Natural & Reef-safe Sunscreens: Nine biodegradable and eco-friendly brands
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Could the sunscreen in your travel essentials harm your health or the environment? Being a responsible traveler means making good choices in your daily life, starting with what you pack in your bag. When it comes to sunscreen, it’s worth considering options that are more natural, biodegradable, or at least eco-friendly compared to conventional ones.
In this article, you’ll learn about the risks of chemical sunscreens, what natural and reef-safe sunscreens are, and explore a list of nine sunscreen brands that are both natural and reef-friendly. Ready? Let’s dive in!
In this post you will find:
Disadvantages of chemical sunscreen
Studies indicate that the formulas of conventional (chemical) sunscreens can cause various harms to the body and the environment. Did you know that ingredients like petrolatum, benzophenone-3, avobenzone, oxybenzone, and others penetrate our skin and can enter the bloodstream, causing hormone-related problems?
As if the potential harm to humans wasn’t enough, several research studies show it also affects marine life. According to Green Gross, about 25,000 tons of sunscreen enter the oceans yearly, harming coral and other marine animals.
What is a “Hawaii compliant” sunscreen?
The term comes from Hawaii’s Sunscreen Law (Act 104), legislation that made Hawaii the first U.S. state to ban the sale and distribution of sunscreens containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone, or octocrylene. The purpose of this law is to preserve marine ecosystems, including coral reefs. Brands that exclude these ingredients from their products can claim to be “Hawaii-compliant.”
What is “reef-safe” sunscreen?
“Reef-safe” and “reef-friendly” are terms commonly used by brands to indicate that their products don’t contain ingredients banned under Hawaii’s Act 104. However, these terms do not guarantee the complete absence of harm to coral reefs, they simply guide consumers toward potentially less damaging options.
What is a natural or biodegradable sunscreen?
With growing awareness of the negative impact of chemical sunscreens, many brands are expanding or introducing “clean beauty” sunscreen lines with more natural, biodegradable formulas that aim to protect both your health and the environment, including oceans and marine life. Unlike chemical sunscreens, physical sunscreens made of mineral formula, create an external protective layer on the skin instead of penetrating it.
Bear in mind that, just because it is a mineral sunscreen, it does not mean it is natural. Many new mineral sunscreen options on the market contain ingredients that can be harmful. That’s why we are focusing on natural options in this article.
With this information, you’re likely wondering, “What are the best natural sunscreen brands?“ After extensive research, we’ve compiled a list of nine natural and eco-friendly alternatives to enhance both your daily routine and your next summer vacation.
Natural and reef-safe body and face sunscreen
1. Project Reef
More than just sunscreens, Project Reef offers a full sun care line, including body cream, spray sunscreen, sunstick, lip balm, and after-sun. Regarding mineral sunscreens, they delivers exceptional performance with a light touch and no white cast.
The brand, born in Hawaii, is totally designed to protect both people and the planet: Reef-Safe, Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Skin-Nourishing Mineral, and Sustainable. Every formula integrates clean, tested, and environmentally responsible ingredients.
Project Reef also has different initiatives that support the environment. They are a B-Corp-certified brand and besides offseting 100% of their carbon footprint, they help regenerating our oceans and creating jobs in coastal areas. How? For every purchase, they remove 1 pound of ocean-bound plastic. To top it off, their products are packaged with ocean-collected plastics, recycled aluminum, and other sustainable materials.
Image: SFP 50 – Project Reef – Sheer Mineral Sunscreen
2. Thrive Regenerative Skincare
This daily natural sunscreen with 20% zinc oxide offers a safe alternative to chemical sunscreens, providing a physical barrier to the sun. Costa Rican super-plants, antioxidants, and regenerative farmed Coralillo enrich their formula. It repairs and protects against UVA/UVB rays and environmental stressors.
The brand promises no white cast, but some customers, especially those with more melanin, claim that the non-tinted sunscreen has a good effect but does not disappear completely.
Thrive Regenerative Skincare has three types of reef-safe sunscreen: two facials – regular and for sensitive skin and one for the body. All of them have good water resistance.
