Sunscreen

[mike2608]

I know while you are cruising in the Caribbean you have to have a certain type of sunscreen, can anyone recommend these types of sunscreen products. Thanks and happy cruising.

[smokeybandit]

Just google "reef safe" sunscreen. There are a lot of options

[RCIfan1912]

Use some really good and high blocking sunscreen because my wife and I get got super burnt at Coco Cay in August. Oh we were in some pain. We didn't use enough because the sun down there is not the sun in NJ. 

[FloatyBoaty]

I've been using Blue Lizard for the last year.  I'm pale/burn easily and this has worked out great for me!

https://www.amazon.com/stores/BlueLizard/page/7AFBB3F3-C450-4F2B-B99B-498580602966?ref_=ast_bln

Some of the sunscreens that bill themselves as Reef Safe do contain one or more of the chemicals that were listed as not allowed on our first Caribbean excursion - not that anyone asked what sunscreen we were using, but tried to choose one responsibly.

[teddy]

I use Thinksport spf 50.  It’s even on Hawaii’s approved list. 
 

It’s thick but works great on my easily burned skin.  

[asquared17]

i am pretty sure sunbum is on the list of approved sunscreens

[jbrinkm]

11 minutes ago, teddy said:

I use Thinksport spf 50.  It’s even on Hawaii’s approved list. 
 

It’s thick but works great on my easily burned skin.  

Thinksport is my favorite zinc based (reef safe) sunscreen as well. If the skin on your face is sensitive at all, I also recommend Juice Beauty. It is expensive but the only one that doesn't irritate my face when I apply it. 

29 minutes ago, FloatyBoaty said:

Some of the sunscreens that bill themselves as Reef Safe do contain one or more of the chemicals that were listed as not allowed on our first Caribbean excursion - not that anyone asked what sunscreen we were using, but tried to choose one responsibly.

Ditto this.

[Rackham]

Another recommendation for Blue Lizard. I burn easily, but had no problems last summer in the Caribbean when applying Blue Lizard before leaving the ship and anytime after being in the water and toweling off.

[skittermagoo]

I really like SunBum, and it is reef-safe. 

 

[RCVirgin22]

Just make sure you apply it several times while sunbathing on the beach and don't fall asleep out in the open on a lounge chair like I did, wound up dealing with a horrible sunburn on my shins for the rest of my trip! lol

[CrimsonCruiser]

I purchased a reef safe sunscreen for the first time and opted for All Good because not only does it not have the primary 3 ingredients that make a sunscreen non-reef safe (Oxybenzone, Octinoxate and Octocrylene) but also doesn't have any of the other 15 ingredients that appear on reef-toxic lists:

• Homosalate
• 4-methylbenzylidene camphor
• PABA
• Parabens
• Triclosan
• Any nanoparticles or “nano-sized” zinc or titanium (if it doesn’t explicitly say “micro-sized” or “non-nano” and it can rub in, it’s probably nano-sized)
• Any form of microplastic, such as “exfoliating beads”

It was also the only one I found that didn't have all of these ingredients AND still came in a spray on form.

 

My only "issue" is that as a dark-skin person, it did leave a little bit of a white cast so I looked a little ashier than I liked. But it worked well and, thanks to the white cast, I was able to see that it stayed on well even after spending almost an hour out in the ocean.

[minniemouse27]

Does anyone know any reef safe options that aren't lotions/creams? We really far prefer spray sunscreens,and have a bunch we could have brought with us on our February cruise, so I didn't even think of putting it on our to be purchased list. After checking a few sites our favorite brands are on the do not use lists when it comes to reef safety.

I will keep looking but if anyone has any recommendations, I would appreciate them.

[travellingtannis]

52 minutes ago, minniemouse27 said:

Does anyone know any reef safe options that aren't lotions/creams? We really far prefer spray sunscreens,and have a bunch we could have brought with us on our February cruise, so I didn't even think of putting it on our to be purchased list. After checking a few sites our favorite brands are on the do not use lists when it comes to reef safety.

I will keep looking but if anyone has any recommendations, I would appreciate them.

I'm also searching, and came across this one, which you may want to look into further (sorry, it's a Canadian link but I'm sure you can just go to your country's site):  https://www.amazon.ca/Sport-Sunscreen-Spray-Resistant-Spectrum/dp/B06XZN6YH4/ref=rvi_sccl_3/137-5914767-1998150?pd_rd_w=r1adX&content-id=amzn1.sym.8b4d8c20-8e51-4634-a76f-c00a1995a502&pf_rd_p=8b4d8c20-8e51-4634-a76f-c00a1995a502&pf_rd_r=MAPKYQF0R7HHZC3S05JS&pd_rd_wg=ReYZK&pd_rd_r=fd9c4545-acd8-4771-8da1-adcc537ca61e&pd_rd_i=B06XZN6YH4&psc=1

[Mike n Ky]

I found this thread interesting as I have never needed sunscreen. I also realize now that I am very reef friendly.

[CrimsonCruiser]

On 11/21/2022 at 3:06 PM, minniemouse27 said:

Does anyone know any reef safe options that aren't lotions/creams? We really far prefer spray sunscreens,and have a bunch we could have brought with us on our February cruise, so I didn't even think of putting it on our to be purchased list. After checking a few sites our favorite brands are on the do not use lists when it comes to reef safety.

I will keep looking but if anyone has any recommendations, I would appreciate them.

The "all good" brand I referenced in my above post is spray on. You do still want to rub a little bit faaaaaar less than a cream.

[foxrunner]

If going on a Royal snorkeling excursion, put on your reef safe sunblock prior to leaving the ship. We weren't allowed to put on any sunblock on the boat heading out to the reef. Once we were done snorkeling we were told to apply the block. As a very fair skin person I was fine but wished I put on some block on my face.