Core team's favorite sunscreens
Frank Cummings (President)
My pick: SurfDurt ReefSafe Sunscreen
I use a combination of Raw Elements and SurfDurt. I like the Raw Elements on my face, but for the tips of my ears and sideburn area I go with SurfDurt as it tends to not rub off as easily at these problematic areas for me.
My pick: SurfDurt ReefSafe Sunscreen
I use a combination of Raw Elements and SurfDurt. I like the Raw Elements on my face, but for the tips of my ears and sideburn area I go with SurfDurt as it tends to not rub off as easily at these problematic areas for me.
Matthew Sims (Education and Outreach)
My pick: Australian Gold SPF 50+
Found at quite a few VI retailers carry this product for ease of access. (Shout out to Expressway Market on St. Croix). Currently they retail for about $18-20 for 5oz, making it a middle to upper middle option in the pricing stack. This sunscreen provides a great sun protection, durable application, and a pleasant fragrance for a mineral reef safe sunscreen. A little goes a long way, so be sparing with your application!
Room for improvement: There is no bulk offering to refill the 5oz containers in order to reduce plastic waste. Their main containers use plastic, so I'd like to see them move to a more sustainable packaging material.
My pick: Australian Gold SPF 50+
Found at quite a few VI retailers carry this product for ease of access. (Shout out to Expressway Market on St. Croix). Currently they retail for about $18-20 for 5oz, making it a middle to upper middle option in the pricing stack. This sunscreen provides a great sun protection, durable application, and a pleasant fragrance for a mineral reef safe sunscreen. A little goes a long way, so be sparing with your application!
Room for improvement: There is no bulk offering to refill the 5oz containers in order to reduce plastic waste. Their main containers use plastic, so I'd like to see them move to a more sustainable packaging material.
Kitty Edwards (Special Guest)
My pick: Raw Elements Plastic Free Tin
I have to confess I don't wear sunscreen very often, but when I do I grab my Raw Elements tin and throw it in my backpack. Living a plastic free life can limit the products I purchase, but I love that this product comes in a tin that I can reuse when the sunscreen is done!
My pick: Raw Elements Plastic Free Tin
I have to confess I don't wear sunscreen very often, but when I do I grab my Raw Elements tin and throw it in my backpack. Living a plastic free life can limit the products I purchase, but I love that this product comes in a tin that I can reuse when the sunscreen is done!
Why is this issue so important?! Check out this amazing article by St. John's own Katie Day, who is now a scientist with the SurfRider Foundation!
Coalition Combating Sunscreens that Damage V.I. Corals
https://stthomassource.com/content/2019/03/06/coalition-combating-sunscreens-that-damage-v-i-corals/
"Whenever Frank Cummings, president of CORE, goes out into the community to make a presentation about lionfish, he is quick to bring up another concern that might turn out to be an even greater threat to coral reefs – sunscreens containing toxic chemicals."
https://stthomassource.com/content/2019/03/06/coalition-combating-sunscreens-that-damage-v-i-corals/
"Whenever Frank Cummings, president of CORE, goes out into the community to make a presentation about lionfish, he is quick to bring up another concern that might turn out to be an even greater threat to coral reefs – sunscreens containing toxic chemicals."
Cosmetic chemist Autumn Blum testifies May 20th before the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Consumers and Affairs, describing the toxic chemicals found in most sunscreens. (Photo by Barry Leerdam, USVI Legislature)
https://stthomassource.com/content/2019/06/16/ban-on-toxic-sunscreen-moves-forward/
Learn more about the amazing work that Autumn Blum does with her company Stream 2 Sea. Stream2Sea is St. John Volunteer extraordinaire Tom Krall's go-to choice for reef safe sunscreen!
https://stthomassource.com/content/2019/06/16/ban-on-toxic-sunscreen-moves-forward/
Learn more about the amazing work that Autumn Blum does with her company Stream 2 Sea. Stream2Sea is St. John Volunteer extraordinaire Tom Krall's go-to choice for reef safe sunscreen!
An Act amending title 27, chapter 9 of the Virgin Islands Code by adding a section 305h providing for a ban on the retail sale or offer for sale, and the distribution or importation for retail purposes of topical sunscreen products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate.
Bill tracking information here.
Read the FULL bill here.
Congratulations to all involved. The proposed bill was passed and enshrined into law banning non reef safe type sunscreens in the United States Virgin Islands!
Bill tracking information here.
Read the FULL bill here.
Congratulations to all involved. The proposed bill was passed and enshrined into law banning non reef safe type sunscreens in the United States Virgin Islands!