Image: Reef-safe sunscreen by Thrive – Regenerative Skincare
3. Raw Elements
With a wide range of sunscreen, Raw Elements emerged from a mission to craft the safest and most effective sunscreen on the planet with all-natural ingredients. They have a safe coral reef formula, ensuring cruelty-free products with no nano-sized particles.
On their product shelf, they have options such as non-tinted, tinted-color, solid, paste, and spray texture; body, face, lip, and kids’ natural sunscreen. All the products have good water resistance, providing up to 80 minutes of water resistance.
Image: Natural spray and stick sunscreen by Raw Elements
4. Waxhead Sun Defense
Waxhead Sun Defense, in collaboration with a top holistic biochemist, has developed a line of mineral-based certified organic sunscreens designed to minimize harm to marine ecosystems, reefs, and fish. Their non-toxic formulations meet elite standards, use non-nano, uncoated French process zinc oxide, and 100% certified organic ingredients, excluding petrochemicals.
These eco-friendly, baby-safe, and reef-safe sunscreens offer broad-spectrum coverage, protecting against sunburn and deep tissue damage. They have three main product lines: for children, to practice sports, and everyday sunscreen.
Image: Baby-safe natural sunscreenby Waxhead
5. Badger
Badger prioritizes sourcing the best ingredients by connecting with the people growing and processing organic materials worldwide. Their focus on USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) certified organic ingredients reflects a commitment to high standards in personal care. Their formula is simple and natural, containing about four to nine ingredients from regenerative agriculture.
This brand has five lines of reef-safe sunscreen: active (every day), sport (more water resistance), adventure (higher percentage of zinc oxide to increased exposure to the sun), kids, and baby. Badger is a popular mineral sunscreen in the U.S. with excellent consumer acceptance.
A nice thing about Badger is that it doesn’t leave a white cast.
Image: Reef-friendly mineral sunscreen by Badger
6. All good
All Good sunscreen is a top-tier option, offering adequate sun protection with a focus on natural ingredients. The brand’s commitment to safe skincare is evident in its mineral-based, non-nano zinc oxide formulations, free from harmful chemicals. With organic, reef-friendly ingredients, their use provides a physical barrier against the sun’s harmful rays.
Among the products available, they offer choices like solid, paste, and spray textures, catering to body, face, lip, and kids’ sunscreen needs, with SPF 30 or 50.
Image: All Good tinted mineral sunscreen
7. Think Sun Care
With three different collections, daily, sport, and kids, Think Sun Care is a brand that brings mineral sunscreen, virtually clear and non-oily scientifically formulated eco-friendly infused with Non-Nano mineral Zinc Oxide. They are EWG-verified, which means that they meet high safety standards as regulated by the Environmental Working Groups.
Their sunscreen products, especially the sports ones, are a little heavy and can give you a white cast, but they are perfect to protect you from UVA/UVB sun rays. The water-resistant up to 80 mins, biodegradable, and reef-safe formula makes the ThinkSport sunscreen perfect for a day on the beach or in the swimming pool without caring so much with the reapplication hour by hour.
Image: ThinkSport – Eco-friendly & biodegradable sunscreen
8. Stream2Sea
Stream2Sea has biodegradable sunscreen for adults and children, with everyday or sports options, which have non-tinted and tinted versions. This high-performance 100% natural sunscreen is EWG verified, uses organic ingredients, and has water resistance for up to 80 minutes; it is ideal for water activities and prevents after-sun burns.
The non-greasy, dense formula requires only a small amount, ensuring easy application. The bonus of the sunscreen is that it is really easy to apply since it spreads easily, too. The non-tinted one can give you a white cast in the beginning, but in a couple of minutes it dries and disappears in your skin.
Image: Reef-safe sunscreen stick by Stream2Sea
9. Babo Botanicals
Babo Botanicals sunscreens prioritize natural and organic ingredients, providing a safe and effective option for sun protection. It caters to various skin types, including sensitive skin. These sunscreens are water-resistant and non-greasy, making them suitable for outdoor activities.
Their traditional formula is liquid and easy to spread. It gives a glow effect on your skin, which can be positive or negative depending on what you are looking for. Now, they have other formulas: the solid one that is a little thick and the spray one that is easy to apply but can initially give you a little white cast appearance. Even so, the reviews of Babo Botanicals sunscreen are pretty good!
