The impact of beauty products on our oceans is coming to light. Discover how to redesign key formulas and become authentically 'ocean-safe'. The health and biodiversity of our oceans is of major concern, with overfishing, plastic packaging pollution and chemical run-off all contributing to their worrying state. The beauty industry is tackling its impact with a new focus on ocean-safe formulations. This article discusses the importance of ocean-safe formulations, the challenges they pose and the opportunities for growth.

Ocean pollution: a global threat

More than 80% of ocean pollution arises from land-based sources. In 2015, it was estimated 150m tons of plastic had accumulated in the seas and the amount of plastic trash flowing into the oceans is set to triple by 2040. While plastic packaging is a focus for beauty brands, the impact of beauty formulas on the ocean is coming to light, with ocean-safe the next frontier.

An increase in coral reef bleaching was observed throughout the final two decades of the 20th century, with scientists discovering "chemical compounds in sunscreen products can cause abrupt and complete bleaching of hard corals, even at extremely low concentrations." Corals have a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, a microscopic algae that is their primary food source. The algae also give corals their colour. When synthetic UV filters used in sunscreens, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, enter the ocean they can stimulate viral infections in the algae that leave the coral's tissue "bleached and vulnerable". While bleached corals are not 'dead', they are under stress and therefore more susceptible to starvation, disease and mortality.

oral reefs are important for a number of reasons. They protect from coastal erosion, they are a source of food and new medicines and, despite covering less than 0.1% of the ocean floor, host more than a quarter of all marine fish species, in addition to many other marine animals, per the IUCN.

Coral reefs have an estimated global value of as much as $36bn each year due to tourism. As more than 500 million people worldwide depend on reefs for food, jobs and coastal defence, their disappearance would have a significant global impact.

What’s next? Evidence of the impact of the BPC industry on the oceans has given rise to a new sector: ocean-safe beauty. Also known as 'reef-safe beauty' or 'blue beauty', the primary issues are microplastics and synthetic UV filters. As scientific understanding grows, the number of ingredients coming under scrutiny grows, too. (Ocean-safe formulations can mean different things to different brands, consumers and markets. )

The ingredients in the spotlight

A number of beauty ingredients have been found to harm marine life. While the research behind some claims is established, others remain cause for debate and need further investigation.

The two ingredients widely accepted as not ocean-safe are oxybenzone and octinoxate. Oxybenzone, also called benzophenone-3, has been found to bleach coral and inhibit growth of young corals, damaging their DNA. Octinoxate, which filters UVB rays, also bleaches coral. Both have been found to "induce feminisation in adult male fish and increase reproductive diseases in creatures from sea urchins to parrotfish".

"Oxybenzone and octinoxate may also bio-accumulate and be biomagnified in organisms," explain founders of sunscreen brand, People4Ocean. "[This means] they may increase in concentration in the tissues of organisms as they travel up the food chain."

Some argue that other factors pose a greater threat to coral reefs (for instance, People4Ocean stresses that climate change, overfishing, land clearance and agricultural run-offs present the biggest threats), but widespread bans of both ingredients have legitimised findings and highlighted sunscreen as an issue.

What's next? Some ingredients are broadly established as unsafe for our oceans, but the status of others is less clear. It is vital to track new studies and upcoming legislation as well as targeted environmental campaigns to stay ahead of the research.

Legislation: now and next

The climate crisis is in the spotlight, both publicly and politically. Environmentally focused scientific findings are influencing policies and legislation, as governments seek to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures and a changing climate.

Led by reports of coral bleaching, Hawaii introduced SB 2571, Act 104 in September 2019. The Act, which came into force on January 1 2021, "bans the sale, offer of sale or distribution of any sunscreen that contains oxybenzone or octinoxate, or both, without a prescription issued by a licensed healthcare provider to protect marine ecosystems."

Following the introduction of the bill, the Pacific Island of Palau followed suit and became the first country to enact a ban. Banned ingredients include oxybenzone and octinoxate as well as octocrylene and certain parabens. Aruba banned sunscreens that contain oxybenzone; the Virgin Islands banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene; and Bonaire banned the same chemicals as Hawaii. Mexican vacation parks, such as Cozumel, have also enacted federal restrictions on specific ingredients.

So-called 'reef-safe' legislation isn't always popular. In 2019, the city of Key West, Florida, banned the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, but SB 172, signed in July 2020, prohibited local governments from banning certain types of sunscreens.

What's next? In 2021, PFAS, known as 'forever chemicals', were found to travel thousands of kilometres via sea spray before returning to land. In July 2021, Maine enacted a law that bans the use of toxic PFAS compounds in all products by 2030, while the EU also proposed to address PFAS. Brands must stay abreast of developments in this space and work to develop alternative ingredients before being forced to do so by law.

The consumer push

According to a global survey by The Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Ocean Initiative, 83% of the general public are concerned about issues affecting the ocean. 26% are "very concerned".

In America, 65% of consumers are concerned or very concerned about plastics in the ocean. 72% of the general public feel citizens have a significant role to play in supporting ocean science, however 54% say a lack of knowledge prevents them from becoming involved. Therefore, clear messaging as to a product's positive attributes will be necessary to engage consumers actively seeking ways to help.

While ocean-safe beauty is a relatively new sector, the seafood industry also provides insights into how consumers prioritise the health of the oceans. 61% of APAC consumers believe people must consume seafood only from sustainable sources in order to save the oceans. This aligns with a growth in awareness of the MSC blue fish tick. Since 2018, awareness has risen between 7% and 17% in Australia, China, Singapore and Japan.

