Best Reef-Safe Sunscreens of 2024 for Eco-Friendly UV Protection

Coral reefs are one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet and their survival is inextricably linked to our own. They provide nesting grounds and homes for hundreds of species, prevent coastal erosion and storm surge damage, help mitigate climate change by regulating carbon dioxide levels in the ocean, and so much more. But, according to scientific research, they’re also being killed — and your sunscreen may be part of the problem.

“Sunscreen pollution is a real phenomenon and it poses a threat to coral reefs and aquatic life. It’s also a major factor in decreased water quality,” says Craig Downs, the study’s co-author and the executive director of Haereticus Environmental Laboratory.

Downs says the best course of action is to exchange sunscreen for protective clothing like hats, rash guards, and swim leggings that have broad-spectrum UV protection built into the fabric, but he understands that that isn’t always an option when you’re at the beach. If you’re going to use sunscreen, he says to always avoid oxybenzone and octinoxate at all costs. Those ingredients have been banned in many marine preserves, Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Virgin Islands, parts of Mexico, the Florida Keys, and Hawaii.