The 3 Best Reef-Safe Sunscreens of 2025
Top pick
This formula includes ingredients that are thought to be safest for reefs. It rubs in easily, feels nice on skin, and doesn’t leave a white cast, though it does have a strong, fruity scent.
The Thrive Bodyshield SPF 50’s main ingredient is non-nano zinc oxide (23.5%), which experts say is the most sea- and coral-friendly active sunscreen ingredient available in the US. Our test panelists favored it over similar broad spectrum, water-resistant formulas for a few reasons.
It’s easy to apply. Thrive lotion rubs into the skin almost as well as chemical sunscreens, and it feels less greasy than many other lotions.
It doesn’t make skin appear chalky. None of the panelists who participated in our brand-concealed evaluation noted a white cast on their skin after application.
Thrive sunscreen’s SPF 50 rating is appealing because the minerals in physical sunscreens are not as efficient at repelling UV rays as chemical filters are at absorbing them, according to Dr. Henry Lim, a Detroit-based dermatologist and Skin Cancer Foundation spokesperson. Experts recommend looking for formulas labeled SPF 30 or more.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
This sunscreen only comes in one size (5.8 ounces) and typically costs about $4.30 per ounce ($3.80 if purchased in 3-packs), which is less than the price of many of the other reef-safe sunscreens we considered, but much more than our other sunscreen picks.
Thrive’s formula includes a strong, fruity-smelling added fragrance that takes quite a bit of time to dissipate, which bothered some testers.
