Reef-Safe or Reef-Fake? How to Spot Green (& Blue)washing in Beauty

Because your beauty routine shouldn't be harmful—or confusing.

Welcome to the Murky Waters of “Clean Beauty”

You’ve probably seen the buzzwords: reef-safe, non-toxic, clean, plant-powered, eco-friendly. But here’s the truth—most of these terms are unregulated. That means any brand can slap “clean” on their label without actually being clean for you or the environment.

At KOOK, we created our products because we were tired of being duped. So let’s break it all down and help you spot the difference between true reef-safe heroes and pretty packaging with nothing to back it up.

Let’s Talk “Clean at Sephora” — Is It Actually Clean?

Sephora’s Clean Beauty Aisle bans over 50 ingredients including parabens, SLS/SLES, formaldehyde, and mineral oil. But that doesn’t mean the products are reef-safe or plastic-conscious. And spoiler alert, synthetic fragrance and PEGs can still sneak through. Also, all brands featured in the clean aisle are not necessarily all certified vegan or organic or made in ethically sustainable ways. Even Sephora has faced a lawsuit over the misleading nature of its “clean” labeling (Vogue Business article).

How to Spot Real Reef-Safe & Clean Brands

Here’s what to look for when shopping:

• Transparent Ingredient Lists (no vague "fragrance" or "proprietary blends")

• Third-Party Certifications (e.g. Leaping Bunny, Climate Neutral, Reef Safe Verified)

• Eco-Conscious Packaging (refillable, recyclable, minimal)

• Commitment to Marine Life or Planet-First Nonprofits

• Honesty About Tradeoffs (e.g. performance, price, packaging—brands who admit limitations = more trustworthy)

Brands That Greenwash or Bluewash (AKA: The "Not So KOOK" List)

These brands market themselves as clean or sustainable, but their ingredient lists and practices tell a different story:

1. Bondi Sands

• Claims: “Reef friendly” SPF.

• Reality: Removed two known reef-harming ingredients (oxybenzone & octinoxate) but kept others like octocrylene and avobenzone, which are still damaging to marine ecosystems.

• More info

2. Sun Bum

• Claims: Marketed as “reef friendly” and “Hawaii Act 104 Compliant.”

• Reality: While Sun Bum products are free from oxybenzone and octinoxate, they contain other chemicals like avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene, which have been shown to harm marine life.

• In May 2025, Sun Bum was ordered to pay $300,000 in civil penalties and prohibited from advertising its chemical sunscreens as “reef friendly” after a lawsuit in Santa Clara County.

3. OGX (Organix)

• Claims: Marketed as sulfate-free and nourishing for hair.

• Reality: Despite being labeled as sulfate-free, OGX shampoos and conditioners contain DMDM hydantoin, a formaldehyde-releasing preservative linked to hair loss and scalp irritation.

• In 2021, a class-action lawsuit was filed against OGX's parent company, Johnson & Johnson, alleging deceptive marketing practices related to the safety of their hair care products.

Brands We Trust (The “KOOK-Approved” List)

These brands are doing the work—transparently, effectively, and with real impact.

1. Kinfield

• What We Love: Transparent about ingredient sourcing, uses natural bug repellents & SPF that are actually reef-safe.

• Bonus: They educate their customers about sustainability in a way that’s fun and digestible.

2. OSEA Malibu

• What We Love: Certified vegan, Climate Neutral Certified, and based in Malibu with ocean-safe, marine-powered formulas.

• They’ve been eco before eco was trendy.

3. Activist Skincare

• What We Love: Refillable packaging, full ingredient transparency, and climate-committed.

• Built on conscious systems and high-performance skincare.

Our Promise

We didn’t just want to make a product—we wanted to make a difference. That’s why KOOK’s Pre-Swim Hair Mask is:

• Reef-Safe Certified

• Vegan + Cruelty-Free

• Tested for Hardcore Ocean Exposure (8 hours strong)

• Partnered with Seatrees to plant 1 mangrove tree per jar sold

• Made without: parabens, silicones, PEGs, synthetic fragrances, or greenwashing BS

We believe clean beauty should actually be clean... for your body and your playground.

Know better. Shop smarter. Surf guilt-free. Download our easy to use reef-safe shopping checklist here.

Got questions or want to dig deeper? Email us at hello@gotkook.com or slide into our DMs @got.kook.