Yes, all of our sunscreens are broad spectrum. The critical wavelength of the formula is 373.51nm meaning it is compliant for FDA broad spectrum labeling. The critical wavelength is the wavelength at which the sunscreen allows 10% of the rays to penetrate. A sunscreen with a critical wavelength over 370nm is considered by the FDA to provide excellent UVA protection. Broad spectrum protection refers to protection from both UVA and UVB waves. Some sunscreens only protect against UVB rays, the ultra violet rays that cause sunburn. Our sunscreen protects against both and helps prevent premature aging, wrinkles, and some skin cancers.

No. It rubs in easy! We're really proud of the consistency of our formula that it applies much like a chemical sunscreen and won't leave a white cast. By definition, a mineral sunscreen doesn't rub in but sits on top of the skin. But it's not like one of those sunscreens you remember from your childhood that made you look like you'd seen a ghost! Mineral sunscreens are typically more concentrated than chemical based ones so you don't need to apply as much.

That's simple. Because we don't think it's necessary. No sunscreen can block all UV rays. SPF 30 blocks 97% of the sun's rays. (Our formula successfully completed independent third-party testing with a mean SPF of 42.28!) The difference between an SPF 30 and 50 is about 1 percent. Our view is that higher factor sunscreens can sometimes fool people into a false sense of confidence, which is why we labeled at SPF 35. We'd rather encourage people to regularly re-apply than rely on higher-factor protection.

In simple terms, mineral sunscreens reflect UV rays whilst chemical sunscreens absorb rays. A mineral based sunscreen like Coral Sure is a sunscreen that uses minerals as its active ingredients. The mineral we use is zinc oxide which sits on your skin rather than rubs in and absorbs into the skin. This provides a physical barrier between your skin and the sun's rays.

BEWARE! Unfortunately the terms “reef friendly” and “reef safe” are not regulated, so you can't always trust products with this description. It's important to actually check the “active ingredients” label on the back of your sunscreen to ensure that reef-harming chemicals such as (oxybenzone, octinoxate, and avobenzone) are not included. We regularly see sunscreens that are labeled as 'reef safe' or 'reef friendly' but still contain avobenzone, oxybenzone and/or octinoxate - the most common UV-blocking chemicals which studies have shown cause coral bleaching. The best advice we can give is... flip that bottle over, read the ingredients, and determine for yourself if it is what it claims. Here's a great example of what we are talking about... This product is neither 'reef safe' nor 'reef friendly'! Avobenzone is an endocrine disruptor and can reduce coral resilience against the high ocean temperatures that are killing corals worldwide through global warming. It will very soon be banned in Hawaii, effective Jan 1, 2023.

Our sunscreen contains organic and all natural ingredients but we cannot label it as 100% organic. Please see our ingredients page for more information.

Yes. Our sunscreen is entirely gluten-free. Please see our ingredients page for more information.

Yes. Our sunscreens are suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Please see our ingredients page for more information.

No, our sunscreen does not contain genetically modified organisms. Please see our ingredients page for more information.

Our sunscreen has a subtle fragrance. We found in our trials and research that mineral sunscreens that are fragrance free still have an odor which is somewhat unpleasant. We like sunscreens that smell of vacation. We call it California Breeze. It’s reminiscent of the warm Santa Ana winds that come down from the mountains and back in the day blew through the citrus groves on their way to the ocean.

No. Our sunscreen is 25.2% zinc oxide as its only active ingredient. This is unlike some other mineral based sunscreens which have both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, or just titanium dioxide. Our research found that titanium dioxide can oxidize in the water and harm marine life. Our view is that titanium dioxide is safe and effective for protection against UVB rays, however, titanium dioxide should always be used in combination with zinc oxide to attain true broad spectrum protection. The zinc oxide we use provides broad spectrum protection and has non-nano technology so it won't harm marine life, especially the fragile reef ecosystem. Check out our list of ingredients for more information.

We think so. The problem is that sunscreens are often applied everyday and chemical sunscreens, by their very nature (unlike mineral sunscreens such as Coral Sure), are absorbed into the body through the skin. In recent years, studies have shown that many of the common chemical ingredients used in sunscreens (oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone) are absorbed into the body's bloodstream at concentration levels higher than the FDA's safety threshold. The concerns are that the chemicals can disrupt hormones in the body, cause irritations and allergies, have the potential to cause cancer, and cause harm during reproduction and development.

Yes, provided it is non-nano like ours.

Of course. Zinc is a natural, safe, physical sun barrier suitable even for young children's skin. It sits on top of the skin rather than being absorbed into the skin. Compared to other UV filters, zinc particles are low irritant and low allergen. Our sunscreen formula is allergen free.

No. Our Coral Sure sunscreen is a mineral based sunscreen that sits on the surface of the skin rather than is absorbed into the skin. It won't clog your pores because our micronized formulation of zinc is smooth, cosmetically elegant, and very light. We're confident that it is not acne-cosmetica, meaning it does not have any of those acne-causing comedogenic ingredients.

Two reasons: Research has shown that commonly used chemical sunscreen ingredients are affecting coral reefs.​ We now know that chemicals such as oxybenzone (benzophenone-3), avobenzone, octinoxate, parabens and nano-particles can be ingested by corals, damaging their DNA and contributing to coral bleaching, which occurs when the life-sustaining algae that normally lives on coral vanishes, due to changes in ocean temperatures, stress, or pollution. Eventually they die and crumble to dust on the ocean floor. Each year an estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen washes off swimmers and snorkelers into coral reef environments. If you're going into the water, you should always only use a water resistant, non-nano, mineral-based sunscreen. In recent years, studies have also shown that many of the common chemical ingredients used in sunscreens are absorbed into the body's bloodstream at concentration levels higher than the FDA's safety threshold. One concern is that the chemicals can disrupt hormones in the body. This won't happen with a reef safe mineral sunscreen like Coral Sure.

