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What Sunscreen Ingredients Harm Coral?
A single drop of oxybenzone in six Olympic-sized swimming pools is enough to damage and kill coral reefs.
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Navigating sunscreen choices — from oxybenzone concerns to finding mineral sunscreens that actually work. Sun protection without the confusion.
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A single drop of oxybenzone in six Olympic-sized swimming pools is enough to damage and kill coral reefs.
A landmark 2025 study finally proved that daily SPF 50+ use lowers vitamin D levels—but ditching your sunscreen is the wrong way to fix it.
The FDA has revoked the 'safe' status of 12 common sunscreen chemicals, but they're still on store shelves—here is what is going on.
FDA studies confirm that six common sunscreen chemicals enter your bloodstream after just one use—and stay there for days.
This common sunscreen chemical absorbs into your bloodstream at levels 46x higher than the FDA safety threshold.
This common sunscreen ingredient absorbs into your bloodstream and mimics estrogen—here is why the FDA is asking for more safety data.
It's the only chemical UVA filter approved in the US, but it degrades in sunlight and turns toxic in swimming pools.
It absorbs into your bloodstream, disrupts hormones, and kills coral reefs—yet it's still legal in the US.
The 'Dirty Dozen' chemicals hiding in your SPF that disrupt hormones and kill coral.
Most US sunscreens fail current safety standards, but a new FDA proposal could change everything by 2026.
Mineral sunscreens don't break down in the sun like chemical ones do, but you still need to reapply them every two hours—here's why.
You don't have to look like a ghost to get safe, chemical-free sun protection.
That chalky ghost face isn't a formulation error—it's the exact mechanism protecting your skin from the sun.
Mineral sunscreen works instantly and protects completely, but the 95% absorption myth might surprise you.
Non-nano zinc oxide is the gold standard for marine environments, but nano-sized zinc can bleach corals just like chemical sunscreens.
Nano-minerals won't penetrate your skin, but they can wreck your lungs and bleach coral reefs.
Those microscopic mineral filters eliminate the dreaded white cast, but they come with severe inhalation risks and threaten marine life.
It's one of the safest UV filters available for your skin, but a potential hazard for your lungs.
It's the only sunscreen ingredient the FDA universally recognizes as safe—but the particle size matters.
FDA data shows chemical filters enter your bloodstream after just one use, while mineral options stay on your skin.
Hawaii's sunscreen laws are the strictest in the US—and the rules change depending on which island you visit.
The FDA doesn't regulate the term 'reef safe,' meaning brands can legally slap it on bottles that contain coral-killing chemicals.
Up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen wash into coral reefs every year, and it only takes a single drop of oxybenzone in six Olympic swimming pools to cause coral bleaching.
Up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen wash into coral reefs every year, but the 'reef safe' label on your bottle is completely unregulated.
A 2019 dermatological study found that applying these two products in the wrong order can reduce your sun protection by up to 40%.
The FDA says three years, but leaving a bottle in your hot car can cut its protective lifespan down to a matter of weeks.
Your old SPF won't just leave you sunburned—it could be breeding bacteria and causing severe skin rashes.
Up to 90% of aging UVA rays penetrate right through the clouds, meaning overcast skies are secretly aging your skin.
Your windows block sunburns, but they let in up to 95% of the UV rays that cause wrinkles.
Most people apply less than half the recommended amount of sunscreen—turning SPF 50 into a measly SPF 14.
The jump from SPF 30 to SPF 50 only gives you 1% more protection, but it significantly increases your exposure to controversial UV filters.
The jump from SPF 50 to SPF 100 gives you a measly 1% more protection—but hits your skin with a massive dose of extra chemicals.
SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays, but there is a major catch in how you apply it.
You'd have to wear 10 times your normal amount of foundation to get the SPF protection listed on the bottle.
The pediatrician favorite is heavily marketed as a pure mineral sunscreen—but a closer look at the label reveals a controversial hidden chemical filter.
The trendy SPF brand has a massive cult following, but their most popular product contains 8% homosalate—a controversial hormone disruptor.
The classic beach brand has a new mineral line, but their signature chemical formulas and a recent benzene recall should make you pause.
The iconic drugstore brand recently expanded a recall for cancer-causing benzene—and their standard chemical formulas remain packed with endocrine disruptors.
The drugstore staple has a massive safety divide: their mineral lines are clean, but their chemical sprays face a history of cancer-causing recalls.
The #1 sunscreen brand recommended by dermatologists uses a controversial chemical filter alongside its mineral zinc—here’s what the pros actually put on their own faces.
Only 23% of sunscreens meet EWG safety standards—here is exactly what to look for and what to avoid.
Zinc oxide doesn't just block the sun—it actively fights the bacteria that causes acne.
That burning sensation ruining your beach day isn't just sweat—it's likely avobenzone migrating into your tear ducts.
75% of facial sunscreens fail basic safety tests—here are the lightweight mineral formulas that don't.
A baby's skin is 30% thinner than an adult's—making the right mineral sunscreen critical once they hit 6 months old.
Only 1 in 3 kids' sunscreens pass basic EWG safety standards—meaning 67% fail.
The wrong SPF can trap sweat and bacteria in your pores, but skipping it makes acne scars permanently darker.
True sunscreen allergies affect less than 1% of people, but chemical UV filters cause daily irritation for millions.