Image: Babo Botanicals reef-safe sunscreen spray
Additional Tips
All the sunscreen products listed above are good recommendations, with mostly positive reviews. However, remember that each sunscreen has a different texture, and your skin may or may not adapt to them. If you have oily skin, allergies, or acne, check the compatibility of each sunscreen carefully.
It’s also essential to note that some sunscreens, such as Babo Botanicals, are better for home use or light outings. In contrast, others, due to their resilience, are great for outdoor sports, like Think Sun or Waxhead Sun Defense. Therefore, having more than one brand in your travel kit might be interesting.
The best ways to avoid damaging coral reefs and sensitive ecosystems, such as cenotes and waterfalls, are:
- Avoid using sunscreen or other products before entering the water to reduce runoff and its potential impact on the ecosystem. Opt for long-sleeve water shirts with sun protection instead.
- Avoid chemical sunscreens.
- Apply sunscreen at least one hour before entering the water, so it has time to absorb into your skin and reduce runoff.
FAQ
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, as seen on sunscreen packaging, for example, SPF 30. This measurement indicates the product’s effectiveness in protecting against damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, those responsible for sunburn and superficial skin damage.
UVB rays are Ultraviolet B rays, mainly responsible for sunburn and damage to the skin’s superficial layer. Protection against UVB rays is achieved by using sunscreens with SPF (Sun Protection Factor).
UVA refers to ultraviolet A rays that cause premature aging of the skin. Despite being weaker than UVB rays, they can penetrate deeper into the skin, contributing to wrinkles, sagging, and discoloration. To protect against UVA rays, a sunscreen with a good UVA protection factor is necessary. It’s important to note that SPF (Sun Protection Factor) differs from the UVA factor, so always check with the brand before purchasing.
Chemical sunscreen absorbs into the skin. Usually, it contains fewer natural ingredients, potentially harming users’ health and marine life, especially coral reefs. Its advantage is that, as it penetrates, it is less visible on the skin, making it aesthetically more pleasing.
Physical sunscreen creates a physical barrier on the skin, reflecting and preventing UV rays from reaching it. Its protection is mainly provided by natural minerals such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Its disadvantage may be the residue that some sunscreens leave on the skin, while the advantage is that, besides being more natural and better for our health and the environment, many of its versions are ideal for sports, withstand sweat and water, and are suitable for sensitive or allergy-prone skin.
The main difference between chemical and physical sunscreen is how they protect the skin from sunlight and the active ingredients they use. While chemical sunscreen penetrates the skin and typically uses synthetic ingredients, physical sunscreen creates a surface protection barrier and primarily uses natural ingredients.
“Clean beauty” refers to beauty and personal care products formulated with safe ingredients that are not harmful to human health and the environment. Clean beauty is an approach that prioritizes transparency, sustainability, and health, opting for natural, organic, and chemical-free ingredients, avoiding harmful substances such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, artificial dyes, and other potentially dangerous compounds.
Yes, there are several options, including the nine brands discussed in this article about natural and eco-friendly sunscreen products.
If you wonder if natural or biodegradable sunscreen actually works, the answer is yes! Natural sunscreen provides a very efficient physical barrier to the sun.
Nowadays, you can find reef-safe sunscreen products available in the main grocery stores and pharmacies in the U.S. Purchasing it online gives you more brand options, and to top it off, you can find sunscreen products that are also natural and biodegradable. We selected nine brands in this article; check them out.
Enjoy your sunny days with consciousness.
🦊 Sincere fox informs:
* The prices mentioned in this article were collected in March/2026, are available for reference only, and are subject to change.
** This post contains affiliate links, which means that when you buy a product/service after clicking on our links, LMTM earns a commission that helps us maintain free content for all traveling foxes in the world, including yourself ✌🏽🦊 .
*** The images were collected from the brands’ websites or social media.
**** This post was originally published in 2024. In 2026, we updated all of it and included Project Reef after testing and approving their sunscreen. Although we received a financial incentive to cover our costs, rest assured that our review is genuine and based on our personal experience.
