4ocean x Stream2Sea Reef-Safe Sunscreen Balm

Stream2Sea is known as the marine professional’s choice. A pioneer in the reef-safe movement, Stream2Sea is a member of the Safe Sunscreen Council and has been involved in the advocacy of toxic sunscreen bans worldwide.

Owned by an avid diver and cosmetic chemist with more than 25 years of experience in the natural products industry, Stream2Sea manufactures all products in-house in an FDA inspected, cGMP facility located in central Florida.

Yes! Stream2Sea is the maker of the only sunscreen that’s proven safe for fish and coral larvae.

However, we do still like to point out that there is no universally accepted standard that defines what it means to be reef safe.

After Hawaii banned oxybenzone and octinoxate, many savvy marketing companies removed those ingredients and replaced them with equally toxic chemicals that are not banned, then proudly called their chemical formulas ‘reef safe.’

We hold ourselves to a higher standard and chose to partner with Stream2Sea because they use 100% mineral-based EcoSafe Zinc™ as the active ingredient.

The inactive ingredients in their formulas include only natural emollients and emulsifiers, which makes this the safest product sun protectant for you, your loved ones, and our one shared ocean.

Sunscreens are regulated in the United States by the FDA as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. While the FDA does not ‘approve’ OTC drugs, there are strict regulations surrounding their labeling and production.

 All Stream2Sea formulas are registered with the FDA, and their Florida-based facility is FDA registered and inspected.

Remember the lifeguards you’d see at the beach or pool with the blue or white nose? They used zinc oxide mineral sunscreens, which were okay as long as YOU were okay with the heavy, pasty white or blue nose. But most people we talk to aren’t too keen on sporting the look.

So, today’s sophisticated sunscreen manufacturers have three primary options when using zinc in their formulas:

• Clear zinc oxide can be identified with product labels that say something like ‘non-whitening’ or ‘goes on clear.’ This material has been optimized to improve skin feel and reduce whitening — BUT we have yet to see ANY testing that has shown aquatic safety.
  
  In fact, there is a cautionary statement right on the front page of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) that states clear zinc oxide is highly toxic to aquatic organisms. While it’s not yet banned, we do not believe it should be used in sunscreen.
• Nano-particle or micro-fine zinc oxide, which typically has a particle size ranging from 300 – 70 nm for microfine or less than 100 nm for nano-grade. While micro-fine is mostly non-nano, it may still contain particles that are small enough to harm wildlife. It is well accepted that nano zinc is aquatic toxic.
• Raw, uncoated zinc oxide, which can be either nano or non-nano, has been shown to affect the pH of the environment and does exhibit some aquatic toxicity. Coatings on zinc can improve the spreadability of the formula and reduce pH shifts in the environment, making it a potentially safer choice for the aquatic environment.

Nope! Our sunscreen is non-nano, greater than 100 nm, which actually exceeds the standard set for non-nano in both the United States and European Union.

While nanoparticles help make a sunscreen go on clear, numerous studies have shown that it’s toxic to aquatic organisms, even in very small concentrations.

EcoSafe Zinc™ is a unique form of zinc oxide that applies sheer, is photostable, non-nano, and has a natural coating that prevents acidification of the environment.

Understanding that not all zinc oxides are created equally, Stream2Sea’s EcoSafe Zinc™ is the only ingredient we have identified that has passed rigorous aquatic safety testing AND is still aesthetically pleasing to apply.

Yes, it does! Hawaii passed a law that prohibits the sale of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, two chemicals that harm coral, starting in 2021.

Many other countries and marine sensitive areas have passed similar bans. Palau has the most restrictions with 13 banned ingredients that are known to harm our reefs.

Because our sunscreen is proven safe for fish and coral larvae and does not contain any ingredients known or suspected to harm our waters, it’s actually the only sunscreen currently approved for use on the islands of Palau.

Sunscreens with a very high sun protection factor (SPF) offer only marginally better UVB protection (the rays that cause sunburn) than lower SPFs, yet the bigger numbers often lead consumers to believe they’re getting double the protection.

It would be logical to think that an SPF 30 would offer double the protection of a SPF 15, but that’s not how SPF ratings work. SPF is a measurement of time, NOT level of protection.

For example, an SPF 15 will block about 93% of the UVB rays, an SPF 30 will block about 97% and an SPF 50 will block about 98%. Beyond that, the differences in protection are too minute to matter.

A higher SPF may tempt people to stay in the sun longer and reapply sunscreen less often than they should, which actually causes more harm than using a lower SPF as directed. And while your skin may be protected from sunburn, you could leave yourself exposed to the UVA rays that cause other kinds of skin and cellular damage.

The FDA has already called for a ban on sunscreens with an SPF over 50, calling them misleading. While this has not yet been enforced, we do hope to see this as a future regulation.

In the meantime, we prefer to offer a sunscreen that feels good on your skin and encourage you to reapply every 80 minutes or after a good swim.

Ideal method when applying balm to larger areas, or for intensive treatments:

• Hold a fingertip to the surface of the balm for a second or two to help soften it before scooping out a large pea-sized amount.
• Warm the sunscreen up between your palms to liquefy it; the heat from your skin will melt the balm, allowing it to be more easily absorbed by skin. Then, dab it all over and rub it in.
  
  In our experience, this is the best way to get an even application. You can also apply a chunk of balm directly to a particular area and massage it in from there. It may just take longer to get it evenly distributed.

Helpful tips to remember as you apply a balm:

• Less is more: Start with less and add more as you like. If you’ve applied too much just blot the excess balm with a tissue or paper towel.
• Use clean hands to dip into balm tins whenever possible. While the chance of bacterial growth is little-to-none, it’s still best practice to wash your hands before application. Remember: Clean hands keep balms clean!
• Store cool: Keep your balm covered when not in use and avoid extreme temperatures. Repeated melting and cooling can change the consistency of your balm but never the quality. If you accidentally melt your balm, you can still use it! Just store it in a cool place until it firms back up.