral bleaching. The silver lining(-ish)? The lab highlights that the presence of benzene appears to be from manufacturing contamination, unrelated to the specific sunscreen ingredients used. Based on that, it's safe to select a sunscreen from the list of options that Valisure didn't detect any benzene in, among them the below SPFs from Neutrogena, Aveeno, La Roche-Posay, CVS Health, and Banana Boat. However, Gerson recommends avoiding spray sunscreens out of concern about inhaling the ingredients. That is a lot of chemicals to avoid when buying sunscreen so let me summarize. Avoid sunscreens with the following ingredients on the label: Signs like this one on Maui list all sunscreen chemicals, not just banned ones. Research hasn’t been done to prove these chemicals damage reefs but environmental advocates recommend not using them. Our spray sunscreen comes in variety of spray bottles. Here’s some help in understanding the differences:Also, spray-on sunscreens are not recommended for children as the spray is more susceptible to getting in their eyes and mouth. The FDA recommends against using sprays on kids because of the likelihood of inhalation and respiratory problems like asthma. Also, sprays don’t cover as well as rub-on lotions. 5. Buy “Paraben-Free”

Many of the big sunscreen brands like Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic have already been re-formulated to be sold in Hawaii. I expect all brands to follow suit. Mineral-Based Sunscreens (Hawaii Approved)Sunscreens with 50 SPF protect your skin from UVA rays (aging rays) and UVB rays (burning rays). The sun protection factor (SPF) number on your sunscreen indicates how much of the sun’s burning rays will be filtered out. Intensifying her concern is the FDA's 2020 finding that six sunscreen ingredients — avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, and octinoxate — were absorbed through the skin and into the body, resulting in measurable blood levels. Given that and Valisure's discoveries, both Gerson and Rogers are in favor of the FDA recalling the affected products.

Heading into the summer months, it's more important than ever to have a sunscreen on hand that you trust. But as a report from independent laboratory Valisure revealed last week, 27 percent of the sunscreen and after-sun products it tested contained benzene, a carcinogen — and unsettlingly, many of them are household names. And to be honest, scientists are still figuring out what chemicals in sunscreen harm the reefs, marine life, and us humans. Studies continue but for now, Erica and I implement these 8 sun UV-protection tips to stay safe and help the environment. All while enjoying Hawaii.At this time they also carry Neutrogena sunscreens but they are not reef-safe. What is the Difference Between Reef-Safe and Reef-Friendly Sunscreen? Our SPF 50 sunscreens provide broad spectrum coverage against UVA and UVB rays in a variety of water-resistant formulas. Choose from SPF 50 sunscreen lotion, SPF 50 sunscreen spray, and SPF 50 sunscreen body serum to best fit your suncare needs. The NIOSH sets benzene's recommended occupational exposure limit at .1 parts per million (ppm), which makes Valisure's findings of 2 ppm or higher in some sunscreens, from Neutrogena, Sun Bum, and CVS Health, concerning. Meanwhile, the FDA sets a recommended limit of 2 ppm per day — but according to board-certified dermatologist Heather Rogers, any exposure to benzene is worse than none, and there is an accumulative effect of being exposed to benzene, meaning multiple exposures leads to more DNA damage. The best thing you can do to protect Hawaii’s reefs is to reduce the amount of sunscreen you apply. Wear sun-protection clothing and use rub-on sunscreens. I’ll get off my soapbox now. Hawaii Sunscreen Law The sun and sea await you on your Hawaii vacation. Before you lather up on sunscreen, make sure you are wearing sunscreen that doesn’t contribute to coral reef bleaching while protecting you from the tropical, harsh Hawaiian sun.

Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen SPF 50 should be applied liberally approximately 15 minutes before sun exposure. Remember to reapply your SPF 50 sunscreen at least every two hours or after 80 minutes of swimming or sweating. For specific instructions, refer to your Hawaiian Tropic SPF 50 sunscreen bottle’s directions on how to use. Re-formulated to be Hawaii reef-safe Banana Boat Sport is a featured, low-priced sunscreen in Hawaii convenience stores. Walmart’s Reef-Safe Sunscreen As a professionally licensed Chemical Engineer who also likes to write about Hawaii, sunscreen chemicals are near and dear to my heart. Our sunscreen spray and mist products make application fast and easy and come in a range of SPFs to fit your lifestyle and activity. From our suntan lotion sprays that help start or maintain your tan to our spray sunscreens for everyday activities, our skin-nourishing formulas offer sun protection wherever the day takes you.

Manufacturers of mineral-based sunscreens have made the minerals, zinc oxide and titanium oxide, nanoparticles so it applies smoother and is transparent. No one wants a white nose anymore. Hawaii reef-safe sunscreens do not contain chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, they both contribute to coral bleaching. Read the sunscreen’s ingredients before buying. Look for sunscreens that contain natural minerals like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and are labeled as non-nano and paraben-free. Coral bleaching is a condition that doesn’t kill coral but leaves it in severe stress, exposing it to infection and may lead to death. The chemicals also caused DNA damage and irregularities in their growth and skeleton.