Surfrider's 2025 Reef-Friendly Guide: 12 Sunscreen Ingredients to Skip
Skip the marketing buzzwords and check the back of the bottle against the actual ingredient list a leading ocean nonprofit flagged in 2025.
Surfrider Foundation's 2025 reef-friendly sunscreen guide flags 12 ingredients to avoid (including avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octinoxate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, nanoparticles, and parabens), notes that about 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter the ocean each year, and that oxybenzone can trigger coral bleaching at concentrations as low as 5 parts per billion.
Ocean-conservation groups stress that reef-safe and reef-friendly are not regulated terms, so the most reliable approach is to check the active and inactive ingredient lists against a known avoid-list rather than trusting front-of-pack marketing.
Questions we get a lot
Which sunscreen ingredients does Surfrider say to avoid in 2025?
Surfrider's 2025 guide flags 12 ingredients, including avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octinoxate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, nanoparticles, and parabens. The recommendation is to check both the active and inactive ingredient panels rather than relying on front-label claims. Reef-safe is not a regulated term, so the ingredient list is what matters.
How much sunscreen ends up in the ocean?
Surfrider estimates that about 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter the ocean each year. This pollution is one reason the foundation maintains a list of ingredients to skip. Choosing products without the flagged chemicals is one way individuals can reduce their contribution.
Is oxybenzone really harmful to coral?
According to Surfrider, oxybenzone can trigger coral bleaching at concentrations as low as 5 parts per billion, an extremely small amount. This is why it appears on reef-friendly avoid-lists and has been restricted in places like Hawaii. Opting for products free of oxybenzone is a straightforward way to lower reef impact.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'My sunscreen says reef-safe on the front but has octocrylene in it. Does the label actually mean anything?'