A recent article from the Cosmetics Design newsletter mentions that a sunscreen going by the name of Reef Safe, manufactured by Beach Buff, has gotten approval from Jean Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society. With a name like Reef Safe, not to mention its stamp of approval from an organization headed by a Cousteau, one would expect a somewhat pristine ingredients’ deck. Imagine my dismay when I read off the list of ingredients found in Beach Buff’s products: oxybenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate, octyl salicylate, propylene glycol, methyl paraben, propyl paraben and flavor.

Aside from a list of ingredients that is not people safe, this is certainly not a “reef safe” product. In fact, scientists in a recent study commissioned by the European commission found all of the UV filters listed above, as well as propylene glycol, to “cause the rapid and complete bleaching of hard corals, even at extremely low concentrations. The effect of sunscreens is due to organic* ultraviolet filters, which are able to induce the lytic viral cycle in symbiotic zooxanthellae with latent infections.” (Environmental Health Perspectives)

The health risks associated with many of these chemicals found in Beach Buff products can be further explored by taking a look at the work the EWG has done to identify the dangers and inform the public. But to be fair we should look at their reef safe argument to see if the products have any redeeming features. Read more at mvorganicsblog.com