Surf Conscious: Use Reef Safe Products

TESTED BY YOUR SAN DIEGO SURF SCHOOL INSTRUCTORS

As surfers we love the ocean and with so much love for our second home, we want to keep the sea and all its creatures safe. There has been a big shift in the surf culture to switch to products that are much more sustainable and not harmful to sea life. Because this is a recent shift however, these products might be hard to find unless you put in the time to do the research. If you’re looking for ways to keep our oceans clean and safe for the creatures that call it home but don’t know where to look, don’t worry! The San Diego Surf School team loves the ocean and wants to make sure we can enjoy it without disturbing its habitat. With all the time we spend in the water, it was important for us to find reef safe products that we love. We have scoped out products and come up with our favorites that we’d love to share with you so you can help contribute to the movement to save the ocean! 

 (Each title is linked to the website of each item so it is easily accessible for you!)

SUNSCREEN

We love to shop locally and we’ve found a sunscreen that is both reef safe and supports Pacific Beach shops. Riptide Sunscreen can be found at Pacific Beach Organics and comes in both white and tinted colors. It uses natural and mineral materials to ensure it’s reef safe while also protecting your skin. 

WAX

Matunas Surf Wax has the quality of mainstream surf wax while also being sustainable. It’s organic, biodegradable and packaged in recycled paper. Not only is it earth friendly, but it even smells amazing. Matunas Surf Wax sells base coat, cold, warm, tropical, and competition wax. All of these options offer great grip while keeping the ocean safe. 

WETSUIT DETERGENT

If you’re looking for a wetsuit cleaner that keeps your suit smelling great but doesn’t harm your wetsuit or the ocean, Drainbo Pau Pilau Wetsuit Cleaner is the one to get. This is a natural cleanser that is very inexpensive and helps restore your wetsuit in order to keep it in top shape. Because the ingredients are natural and organic, it’s safe to use on your wetsuit and wear in the ocean. 

LIP BALM 

Reef Repair Lip Balm by Feel Good Cosmetics is a plastic free lip balm so it’s safe to use in the water. Other lip balms and cosmetics tend to use plastic ingredients as a preservative which can harm sea life and isn’t good for you. Reef Repair Lip Balm is also packaged in recycled paper. This lip balm comes in cool mint, is 15 SPF and is water resistant for 80 minutes making it the perfect product to apply before a surf sesh. 

SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER 

Davines Hair Care offers a variety of organic products that work well on your hair and are environmentally friendly. Because they use organic and natural materials these products are reef safe and will not harm sea life. While Davines offers a variety of different products for all different hair types, it works especially well for people with curly or thick hair.

As surfers who spend so much time in the water, it’s important to keep the ocean clean and safe. Before you decide to paddle out again, check to make sure the products you’re using aren’t causing any harm while you’re out there. We all want to make sure the ocean is around for generations to come so let’s make sure we’re all doing our part  to protect the place we hold so close to our hearts. ❤️