I was once called the Wikipedia of sunscreen by a morning news anchor.
I consider myself a total sunscreen geek!
Wait until you see my jaw drop in this conversation with cosmetic chemist and Stream2Sea founder Autumn Blum. She taught me things I had never considered before!
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why a scuba diving trip halfway around the world completely changed the way Autumn formulates skincare products
- The surprising connection between the sunscreen you put on in your backyard and ecosystems hundreds or even thousands of miles away
- What researchers discovered about certain sunscreen ingredients that sparked bans in destinations around the world
- Why the word “organic” on a personal care label may not mean what you think it means
- How sunscreen ingredients can travel through both our bodies and our waterways
- Why protecting your skin and protecting the environment may not be an either-or choice
This is one of those episodes that will absolutely make you think differently the next time you reach for a bottle of sunscreen.
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Key Takeaways about Sunscreen and Coral Reefs
- Autumn Blum started Stream2Sea after seeing a visible sunscreen slick floating on the water while scuba diving in Palau and realizing common personal care products were impacting marine ecosystems.
- Research has shown that extremely small amounts of certain chemical sunscreen ingredients can interfere with coral larvae development and contribute to reef damage.
- Many popular tourist destinations, including Palau, Hawaii, Belize, Aruba, Bonaire, and others, have enacted or are pursuing bans on certain sunscreen ingredients due to environmental concerns.
- Coral reefs provide far-reaching benefits, including oxygen production, coastal protection, fisheries, and potential medical discoveries, making their health important even for people who live far from the ocean.
“All streams lead to the sea.” What we put on our bodies eventually impacts our shared water systems. – Autumn Blum, Stream2Sea Founder
- Chemical sunscreen ingredients can enter waterways both when they wash off our bodies and after they are absorbed and excreted through the body.
- Autumn explained that some sunscreen chemicals are considered endocrine disruptors, meaning they may interfere with hormone function in both wildlife and humans. Is your sunscreen full of estrogen?
- She emphasized that consumers no longer need to choose between protecting their skin and protecting the environment because safer alternatives are available! Here are my favorite mineral sunscreens.
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Show Me the Life Skills!Action Steps for This Episode
- Take a closer look at the active ingredients in your family’s sunscreen products and learn the difference between mineral and chemical sunscreens.
- Remember that marketing terms like “organic” can be confusing on personal care products, so always read ingredient labels carefully.
- Choose products that protect your skin while minimizing unnecessary environmental impact.
Just because something is in our bodies doesn’t mean it’s harmless. We should be asking companies to prove safety, not assuming it. – Autumn Blum, Stream2Sea Founder
- Teach your children that what goes down the drain does not simply disappear and that personal choices can affect larger ecosystems.
- Consider small product swaps that reduce your family’s overall exposure to unnecessary chemicals. I always want people to take baby steps toward natural living! Get in on the Monday Missions as one way to do that.
- Share what you learn with friends and family so more people can make informed decisions about sunscreen and personal care products!!
Shop Stream2Sea Sunscreen
Stream2Sea did not fare well a decade ago with their old formula, but the reformulation is absolutely fantastic. It performed very well in side-to-side tests versus other brands. It does take a little extra work to rub in.
When you first put it on, you will think, Oh no, what a total failure. But just give yourself a good massage, and eventually, magically, it disappears. At first, it will look like paint drying and all splotchy–but trust me, it does rub in.
The options from Stream2Sea are fantastic.
- Everyday Active is extra waterproof!
- Tinted looks great on faces, and is one of the only brands with a large enough tube that I feel I could put tinted on the whole body.
- Shimmer is just fun with very small glitter in the whole tube.
I’m beyond thrilled with the new Stream2Sea formula, and it’s become one of our family’s go-tos. Use code KITCHENSTEW for 10% off on their site!
Shop Stream2Sea Now!Resources We Mention for Sunscreens and Coral Reefs
- Shop Stream2Sea – get 10% off with the code KITCHENSTEW!
- What you need to know about reef-safe sunscreen
- Is Your Sunscreen Full of Estrogen?
- See all of my natural, mineral sunscreen reviews – or take a look at the cheat sheet if you want all the info in one place!
- Join the Monday Missions to get baby steps in your inbox.
Autumn is an entrepreneur, cosmetic chemist, scuba diver, and ocean warrior. After spending 15 years as a cosmetic chemist, she noticed a sunscreen slick coming off a group of snorkelers while diving in Palau – the soap, sunscreen and conditioner residues washing right overboard into these waters with some of the most beautiful reefs in the world. As a cosmetic chemist, she knew that we could do better for our oceans, reefs, and ourselves. She came home from the trip determined to create a performance-based product line that would be safer for us and for our waters. In 2015, she launched Stream2Sea. 10 years later, all formulas remain tested and proven safer, and include the only sunscreen, Coral Care, that’s proven to actually nourish reefs.
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