Sunscreen – An eye opener
When we are thinking about our dream surf trip we are mostly thinking about tropical destinations with perfect peeling waves. Mahalo Surf Experience has quiet a view in their repertoire – you might wanna take a look at.
When talk about a surf trip we cannot forget about travel and surf essentials like surfboards, fins, surf wax and a pair of board shorts or our bikini. But there is another item that is as important as those things I were just mentioning. I am talking about sunscreen, because imagine you in a tropical place where the sun is shining bright and you without it – you won´t have fun.
Sad to get to know that recent studies discovered that certain chemical substances in sunscreen can harm not just our body system but further more our environment specially all marine life.
Such toxic ingredients as oxybenzone and octinoxate have been found to cause coral bleach and within 48 of contact with sunscreen corals and whole reefs die. Paradise places like Maldives, Hawaii or Australia are effected due to the volume of tourists visiting every year.
Simply said: The over-the-counter sunscreens get into the oceans and are toxic and cause bleaching, deformations and ultimately death for reefs and marine life.
The research shows that 10000 to 20000 tons of sunscreen are used each year in the tropical zone. Up to 14000 tons of it wash off people and end up on coral reefs.
Due to all the research lately Hawaii signed a law to ban chemical sunscreens from January 2021 on and hopefully more countries will follow this act.
Studies also point out that also our human bodies get affected when using conventional sunscreen. The center for disease control and prevention shows in the study that 96% of the American population is detected with oxybenzone in their bodies. (This shows that our skin as our biggest organ works like a sponge and our body accumulates toxins in the body)
All sunscreens are toxic in general!?!
Not at all. There are various brands out there that provide us with a healthy solution called mineral based sunscreen. The filters of this sun protection is a natural source mainly from zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. They physically block UV light and don´t cross the skin barrier. Therefore it is important to watch out for the term non-nano when buying mineral sunscreen. These products are often combined with plant extracts and essential oils. This creates a composition which is good for our health and a healthy marine environment.
How do you use mineral sunscreen most effectively?
1. Make sure to apply 15 minutes before going into the sun.
2. Reapply!!! Minimum every 80 minutes when in the water or sweating, or every 2 hours.
3. Apply to children older than 6 months old, unless under the consultation of a physician.
4. Feel good that you are using a formula that is free from: UV chemical sunscreens, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, animal-derived ingredients, synthetic preservatives, synthetic fragrances, or synthetic dyes.
5. A mineral sunscreen can be thick to apply. Be sure to warm it thoroughly in your hands before applying to the body.
Sunscreen efficacy decreases in the water or with sweating. In the tropics, not only are you surfing in the water, you are also sweating buckets from the humidity. What might be ‘water resistant for up to 4 hours’ in the lab, won’t last 30 minutes in the surf. So don’t skimp!