What’s next? The importance placed on eco labels and environmental claims is translating to ocean-safe beauty products. 74% of customers are likely to shop sunscreens marketed with eco credentials, per Cosmetics Business. Global consumer demand for ocean-safe products is currently a greater force than legislation. It's imperative brands adapt to their demands now rather than waiting for legislation, as consumers may consider this too little too late. Invest in third-party certifications to garner trust and loyalty.

The certifications to know

'Ocean-safe' and 'reef-safe' are burgeoning terms within brand lexicon. Legislation is either recently implemented or, in many markets, still under discussion, therefore corresponding certifications and standards are emerging and not as recognised as Organic or Fairtrade, for example.

Protect Land + Sea (PL+S) is a certification developed by Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, a nonprofit scientific organisation whose research was instrumental in Hawaii Act 104 and subsequent sunscreen ingredient bans. PL+S-certified products are "laboratory tested using analytical forensic techniques to verify that the product is free of the chemicals that are on the 'HEL List'." This list highlights chemicals that are known pollutants, including microbeads, nanoparticles, oxybenzone, octinoxate and a number of parabens. While other certifications ask manufacturers to guarantee products stay within certain guidelines, PL+S products are independently tested by the certifying body.

Biorius, which developed certifications including Vegan, Clean Beauty and GMO Free, has introduced a Reef Friendly certification. To be certified, a cosmetic product must be free of a number of ingredients including oxybenzone, octinoxate, parabens, triclosan and microplastics. Products must be formulated without nanomaterials and sunscreens must be water-resistant.

Friend of the Sea also has a standard for sustainable sunscreens. They should not be composed of ethylhexyl, methoxycinnamate, and benzophenone-3 (oxybenzone) and it recommends other ingredients including octisalate, octocrylene and butylparaben not be included in formulations. It is the least stringent of all current certifications.

What's next? Ocean-safe certifications are currently a 'nice to have', with many brands making their own claims rather than opting for third-party certification. This is set to change as consumers become more educated and certification will soon become an expectation. While certifications aren't an answer in themselves, formulating according to them shows commitment to transparency and conservation.

Alternative ingredients

Unlike other problematic ingredients such as mica or sandalwood, which are desirable but not imperative, sunscreens cannot simply be dropped from routines. Skin cancer is the 19th most common cancer worldwide and non-melanoma skin cancer is the fifth most commonly occurring cancer in men and women. It is vital environmentally safe alternatives are provided so consumers can protect themselves from UVA and UVB rays.

As with certifications and claims, the availability of alternative ingredients depends on the definition of 'ocean-safe'. Some ocean-safe formulations only exclude oxybenzone and octinoxate, making ingredients such as homosalate, avobenzone, octisalate and octocrylene viable alternatives. Used in chemical sunscreens, homosalate absorbs short-wave UVB rays; avobenzone absorbs the full spectrum of UVA rays; octisalate absorbs UVB rays and stabilises avobenzone for longer protection; and octocrylene absorbs mainly UVB rays.

Despite the fact such ingredients are considered ocean-safe under some legislation and standards, in other cases they are not. For those looking to avoid the expanded list of such chemicals, a mineral sunscreen formulation containing zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or both, is a noted option.

Unlike chemical sunscreens, mineral sunscreens provide a physical barrier and as such have been known to leave a white cast. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles are best for avoiding this. 

What's next? Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the two most viable alternative ingredients, which can be limiting in terms of user experience due to how they sit on skin. A paper published in Nature Scientific Reports in May 2021 revealed methylene blue, a "century-old medicine and laboratory dye", has the potential to be considered as a sunscreen active. "Our work suggests that methylene blue is an effective UVB blocker with a number of highly desired characteristics as a promising ingredient to be included in sunscreens. It shows a broad spectrum absorption of both UVA and UVB rays, promotes DNA damage repair, combats reactive oxygen species induced by UVA, and most importantly, poses no harm to coral reefs," says the study's senior author, Dr Kan Cao.

Beware of bluewashing

'Bluewashing' is the same principle as greenwashing, but applied to claims about ocean safety. A brand accused of it may be overplaying the safety or sustainability of its product. For example, a sunscreen may carry an ocean-safe label but still include nanoparticles in its formulation.

Given terms such as 'ocean-safe' and 'reef-friendly' are vague and not officially defined, it could be easy to fall into the trap of bluewashing, which can have serious ramifications for a brand. Scrutiny surrounding consumer protection laws such as those tackled by the Green Claims Code, which came into force in the UK in January 2022, is tightening. Brands that inflate sustainability claims or mislead consumers can face legal action. H&M, adidas and Coca-Cola have come under fire for greenwashing, as both consumers and consumer watchdogs home in on the issue.

Honesty, being specific and taking a holistic view of products are needed to avoid bluewashing. Ocean-safe claims should be backed either by a certification or an explanation of what exactly makes a product ocean-safe. 'Ocean-safe' may even be too broad of a term, so be specific.

What's next? Future-facing ocean-safe formulations must consider all elements. Take inspiration from Trilogy, which uses rosehip seed powder as a natural, ocean-safe alternative to microbeads. As the general view of ocean safety shifts from micro to macro, so too must the approach to ocean-safe formulating. Chemical pollution, physical pollution and biodegradability will all be in the mix and honesty will pay dividends with consumers seeking transparency.

1. Pre-empt legislation

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