PROTECT YOUR BOAT

PROTECT YOUR BOAT

At Least They’re Honest

Most sunscreens sold in the US contain ingredients that stain boats, swimwear, and apparel. At last count there were 4,482, including just about every sunscreen sold over the counter in US pharmacies and grocery stores. One ingredient in particular is a problem for boat owners and anyone who spends much time in the sea or fresh water.

Most sunscreens sold in the US contain ingredients that stain boats, swimwear, and apparel. At last count there were 4,482, including just about every sunscreen sold over the counter in US pharmacies and grocery stores. There’s one ingredient in particular that is a problem for boat owners -- or in fact anyone who spends much time in the sea or fresh water.

The culprit is Avobenzone.

Look for Avobenzone in the Active Ingredients on your sunscreen Drug Facts panel. Because Avobenzone is not photostable -- meaning it quickly degrades when exposed to the sun -- it is often paired with Homosalate, Octisalate, and Octocrylene.

All of these chemical filters, including Avobenzone, are approved by the FDA and “Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective (GRASE).” And according to most research they are fairly safe and effective for use on skin to prevent sunburn. They have been approved for more than 20 years.

Here’s the catch...

The FDA doesn’t care about your boat, your swimwear, or your clothes. They care about your skin and your health.

The problem for boat owners is that while these chemicals are doing a fine job of absorbing UVB radiation and keeping your skin from burning, Avobenzone it is also at work oxidizing the naturally occurring minerals like iron that are dissolved in hard water. The resulting stains look like rust because that’s exactly what they are: oxidized iron.

Stain test applying chemical sunscreen and sea water to marine fabric. Result of 3 applications per day for 5 days.

Here’s the catch...

The FDA doesn’t care about your boat, your swimwear, or your clothes. They care about your skin and your health.

The problem for boat owners is that while these chemicals are doing a fine job of absorbing UVB radiation and keeping your skin from burning, Avobenzone it is also at work oxidizing the naturally occurring minerals like iron that are dissolved in hard water. The resulting stains look like rust because that’s exactly what they are: oxidized iron.

In case you didn’t get the memo, sea water and most river and lake water is hard water that contains iron. Fish need iron to survive.

Most Drug Facts panels on chemical sunscreens also contain some variant of this warning:

"May stain or damage some fabrics or surfaces."

In our case, “may” means if the sunscreen comes into contact with hard water. If you go out boating on distilled water you’re perfectly safe!

SABIYA Uses Only Mineral Sun Filters

Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are the only two mineral sun filters approved by the FDA. We like Zinc because it doesn’t oxidize or react with the minerals in hard water; it doesn’t leave stains.

A few other reasons to like Zinc:

Mineral sun filters are not absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream
Mineral sun filters are recommended by dermatologists for sensitive skin
Mineral sun filters are immediately effective as soon as they are applied
Non-nano minerals (the kind we use) are harmless to marine environments

In SABIYA sunscreens sold in the US we only use Zinc Oxide.

Zinc Oxide is a broadband sun filter, meaning it protects from both UVA and UVB radiation. Titanium Dioxide offers less protection from UVB -- the kind that burns your skin -- and we find it leaves more of a white cast than the special Zinc Oxide we use.

SABIYA Only Comes as a Lotion

There are many cool new sunscreen textures available today. We love to see innovation in this space. But at present we only offer SABIYA sunscreen as a lotion because it is still the best choice for boats.

We don’t recommend (and don’t make) sunscreen sticks because it is difficult to get adequate coverage compared to lotion. Out on the water you can’t afford that mistake.

We don’t recommend (and don’t make) sunscreen sprays because the overspray will leave as much sunscreen on your boat as on your skin. Also, you really don’t want to breathe this stuff.

We don’t recommend (and don’t make) whipped-cream style sunscreen because the light whipped texture requires chemical sun filters. Yes, that means nasty staining Avobenzone.