Surfers get more UV exposure than almost anyone else spending time outside. You're out there for hours. The sun hits you directly from above and bounces back off the water from below. Wind and saltwater strip whatever you've applied. And unlike a hiker who can duck under a tree, you're in open ocean with nowhere to hide.
Most people don't think too carefully about their sunscreen. Surfers probably should.
Why Most Sunscreens Fall Short in the Water
The biggest issue is wash-off. Most chemical sunscreens are designed for casual outdoor use: an afternoon in the park, a beach walk, a couple of hours at a festival. They're not built for two hours in the surf, repeated duck dives, and constant saltwater exposure.
Chemical sunscreen compounds like oxybenzone and octinoxate also have a problem specific to surfers: they wash off directly into the water you're surfing in. Studies have linked these chemicals to coral bleaching at very low concentrations. Hawaii banned both in 2021. More on what reef-safe actually means. If you're surfing anywhere near a reef, the sunscreen you're wearing is ending up in it.
What to Actually Look For
Zinc oxide as the active ingredient. Zinc oxide is a mineral UV filter that sits on the surface of your skin rather than absorbing into it. It provides broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays and doesn't break down or wash away as readily as chemical filters. For surfers, that staying power matters.
Non-nano, specifically. Some zinc oxide products use nano-sized particles small enough to be ingested by coral polyps. Non-nano zinc oxide uses larger particles that stay on the skin surface and don't accumulate in marine ecosystems. If you're surfing near a reef, this is the one to reach for.
A wax or oil base. A wax base is what keeps it from washing off. Look for a formula where beeswax or a similar barrier agent creates a physical layer on the skin that water has a harder time removing.
A short ingredient list. The more ingredients a formula has, the more chances for something to irritate your skin, or wash into the ocean. Simpler is generally better.
Why a Balm Works Better Than a Bottle
Liquid sunscreen and surf don't really mix. It comes off fast, runs into your eyes, and a bottle doesn't survive long in a boardshort pocket or dry bag.
A solid balm with a wax base behaves differently. The beeswax gives it staying power. It's water-resistant in a way that most lotion-based formulas aren't. You apply it before you paddle out, and it stays where you put it through sets, wipeouts, and duck dives.
The tin also fits where a bottle won't. Wetsuit pocket. Wax bag. Board bag. A 2oz tin of solid balm is one less thing to sort out before you hit the water.
What Makes Seaker Work for Surfers
Seaker Sun Co. is four ingredients: non-nano zinc oxide, beeswax, jojoba oil, and vitamin E. The zinc oxide provides broad-spectrum UV protection. The beeswax creates water resistance and keeps the balm in place. The jojoba oil absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy layer that attracts sand. Vitamin E helps protect against environmental stress, which matters when you're spending hours in wind and salt.
No chemical UV filters. No ingredients that need to dissolve into the ocean to do their job. And it comes in a tin that fits in a wetsuit pocket and actually gets recycled when it's empty.
If you're looking for a sun balm built for the conditions, that's what we made.