Why More Surfers Are Switching to Non-Toxic Skincare
Surfers are known for being tuned into nature and spend hours immersed in the ocean. If you surf long enough you'll get some good stories of nature being magical right before your eyes. I've had to abandon waves to avoid running over a giant sea lion and once an otter munching on a crab. I've had three dolphins swim inches from me while they were riding the wave I was going over. I've been in the lineup when dolphins decided to all line up and start catching waves with us. I even had a pod of dolphins surround me when I was surfing pretty terrible waves all by myself. I'll stop there but as you can see it is something to be protected. And that something is shifting in surf culture. It's not just about catching waves anymore. It's about living in harmony with the sea—and that includes what we put on our skin.
Over the past few years, there’s been a quiet movement growing: more surfers are swapping out their conventional skincare routines for clean, non-toxic alternatives. And it’s not just about our own health—it’s about respecting the ocean and everything it touches. In fact, Hawai‘i became the first U.S. state to ban the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in 2021—a move driven by mounting evidence that these ingredients contribute to coral reef damage.
Traditional skincare products often contain synthetic chemicals, preservatives, and artificial fragrances that rinse off in the water and end up in the marine ecosystem. It’s something many of us never questioned before—but once you see the impact, you can’t unsee it. Especially in sensitive places like coral reefs.
Oxybenzone, octinoxate, parabens, and microplastics—these are just a few of the ingredients found in mainstream beauty products that have been linked to coral bleaching, hormone disruption, and long-term environmental damage. As surfers, we’re in the water regularly. That means we’re part of the cycle, whether we realize it or not.
But it’s not just the ocean we’re protecting—it’s our own skin, too.
More surfers are paying attention to what their skin is absorbing. After all, our skin is our largest organ. What we apply sinks in—and in the case of traditional sunscreen, moisturizers, and hair products, that can mean a daily dose of chemicals we’d never knowingly eat or drink.
Most people don’t realize how quickly skincare products can impact the body. Certain chemicals can be absorbed into the bloodstream in under a minute. In fact, an FDA study found that ingredients like oxybenzone and avobenzone, commonly found in conventional sunscreens, were detectable in blood samples after just one application. That’s why non-toxic skincare isn’t just about protecting the ocean—it’s also about protecting ourselves.
Clean beauty offers an alternative rooted in simplicity and intention. Ingredients like jojoba oil, shea butter, mango butter, zinc oxide, and plant-based antioxidants provide real nourishment without harming our health—or the reefs.
This shift isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. It’s about asking deeper questions: Where does this product go when I wash it off? Who made it? Is it aligned with the way I want to live? With all the poison that is in our food, cosmetics and almost everything we use it is apparent that it is up to us, as individuals, to use our own discernment and do our own research to protect ourselves and the environment. We can't trust other organizations to do it for us because the ones that are telling us they are protecting us simply are not.
As someone who surfs regularly, this was the exact path that led me to create Rising Venus. I wanted something that protected my hair from saltwater damage, but I didn’t want to contribute to the very ocean I love being polluted. I started blending my own oil-based formulas using natural, reef-safe ingredients—and that’s where everything began.
If you’re a surfer who’s already thinking about your impact, switching to non-toxic skincare is a natural next step. It’s a way of showing reverence to the ocean that gives us so much.
And the truth is, non-toxic products feel different. They smell like real plants. They soften sun-worn skin. They remind you that you don’t need more—just better.
Because living in tune with nature doesn’t stop at the shoreline.
