Oxybenzone (also known as benzophenone-3) is by far the most common compound found in some 3,500 sunscreens worldwide. But be on the look out for Avobenzone which is often used by many of the popular sunscreens instead of oxybenzone. This is is still a benzophenone and comes with the same risks associated with oxybenzone. Octinoxate is even more toxic than oxybenzone but is usually found in lower concentrations.
Know your label
Sunscreen ingredients to avoid
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We know you care about the planet and your body (you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t) and so you need to know what ingredients to avoid in your sunscreen and other skincare products.
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There are two typical sunscreen active ingredients known to cause bleaching of reefs and they are Oxybenzone, Avobenzone, and Octinoxate. But preservatives such as Parabens also pose an environmental threat. Avoid Petrolatum, commonly known as mineral oil, which takes years to biodegrade, and are known to be harmful or fatal to aquatic life and waterfowl.
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Coral Sure Sunscreen
Unless you have a strong background in chemistry a lot of product ingredients can seem like gibberish. We've set out for you below a list of our ingredients and their purpose. Our thinking is that having the purpose explained might help the ingredients seem less intimidating and easier to understand.
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Our ingredients
Zinc Oxide 25.2%
[active ingredient]
The most important of all the ingredients, zinc oxide is a compound, a white powder that is insoluble in water. A stable and safe ingredient, zinc oxide gives your skin the protection it needs from harmful UV rays. It helps protect cells from being damaged, halts the ageing process, and prevents skin dryness by filtering out the harmful UV rays.
Aqua
Just water. That's it. Water. This helps your skin's need for hydration and contributes to that moisturized and soft skin feeling.
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Caprylic triglyceride helps smooth skin and acts as an antioxidant. An ingredient used in soaps and cosmetics for more than 50 years. It helps smooth skin and works as an antioxidant. It also binds other ingredients together, and can work as a preservative to make the active ingredients in cosmetics last longer. Caprylic triglyceride is a more natural alternative to other synthetic chemicals found in topical skin products.
C13-15 Alkane, C13-14 Alkane, C15-23 Alkane
This is a blend of alkanes that help to soften the skin. These cosmetic blends have a light texture and glide seamlessly on the skin to soften and protect.
Polyhydroxy-stearic Acid
This is a suspending agent and emulsifier that is used to stabilize the product and is quite common in SPF sunscreens.
Isostearic Acid
A synthetic fatty acid used as an emollient, emulsifier, and stabilizer. It has been shown to protect skin’s surface against water loss and help shore up skin’s protective barrier.
Lecithin
Replenishing ingredient that improves the skin's moisture retention. Used as an emollient (skin-softener) or water-binding agent, lecithin has awesome skin restoring ability.
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
A plant based ingredient that helps water to mix with oil. We like it because it's non-greasy and has a pleasant skin feel like lip balms or thick body butters.
Caprylol Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
This is a fatty acid naturally derived from coconut oil and castor oil which we use in the formula to condition and protect the skin.
Ethylcellulose
A binding agent that also improves the formula's viscosity. It's derived from naturals like wood pulp and cotton.
Butyloctyl Salicylate
An emollient moisturizing agent included in the formula because of its superb ability to spread the active zinc oxide mineral smoothly on the skin.
Sclerotium Gum
A plant-derived, gel-like polysaccharide (sugar-based) ingredient that’s used to thicken and stabilize formulas. Similar to xanthan gum.
Pullulan
A film former and binding agent that improves skin's texture and appearance.
Lecithin
A moisturizing emollient and water-binding agent. Lecithin also has skin-restoring ability.
Sorbitol
A type of sugar derived from natural sources and used in our formula as a hydrator and antioxidant.
Erythritol
A powerful moisturizing agent which increases the humidity of the skin in a similar way to the naturally-derived sugar, sorbitol. These are known as "humectants". Humectants are pretty awesome in that they can draw and bind water to your skin's surface cells. Yes, that's right - a moisturizer that actually attracts more moisture.
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
A substance that functions as a stabilizer and texture enhancer.
Glyceryl Behenate
Another plant-derived emollient of fatty acid that aids the integration of key ingredients into skin’s surface while leaving a smooth, soft feel.
Glyceryl Caprylate
Made from vegetable oils this ingredient stabilizes oil-in-water emulsions. It's great at restoring oils of the skin, regulating skin moisture and acting as a skin humidifier.
Polyglyceryl-10 Mono/Dioleate
Another fatty acid derived from olive oil which functions as a hydrating ingredient and emulsifier.
Pentylene Glycol
This ingredient is found naturally in some plants (such as sugar beet and corn cobs). It's another of our favorite humectants, meaning it binds well to water making it a very good hydrating agent. And as if that's not enough, it also helps improve the texture of our formula making it silky smooth.
Glycerin
A skin restoring ingredient which is found naturally in skin. Another one of those awesome humectants and a cornerstone in most moisturizers. Glycerin helps slow the evaporation of water from your skin.
Decyl Glucoside
This ingredient gently cleans the skin. It's plant-derived and safe for all kinds of skin - dry, normal and sensitive.
Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil
Grapes don't just make wine. Vitis vinifera is a non-fragrant plant oil derived from the seeds of grapes. It has strong antioxidant properties and a non-greasy feel. It's used in our formula simply to leave the skin feeling soft.
Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Where to start? Magnolia bark extract has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. It cleanses, protects, reduces wrinkles, firms up the skin, it's anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, relieves itching and helps to prevent blackheads and pimples. In short, it's a wonder-ingredient.
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract
This is a simple plant ingredient from rice husks used to condition and soften the skin. Another wonder-ingredient, it's a rich source of over 100 antioxidants including vitamin E, ferulic acid, and oryzanol.
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract
An extract from the sunflower plant, this ingredient helps restore, strengthen and soothe skin. A favorite of dermatologists everywhere, it has a natural calming effect on your skin and is especially beneficial to dry, dehydrated or sunburned skin. Basically, we like it because it helps the skin repair itself which means it is really good at reducing signs of skin stress or irritation.
Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate)
Vitamin E! The most celebrated of all antioxidants for the body and skin. This ingredient does it all: soothes, evens skin tone, anti-aging, and so on. It occurs naturally in your skin.
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
Rosemary extract has antioxidant properties and, most importantly, a calming, soothing effect on the skin.
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice
Aloe Vera is a very commonly used ingredient in cosmetics thanks to its soothing properties and ability to hydrate dry or damaged skin.
Sodium Hyaluronate
This is a salt that is found naturally in the fluid that surrounds your body's joints, as well as the skin. It's great for retaining or restoring moisture to the skin and so we added it as a hydrator.
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
This oil ingredient is sourced from the Argania Spinosa tree found in north Africa. It's a very good emollient which softens the skin but also has some antioxidant properties such as vitamin E.
Diisopropyl Sebacate, Diisopropyl Adipate
These two ingredients are used mainly as film-forming agents and skin conditioners.
Lauryl Lactate
Another skin-softening emollient which helps the formula interact with your skin.
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
This emollient brings a light, non-greasy feel to the formula. It's great at reducing that oily or greasy feeling that you get with some other sunscreens. It's great at helping spread the active zinc oxide and we think it's what leaves you with that smooth elegant feel on your skin.
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