Did you know that the world’s coral reefs are under attack? However, it’s not because of plastic, oil spills or over-fishing. No, this particular eco-disaster is being caused by a product that you might not expect – sunscreen! Chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate are causing a bleaching effect that makes them uninhabitable to marine life, and it’s why mineral SPF spray should be your own choice.
Believe it or not, 4,000 to 6,000 tons of sunscreen are washed off people’s bodies each and every year, and it’s enough to cause an environmental disaster. However, it’s not too late because if enough people consider switching to mineral sunscreen, the problem may go away.
Mineral SPF Spray Does Not Have the Same Problem
The types of sunscreen that most people have used over the last 50 years are of the chemical variety, which contains the offending chemicals mentioned above. The good news is that mineral SPF spray and products like it will usually be manufactured with zinc oxide as the active ingredient.
Zinc oxide occurs in nature, and it’s super gentle. This means it has no impact at all on the environment, so by switching, people can do their bit to stop us from losing all of those wonderful natural creatures in our seas. Let’s be honest, it’s a small change to make to save such a valuable thing.
There Are Other Reasons To Switch, Too
If that were the only reason to switch, it would be enough for most, however, there are other benefits that come along with taking this route, such as:
- It’s super gentle – if you’re applying sun protection to your or your kids’ skin, you want it to be nice and gentle. Zinc oxide products are, particularly as the ingredients they contain are much less likely to cause a flare-up for anyone with sensitive skin.
- It provides a barrier – unlike chemical brands that have to be absorbed into the skin in order to work, mineral brands don’t. The effect of this is a barrier that works to reflect UV rays away, rather than being converted into heat via your epidermis.
- It works straight away – another great benefit if you have kids is that mineral brands of sunscreen allow you to go out into the sun immediately, rather than having to wait 30 minutes for absorption to happen. Anyone with kids eager to get outside will understand how frustrating that wait can be!
Mineral SPF Spray Should Be Your Own Choice – For the Planet
Whether you buy a sunscreen spray, lotion or stick, it needs to be of the mineral variety for all the reasons mentioned above. On top of all those great benefits, you also get to know that there’s a better chance that coral reefs and other marine life will still exist when your kids are all grown up themselves.
It’s important to know that application is a little trickier, as it’s thicker and sometimes harder to spread, however, the protection it provides is second-to-none. As soon as you’ve mastered it, it’s all good.
