A new sunscreen brand says it isn’t just safe for coral reefs, it actively feeds and nourishes coral! Non reef-safe sunscreen contains Oxybenzene which Reef Relief says is proven to be lethal to coral and coral larvae even in small doses. But thanks to research and collaboration with leading cosmetic chemists and marine experts its unique formula not only doesn’t harm corals, it contains “nutrients” used by coral farmers to help coral thrive.
Usually when we read such claims our Snake Oil Alarm makes a loud noise and flashes red, but Reef Relief has undergone extensive testing at the University of Derby and by Professor Michael Sweet himself, of Coral Spawning Lab fame. He said this about it on X:
“It’s been very interesting to be involved in the production & testing of a new suncream – one that is not only reef safe but actually nourishes coral. I didn’t believe it at first so that’s why we tested it to confirm the hype,”
Professor Micheal Sweet.
Reef Relief says that during testing, they discovered Reef Relief can boost healthy growth by as high as 8% in some species of coral. And that up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen end up in the world’s oceans every year. They also seek to introduce Reef Protection Factor, or RPF onto other brands as well as their own products.
We don’t yet know what those “nutrients” are, and the extent of the positive effects that they could have on the open ocean versus a closed coral nursery environment. We won’t be hooking it up to a dosing pump to trial it for ourselves either, but if you’re into snorkeling or diving natural reefs this should be a go-to product for its non-reef-harming credentials alone.
