(KGTV) - Following Hawaii's recent ban of certain sunscreens to protect their coral reefs, consumers are left wondering what sunscreens are safe to buy now.
Sunscreens without the chemicals oxybenzone or octinoxate are where consumers' eyes should be heading.
The National Parks Service recommends purchasing sunscreens with titanium oxide or zinc oxide, which are natural mineral ingredients. Those ingredients have not been found to be harmful to corals.
Travel + Leisure put together a list of reef-safe sunscreens, including the brands:
- All Good,
- Babo Botanicals,
- Badger,
- Kokua Sun Care,
- Mama Kuleana,
- Manda,
- Raw Elements,
- Raw Love,
- Sea & Summit,
- Stream 2 Sea, and
- Sun Integrity
All of those brands are also part of the organization Safe Sunscreen Council, which advocates for awareness and research into the development of safe ingredients for skin care products.
Another recommended solution is to wear protective clothing at the beach, including:
- Sun hats,
- Sunglasses, or
- Thin, long-sleeved shirts.
"Rash guards," commonly worn by surfers, are also recommended.
