Reef Safe 101: How to Choose Ocean-Friendly Skincare and Haircare

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last half-decade, you've probably noticed the monumental shift taking place in the personal care world with the rise of clean beauty products. From natural hair care to vegan makeup,mineral sunscreen, and so much more, people are becoming more selective with the products they use, not just for themselves but for the environment.

When it comes to the pre-surf routine, whether it's hair masks or sunscreen, most products you see lining the beauty store shelves  contain harmful ingredients that can cause coral bleaching and even damage coral DNA.  While many products claim to be reef-safe, there's more to ocean conservation than just a label. If you're curious about what makes a product truly reef-safe and what to look for when purchasing sustainable self-care products, read on…

Are traditional beauty and skincare products actually bad for the environment? 

Whether it's the shampoo you washed your hair with last night or the r sunscreen you’re slathering on the way to the beach, what you put on your body has a direct impact on the ocean as soon as you enter the water. Chemical sunscreens can be particularly harmful to coral thanks to common ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are UV filters designed to protect human skin from sun damage. While these chemicals are effective agents at blocking the sun , they cause coral bleaching by increasing coral's vulnerability to heat stress. They also damage coral DNA by impairing coral development and making it harder for reefs to regenerate. These chemicals also disrupt hormones in marine species, directly affecting reproduction and growth. Moreover, the longer swimmers, surfers, and divers stay in the water, the more these chemicals bioaccumulate in the environment. According to NOAA, up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter coral reef environments every year.

What Does Reef Safe Actually Mean?

Hawaii, Palau, Thailand, and parts of Mexico have banned certain reef-harming ingredients. "Reef-safe" sunscreens typically use mineral filters, such as non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which are considered safer for both marine life and human use. A reef-safe label typically indicates that a product is formulated without the use of harmful ingredients, such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, homosalate, and avobenzone. However, there is no global or FDA-backed standard for reef-safe or reef-friendly products, meaning anyone can use the label, regardless of the product's actual environmental impact.

How to Choose Truly Reef-Safe Skincare and Haircare

Just because a label reads "reef safe" doesn't mean the product won't harm the environment; therefore, it's up to the consumer to make informed choices for their health and the environment. 

1. Check the ingredient list.

Try to avoid commonly used harmful ingredients, such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, avobenzone, and homosalate. Instead, opt for mineral-based alternatives, such as non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. 

2. Look for "non-nano" formulas. 

Nano-sized particles can be ingested by marine life, even if they're mineral-based. Non-nano means the particles are too large to be absorbed by marine organisms. 

3. Skip the spray. 

Using aerosol sunscreen and hair products can create chemical clouds that settle into the ocean, even if you never enter the water. Instead, shop for biodegradable and water-resistant products that break down safely in natural environments.

4. Support Brands that Care 

It's essential to support brands that are transparent about the ingredients they use in their products and strive to protect the environment. KOOK is, at its core, an ocean-first brand. 

KOOK was born out of a lifetime spent in the water. Founded by two scuba divers with a combined 30 years of experience under the sea, the ocean is an integral part of everything we do at KOOK. No matter what KOOK product you pick up, you can be sure it was designed with the ocean in mind. Shop our latest drops, like our pre-swim hair mask.