Dive Deeper Blog

Benzene-Free Sunscreen

July 23, 2021

Would you like your sunscreen with a side of benzene? No, thank you!

Stream2Sea was the first (and is still the only) company to provide extensive testing to prove our sunscreen is truly reef safe. Now we’re the first sunscreen manufacturer to show that we are safe for freshwater fish, saltwater fish, coral larvae AND contain no benzene.

What’s going on with benzene and sunscreen?

On May 24, 2021 Valisure Quality Assurance issued a citizen petition after testing 294 batches of sunscreen and after sun products from 69 different brands and found that 78 had detectable levels of benzene. Social media ads quickly popped up from personal injury attorneys saying ‘Have you used toxic sunscreen? You may be entitled to compensation…’

On July 14th, 2021 – Johnson & Johnson issued a voluntary recall on 5 sunscreen products that were contaminated with benzene. This recall was issued ALMOST 2 MONTHS after the original report from Valisure was sent to the FDA.

Read the official report here.

What’s benzene and why should I care?

Benzene is an industrial chemical found in crude oil and cigarette smoke – it is also used in manufacturing plastic and pesticides. But even worse: benzene is a KNOWN human carcinogen! As of this notice, only 5 products have been “recalled” which means that there are 73 KNOWN products that contain an ingredient that is endangering consumers (not to mention the fact that because these products are being used, we now have benzene infiltrating our precious fresh and saltwater ecosystems).

So again, why is this important for us?

In July of 2019, Stream2Sea brought all production and manufacturing of our sunscreen and body care products in house. With the addition of our NEW lip balms in July of 2021, we now produce 100% of our topical products in our FDA regulated facility in rural Florida.  Not only did this improve efficiency and production timelines, but it also gave us complete oversight of all quality controls. We rigorously test all production batches – before, during and after – so that you can have confidence in the products that you are putting on your body!

As I like to say:

“If it isn’t safe to put on your body, it doesn’t come into our warehouse.”

Stream2Sea is Benzene-Free

Stream2Sea was not included in the Valisure report, but we were confident our products didn’t contain the contaminant. But we all like verification and validation, so we did our due diligence and sent our formulas out for independent third party testing and are proud to be Benzene-FREE.

We are also proud to offer the only product line in the world that has been tested and proven safe for freshwater fish, saltwater fish, and coral larvae. As always, Stream2Sea is tested and proven safe for you, your family, and our waters!

View our test results here.

Join us on our journey to create body care products that are safe for us and for our oceans. Together we can do better!

Consciously,

Autumn Blum
Formulator & CEO

From Stream2Sea – Protect what you love 

#KnowYourIngredients #ProtectWhatYouLove #ProtectWhoYouLove

Autumn is a cosmetic chemist and has been formulating natural and organic skincare for more than 20 years. Also an avid scuba diver, she founded Stream2Sea after seeing a sunscreen oil slick coming off a group of snorkelers.  Determined to make a difference, Stream2Sea is the only natural product line in the world tested and proven safe for freshwater fish, saltwater fish and coral larvae.                   

 

 

Stream2Sea is setting the standard for EcoConscious sunscreen and skincare. Along with standard human safety and SPF tests, Stream2Sea products are proven to be biodegradable in both salt water and fresh water, have passed a comprehensive series of aquatic toxicity tests and was formulated without ingredients known to harm the environment.  Formulated with powerful antioxidant blends to protect skin from sun damage, the Stream2Sea line includes sunscreens, conditioning shampoo and body wash, leave-in conditioner, nourishing body lotion and lip balms. Stream2Sea products are currently available online at www.Stream2Sea.com or ask for them at your favorite health food store, dive center or outdoor retailer. Friend us on Facebook or call (866) 960-9513. 

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