Bowling Green, FL (July 17, 2024) – Stream2Sea, the leader in Reef-Safer™ sunscreen and body care products, has developed a patent-pending WetBoost Technology™ that amplifies UV protection after contact with water.   

While most sunscreen formulas lose 30 to 60% of their protection after water immersion, the new formulas with WetBoost Technology™ provided a 47.6% increase in protection after 80 minutes immersion in water. Heightened broad spectrum protection was also observed.  

“Sunscreens are tested for water resistance in an FDA lab by applying sunscreen to volunteers who then spend 80 minutes in the water. Then they are exposed to UV light, and the redness of their skin is measured after 24 hours,” explains Autumn Blum, Stream2Sea’s founder and cosmetic chemist. “Most sunscreens lose significant performance after 80 minutes in the water, but surprisingly they reported a dramatic improvement in protection with our Every Day Mineral Sunscreens.” 

Made with EcoSafe Zinc Oxide™, Stream2Sea’s Every Day Mineral Sunscreens offer a significant advancement for sunscreens specifically formulated to be safer for aquatic ecosystems, even without WetBoost Technology™.

“Zinc is an outstanding, broad-spectrum sunscreen ingredient but traditionally, it has been difficult to apply, made with nanoparticles that are lethal to ocean animals, or coated with harmful substances," Blum said. "Alternatively, EcoSafe Zinc Oxide™ has been thoroughly tested and found to be safe for various aquatic species, but still applies easily, is non-whitening, and is non-nano."

“The fact that Every Day Mineral Sunscreens actually get more protective when they get wet was totally serendipitous,” Blum said. “I was focused on creating a water-resistant sunscreen and used hydrophilic natural polymers to attract water and form a light film on skin that provides better coverage.” 

When it was tested – as required by the FDA – the results “totally blew my mind,” she recalls. “The lab went back to verify their results to make sure that it really did get better when wet.” 

Stream2Sea has been setting new standards for Reef-Safer™ sunscreens since it was established in 2015. It was the first, and is still the only, company to do the extensive testing to prove that their products are safe for fish and even vulnerable coral larva. 

“We had been calling our products ‘reef-safe’ but we’ve stopped using that term,” she said. “It’s become clear that it would require far more testing to prove anything is reef-safe because so many interconnected organisms work symbiotically to support underwater ecosystems. Saying ‘reef-safer’ is more correct and encourages people to look beyond bright labels on the front of a box when they’re selecting a product.” 

The WetBoost Technology™ has provisional patent protection and samples are available upon request. 

More About Stream2Sea:

The brand formulates and manufactures sunscreen and body products with our health and the planet’s health as their guiding force. Founder and CEO, Autumn Blum has made it her mission to help others understand what ingredients they put into their bodies and our delicate waterways.