SUN CARE
Coral friendly sunscreens
I
n May 2018, social media buzzed
that is responsible for nutrient release,
with the news of Hawaii being the
food chain coordination and protecting
first US state to ban the sale of
coastlines from storms and wave damage.
• cream come true SPF70 W/O mineral
and octinoxate. The decision was based
Reducing the options
• sport sunscreen SPF70 (JZ12-207B)
on the coral bleaching phenomenon.
According to Hallstar, the recent mandate
• beach sunscreen spray SPF70 (JZ12-167B)
Coral bleaching occurs when abnormal
from the US State of Hawaii for oxybenzone-
• ultra-high SPF100 spray (JZ12-170)
environmental conditions cause coral to
free and octinoxate-free sunscreens limits
expel tiny photosynthetic algae, called
the UV filters available to formulators,
available locally from Millchem, Hallstar’s
zooxanthellae. According to the ARC
particularly for high SPF products. Other
agent in South Africa. The formulations
Centre of Excellence, the loss of colourful
countries have already adopted similar
are all in vivo tested for SPF and 80
algae causes coral to turn white or
regulations and the speciality chemicals
minute water resistance and they have
‘bleach’. The condition is reversible and
company expects more will follow.
passed three month shelf stability. More
sunscreens containing oxybenzone
bleached coral can recover, but only if the
• Broad Spectrum SPF50 O/W sunscreen lotion (JZ9-89) sunscreen (JZ12-227B)
Thanks to Hallstar’s years of experience
The full range of formulation guides are
importantly, these formulations do not
temperature drops and zooxanthellae
in creating globally compliant formulations
contain octinoxate or oxybenzone. Instead,
are able to recolonise them, otherwise it
with photostabilisers that optimise filter
photostabilisers HallBrite BHB, SolaStay S1,
may die.
performance compliant, the company has
Polycrylene and HallBrite PSF are used the
produced a range of coral friendly sun
while the HallBrite range of TiO2 and ZNO
the most common sunscreen ingredients
care formulations. These include:
dispersions are used. •
used worldwide. Studies have shown even
• light and non-greasy sunscreen cream
Oxybenzone and octinoxate are two of
the smallest amount of oxybenzone can
SPF30 (JZ11-138B)
cause coral to bleach rapidly – eliminating
• anti-sand sunscreen gel SPF50 (JZ12-20B)
an essential part of the marine ecosystem
• clog-free zinc spray SPF50 (JZ12-226)
Hallstar – www.hallstar.com Millchem – www.millchem.co.za
P C Review | FEBRUARY 2019 |
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