Yes! Absolutely! Our sunscreen is an all natural mineral sunscreen which is fully compliant with the sunscreen restrictions in place in Hawaii, Florida, Bonaire, Palau, US Virgin Islands, Maldives, Mexican resorts, etc.

This means that our sunscreen has been specially devised and formulated to only contain particles above a certain size. A nano particle is microscopically tiny, ranging between 1 and 100 nm (one and 100-billionths of a meter). That means thousands of nano-particles can fit the width of a human hair. A non-nano particle is bigger than 100-billionth of a meter but still inconceivably tiny. Why does this matter? Well, nano particles can be absorbed into the skin causing agitating allergens and irritants. Also, nano particles can be ingested by corals (and other aquatic life) causing irreversible harm such as coral bleaching events.

For the simple reason that we haven't been able to develop one that is 100% reef safe. Yet. Don't be fooled by spray sunscreens that claim they are reef safe. The chances are that they aren't. When chosing a reef safe sunscreen a good rule of thumb is the simpler, the better. Rub It In—Don't Spray It.

Our sunscreen is water resistant up to 40 minutes. This means that our Coral Sure sunscreen passed an independent test to prove it retained its stated SPF 35 while swimming or active in water. We're very wary of sunscreens which claim water resistance up to 80 minutes. That's a very long time immersed in water and our decision was to keep the claim low and encourage re-application. By the way, there's no such thing as a 'waterproof' sunscreen and, according to FDA rules, sunscreens can no longer be labeled "waterproof" or "sweatproof".

Yes. Of course. All of our products are cruelty-free which means we do not test on animals. We use vegan, natural ingredients that are good for you and good for the planet.

Yes. Our Coral Sure sunscreen is a physical sun barrier which is non-allergen and suitable even for babies and young children's skin. (Note that you should have a doctor's prescription for application on babies under six months.)

Re-apply every couple of hours or more frequently, as needed, and every time after being in the water or after towel drying. We recommend that you apply sunscreen to all areas that will be exposed to sunlight, including behind the ears, neck, hands, feet, and scalp. The CDC recommends some easy options for protection from UV radiation— Stay in the shade, especially during midday hours. Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs. Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears, and neck. Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block both UVA and UVB rays. Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB (broad spectrum) protection. Avoid indoor tanning.

Our sunscreen tubes are made from all eco-friendly “green” bio-plastic which is 100% recyclable. This bio-plastic is created by farming sugarcane on sustainable land in Brazil, thousands of miles from the Amazon rainforest. The bio-plastic is then used instead of the fossil fuel sourced material to create flexible squeeze tubes while maintaining the performance characteristics of traditional polyethylene. The bio-plastic is also 100% recyclable, meaning the tubes and cap can be recycled and mixed into Post Consumer Regrind, just like any other polymer.

No. Our Coral Sure sunscreen is palm oil free. We don't use oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate or any of those other ingredients known to be harmful to you or the marine environment. Please see our ingredients page for more information.

No. Our Coral Sure sunscreen is 100% paraben free. We don't use oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate or any of those other ingredients known to be harmful to you or the marine environment. Please see our ingredients page for more information.

Yes, it is perfectly safe when used as an inactive ingredient in mineral-based sunscreens. Butyloctyl salicylate is a hydrating skin emollient that functions as a moisturizing, softening agent for skin. You should note, however, that sunscreens that use reef damaging petrochemical UV filters (e.g. oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, homosalate, and avobenzone) have begun to add this ingredient to their formulas purely as a ‘booster’ ingredient to enhance their SPF marketing claims. This has led to a lot of negative press recently about butyloctyl salicylate with claims that certain unscrupulous cosmetic manufacturers with sunscreens advertised with an SPF of 50, 75 or even a 100(!) are cheating on their SPF labels by using butyloctyl salicylate to reduce sun causing redness – the skin’s warning sign that UV damage is occurring – without actually increasing the UVA-shielding active ingredients. Our mineral based sunscreen does not need to rely on SPF boosting benefits and therefore does not carry this risk.

The short answer is no. This is an unregulated area, unfortunately. Consider 'reef safe' and 'reef friendly' to be interchangeable terms. What's more important is the list of ingredients. We regularly see sunscreens that are labeled as 'reef safe' or 'reef friendly' but still contain avobenzone, oxybenzone and/or octinoxate - the most common UV-blocking chemicals which studies have shown cause coral bleaching. The best advice we can give is... flip that bottle over, read the ingredients, and determine for yourself if it is what it claims. Here's a great example of what we are talking about... This product is neither 'reef safe' nor 'reef friendly'! Avobenzone is an endocrine disruptor and can reduce coral resilience against the high ocean temperatures that are killing corals worldwide through global warming. It will very soon be banned in Hawaii, effective Jan 1, 2023.

Our logo is called the "Reef Circle". It is formed by three colored branches of interacting staghorn coral intended to symbolize our connected world and a mark of our commitment to the global environment. The Reef Circle colors are Pantone 305C (aqua), Pantone 307C (deep blue) and... that coral colored one is Pantone "Living Coral" 2345C which was "Color of the Year 2019". The reason we chose it... well, that's obvious. We're all about the reefs!