Sun Awareness Week 2021: 3 SPFs that protect you and the planet!
Although temperatures aren’t quite hitting Summer’s heights here in the UK, there’s no doubt that the sun has made an appearance for Sun Awareness Week this year! With 67% of people not using enough sun cream, we want to remind you that you should be wearing SPF on your skin every day, particularly when the sun has its hat on!
But, have you ever thought that your sunscreen could be harming the planet?
You’ve probably never given a second thought to the confusing chemical names like Oxybenzone, Benzophenone-1, Benzophenone-8 and OD-PABA on the back of your SPF bottle. It’s chemicals like these that can enter our waterways and cause harm to marine life and the planet’s ecosystems.
When we wash or shower, excess sunscreen can be washed off. Although the products might be protecting you, they could be causing irreversible damage to sea life. From stopping the growth of green algae - the plant that helps lots of marine life to breath - to causing infertility and birth defects in coral, fish and sea urchins, it’s time to cut out sea-harming sun creams.
This Sun Awareness Week, we want to spotlight our top three SPFs that protect you and the planet!
Tropic Great Barrier Sun Lotion (From £18)
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Tropic is known for its green accolades, boasting credentials for its vegan, cruelty-free, protecting land and sea products. This sun lotion, which contains none of the nasty planet-damaging chemicals, nourishes the skin with coconut extracts and Vitamin E. The chemical and mineral hybrid also includes green algae extract that protects the skin from environmental damage like pollution and metal toxins, making this the perfect SPF for city dwellers and jet setters!
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Green People Natural Sunscreen and After Sun Lotion (£20)
| Why not protect the whole family with this reef-safe family protection pack from UK-based natural and organic skincare brand Green People. Including an SPF30, SPF15 and a scent-free, eczema-friendly children’s sun cream, this pack will see you through the summer holidays with ease. At 84% organic, fully recyclable and plant-based, this sun cream works to soothe and protect skin without costing the earth! |  |
Ultrasun Extreme SPF50+ (From £22)
| If you’re looking for something that’ll see you through long summer days, this is your best bet. Coming in formulations for the face, lip and body, Ultrasun’s SPF 50 range is fast-absorbing, provides UVA and UVB protection from infrared light and contains titanium dioxide which protects against blue light. Although titanium dioxide does cause some environmental concerns this sunscreen has been EcoSun Pass approved in the EU and is compliant with reef protection laws. |  |
You can find out more about Sun Awareness Week 2021 here!
Information contained in this Articles page has been written by talkhealth based on available medical evidence. The content however should never be considered a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek medical advice before changing your treatment routine. talkhealth does not endorse any specific products, brands or treatments.
Information written by the talkhealth team
Last revised: 5 May 2021
Next review: 5 May 2024
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