Why your sunscreen may be damaging marine life

Brits chronically neglect to apply SPF lotion. But when we do, we typically reach for the most damaging and environmentally toxic products on the market. Yes, I’m talking about chemical sunscreens.

Chemical sunscreens are lotions or creams that use chemical filters, like oxybenzone or octinoxate, that absorb UV rays in the skin and convert them to heat. However, a 2016 study found that these materials have damaging effects on juvenile corals and other marine life. The four major toxic risks to coral are (a) bleaching, (b) DNA damage, (c) abnormal skeleton growth due to endocrine disruption (hormonal disruption), and (d) birth deformities.

Not only do poor corals have to put up with climate change and pollution, now we know they’re battling all the rubbish we’re throwing at them from our sunscreens. And it’s not just corals at risk. Sunscreen chemicals can cause defects in the young of mussels, the immune and reproductive systems of sea urchins, transfer to baby dolphins from their parents, and impair growth and photosynthesis of green algae. The risk has become so severe that Hawaii and Palau have banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone altogether.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found that chemicals in sunscreens are absorbed into the bloodstream of human and other animal bodies at alarmingly high levels.”

Now to really scare you. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found that chemicals in sunscreens are absorbed into the bloodstream of human and other animal bodies at alarmingly high levels. The study the FDA used found that over a week 24 adults had shockingly high levels of oxybenzone in their bloodstreams after topically applying the recommended amount of sunscreen daily. We don’t know conclusively what effects this could be having, but researchers believe the compound could act as an endocrine disrupter. Not only that, but oxybenzone is one of the most irritating ingredients commonly found in sunscreen, causing many allergic reactions.

But wait! All is not lost. Instead of never applying sunscreen again and living in the shadows, let me introduce you to the alternative. Natural sunscreens, sometimes called mineral sunscreens, create a physical film on the surface of the skin to prevent UV rays from being absorbed at all. They typically use either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as their main active ingredient to ‘reflect’ the sun’s rays. If you want to be extra careful, you can use a sunscreen with non-nano titanium (normally advertised on the packaging) to be sure the ingredient is not small enough to be absorbed into your body in any way. Not only are they more coral-safe, but natural sunscreens also begin acting immediately after application, meaning you don’t have to wait the typical 20 minutes that you do with chemical sunscreens.

They’re also much more suitable for people with sensitive skin as they contain much less irritating ingredients. There is just one thing that puts people off natural sunscreen; the dreaded white cast. As they produce a physical block using minerals, many creams with zinc or titanium give a ‘white’ looking filter to the face. This can be particularly problematic for people of colour or those with olive-toned skin. Even myself, who is medium fair, can step out looking like Casper’s mother. If you wear foundation, you can simply put the layer of sunscreen underneath and you’ll be good to go, but reapplying throughout the day will be a big hassle. What I do instead is apply a layer of sunscreen, wait for it to dry, then add another layer with a tiny drop of pigment. I use the Collection Primed & Ready Colour Fix in Warm and it completely takes away any white cast.  If you follow this method, make sure the first layer of sunscreen is completely dry, as adding any pigment to sunscreen alone will alter the formula, potentially compromising the SPF. You can buy tinted mineral sunscreen, but they tend to be pretty pricey and you’re stuck with one colour.

The natural sunscreens I recommend are: Odylique Organic Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 , LUSH Solid Sunscreen Wash SPF 30 (apply it during your morning shower for sun protection AND body moisturiser ) and Drunk Elephant’s Umbra Tinted Physical Daily Defence (a luxurious tinted mineral sunscreen for those who don’t mind spending a bit more).