Emily Spilman

We found only 25% of sunscreens on the market offer good broad-spectrum protection without troublesome chemical ingredients.

The goal with sunscreen and safe sun behavior is to not get sunburned and to protect yourself from long-term skin damage and skin cancer.

While there are still a lot of data gaps about how certain sunscreens impact coral reefs, the main concern is that specific ingredients can cause coral bleaching, which can leave reefs under distress and vulnerable.

It’s difficult to apply a layer of sunscreen thick and uniform enough to ensure proper UV protection. Instead of a spray, choose a sunscreen lotion or stick you can gently rub directly onto your skin.

If vegan, organic, cruelty-free, or natural products are important to you, don’t rely on marketing claims alone.

We found that only 25% of sunscreens available on the market offer broad-spectrum protection without troubling ingredients. This underscores the importance of stricter standards.