When planning your vacation to the US Virgin Islands, one item many vacationers overlook is reef safe sunscreen.  In March of 2020, the USVI made the”Toxic 3 O’s” illegal to be in the sunscreen you use for your sun protection needs.  What are the “Toxic 3 O’s”? oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene.  Sunscreens with one or more of these harmful chemicals are prohibited in the USVI.  Obviously it’s important to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. However, many sunscreens contain ingredients that can be harmful to coral reefs and other marine life. Fortunately, there are a number of reef-safe sunscreens available on the market that can help protect your skin without harming the environment. 

Since the US Virgin Islands is a group of islands 1235 miles southeast of Florida, everything has to be imported.  Which means everything is significantly more expensive than the continental USA. We highly recommend you buy your reef safe sunscreens prior to visiting the islands.  This one tip will save you a lot of money and free up more cash for experiences & excursions.  In this blog, we’ll take a look at the top 5 reef-safe sunscreens available for purchase before your vacation, but also on island if you need more.