By Autumn Blum
As sailors, we spend countless hours on the water: training, cruising, racing, and exploring. That time outside is part of what draws many of us to sailing in the first place. Of course, that includes prolonged sun exposure, and, with it, the need to stay protected and to be mindful of how our choice of sunscreen impacts the water.
Many personal care products, including conventional sunscreens, don’t simply stay on your skin. They wash off (whether you’re sweating through a long sail, taking a swim, or showering at the end of the day) and enter the same waterways we sail in. This is why more and more sailors are taking a closer look at what they bring onboard, and why we recommend that all sailors use Stream2Sea.
Their story began on the water too. Founder Autumn Blum, a cosmetic chemist and avid diver, witnessed chemical sunscreen and personal care products washing directly into the ocean off divers during a trip to Palau, forming an “oil slick” on the water’s surface. That moment sparked Autumn’s mission: to create products that perform for active lifestyles while being consciously formulated with our waterways in mind.
Their sunscreens are all mineral-based and are designed with both performance and environmental considerations in mind. For performance, that means reliable sun protection, water resistance, and formulas that won’t run into our eyes during long hours on deck. For example, the Every Day Mineral Sunscreen (SPF 45) was formulated with Stream2Sea’s patented WetBoost™ technology. Other sunscreens degrade by 30-60% in water, but WetBoost™ means it actually performs 45% better on contact with water, something any sailor can appreciate.
We also appreciate options like the Sport Sunscreen Zinc Balm SPF 40. It comes in a plastic-free tin, is easy to apply and goes on sheer, so it’s great for burn hotspots like your nose and ears. And like all their sunscreens, it’s designed not to sting or run into your eyes, even when heat, wind, and spray cause sunscreen to shift. That added comfort helps you stay focused on sailing, not distracted by irritation.
After a long day on the water, recovery matters just as much as protection. Stream2Sea’s Sun & Sting Soothing Gel offers fast-absorbing relief for skin exposed to intense conditions like salt spray and prolonged sun as well as bites and stings from critters. Formulated with their proprietary antioxidant blend and essential oils like cinnamon bark, lavender, and tea tree, it helps cool and replenish stressed skin.
Equally important is what’s not in these products. Certain ingredients commonly found in traditional sunscreens such as oxybenzone and octinoxate have been shown to negatively impact marine life. Oxybenzone is a proven endocrine disruptor of fish, reducing egg production and hatching success. It is currently on the European Chemicals Agency watch-list as “under investigation” for this reason (Sources: Kim et al., Aquatic Toxicology, 2014; European Chemicals Agency, 2023).
Stream2Sea’s products are formulated without ingredients proven to harm marine life (they have handy list on their website of ingredients to avoid when shopping for sunscreen and body care), and use coated non-nano mineral actives, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide for their sunscreens instead of chemical UV filters. What’s more, all their formulas have been rigorously tested and proven to be safer for our aquatic ecosystems; they have the only sunscreen on the planet safer for freshwater fish, saltwater fish, and coral larvae, and Coral Care, the first SPF ever to actively nourish our reefs.
For those of us who value time on the water, these choices are a natural extension of seamanship. Just as we respect weather, navigation rules, and safety protocols, we can also take small steps to reduce our environmental footprint as we work to protect our waterways for the next generation of sailors; and remain mindful that all streams lead to the sea.
We’re thrilled to be offering 20% off Stream2Sea products for our members! Just use the code americansailing at checkout to enjoy their eco-conscious collection.
Join The Discussion
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What sunscreen do you trust on the water?
From performance to environmental impact, what you wear matters more than you think. Read more about Autumn Blum’s article on making smarter choices for sailors and the waterways we love.
https://americansailing.com/articles/protecting-what-you-love/
americansailing.com
Protecting What You Love: A Smarter Choice for Sailors
Protecting What You Love: A Smarter Choice for Sailors explores sun protection that performs on the water while caring for marine life
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