As summer comes around, more and more people find themselves outdoors enjoying the ocean. Before you break out your old sunblock from last year, now is a great time to think about the ingredients contained in that sunblock. Some of the typical ingredients in these products can have negative side effects to your skin and the ocean. We want to look at what those problematic ingredients and what the alternatives are.
Oxybenzone
This is the big one. It’s in many different sunscreens and is absorbed by the skin. This ingredient has a reaction when UV rays reach it. It can also cause nasty allergic reactions to some users. Oxybenzone has been suspected of altering levels of hormones and can cause problems with your endocrine system. If you do nothing else, consider the purchase of an oxybenzone-free sunscreen.
Octinoxate
Another ingredient to watch for is octinoxate. This is also very common and is absorbed by the skin quite easily. There are rarely allergic reactions as a result of this product, however it can cause disruption to hormones in the body. The chemical is especially unhealthy for wildlife. In addition, while many ingredients in sunblock offer anti-aging, this one can cause premature aging. It’s just not worth it.
Retinyl Palmitate
This particular ingredient is an antioxidant. It is used to help prevent aging from UV rays. However, this type of retinol can also cause damage to DNA and has been shown to contribute to cancer. This is certainly nothing you want to apply to your body or those of your family. Make sure you choose a product that is both retinyl palmitate and oxybenzone free sunscreen.
Octocrylene
This is a chemical that, when exposed to a UV light, will absorb the sun rays and product oxygen radicals. The problem is that these radicals can lead to mutations and cell damage. In addition to that, octocrylene can be harmful to the environment.
Alternatives
If you don’t want to put these ingredients on your body, the good news is that you have alternatives. Natural sunblock products can do the same job of chemical sunblock without all of the negative side effects. At Tropical Seas, we offer products that are safe for you as well as the ocean creatures in the water you’ll be enjoying.
