When summer starts to arrive, the question arises as to which sun cream to put in our suitcase. Until recently, it was the format (spray, cream, oil...) and the smell that made our choice criteria. Nowadays, the first questions we have to ask ourselves, especially if we associate vacations with sustainable tourism, are: what is the impact of this product on the environment and especially on the sea bed? So how to choose the right eco-friendly sun cream?
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The problem of chemical sunscreens
Indeed, the chemical creams that still represent the majority of the market have the unfortunate consequence of killing the corals: by being deposited on them, the product suffocates them and they end up dying. They are however essential to life on earth. They are the refuge of a quantity of fish which choose to reproduce there. Without them, these fish will be exposed to predators, fishing (...) and the species will end up dying out, with the consequences that we know about on the food chain. Corals also protect the coasts by "breaking" the waves, their disappearance would lead to strong waves on the coasts, endangering the inhabitants of these areas. In short, we can't do without corals and yet each year nearly 14,000 tons of sunscreens end up in the sea.
Eco-friendly sunscreens
Les Laboratoires de Biarritz©
Présentation de la crème solaire
It is therefore essential to turn to mineral creams to protect this vital environment. But there too it is not so simple because all are not equal. It is also our health which is put in danger because of the nano particles (also present in the chemical creams that goes without saying). These particles are so small (everything is said in the word Nano) that they infiltrate under our skin and in particular in our lungs and can cause respiratory problems. I invite you to read this article from the Turtle family which is very interesting and much more complete than I am on this subject. Mélina really masters the technical/chemical part of the subject (take the opportunity to discover her site on clean cosmetics it's great).
And it is thanks to her that I discovered the sun creams of the brand Les Laboratoires de Biarritz©. It is a French brand created by 2 surfers from... Biarritz of course! And who says surfer says sea lover. So they quickly asked themselves the right questions to practice their passion in good conditions for the health of their skin without impacting the sea. They succeeded with certified organic products that go even further than the certification. Indeed, their products "contain 99.5% of ingredients of natural origin and up to 97.5% of the care is from Organic Farming. (2) Our formulas contain 0% of ingredients from petrochemicals and 0% of "risky" ingredients (parabens, silicones, phenoxyethanol, etc.).
And around the product, how is it going?
In addition, their packaging is not yet made of recycled material but are "100% recyclable with 100% biodegradable ingredients ". Their bottles also benefit from the Airless technology. That is to say that this design prevents air from entering air inside during its use. This limits the use of preservatives and anti-oxidants. The second advantage is that the product is not in contact with our hands and thus of the bacteria which bacteria that can be found there.
Last but not least, the brand was created in France. It is also still 100% produced in France, mainly in the Pyrenees Atlantiques.
Other brands of eco-friendly sun creams?
When we wrote the first version of the article, we only knew about the only knew about the Biarritz brand. Since then, things have evolved and many brands have appeared. It is not easy to find out which ones are really eco responsible and those who surf on the wave of green washing.
So that you can find your way around and make an informed choice the eco-friendly sun cream that suits you best, I advise you to look at the very complete comparison on the Kaba website.
The teams have sifted through no less than 7 brands. You will find the eco-responsibility index, the price and their favorite brands.
To go further, take up the challenge of a zero waste vacation with us.
Have you ever thought about the impact of your sunscreen on the environment and your health? Do you feel better equipped to choose an eco-friendly sunscreen for your vacations?
This is a non-sponsored article, but we asked the brand if they agreed to let us publish an article about their products and thus to be associated with Ethik Hotels
(1) Source National Géographique https://www.nationalgeographic.fr/environnement/les-cremes-solaires-sont-nocives-pour-les-oceans-mais-des-alternatives-existent
(2) La
certification Bio exige notamment qu’au moins 95% des ingrédients
soient d’origine naturelle et qu’au minimum 20% du cosmétique fini soit
issu de l’Agriculture Biologique (selon le référentiel COSMOS pour les
cosmétiques mis sur le marché depuis le 1er janvier 2017).
(3) https://www.kinemedical.fr/content/12-le-flacon-airless-un-conditionnement-tchnique-hygienique-et-performant
