COOLA, Calm + Protected

Many know how passionate I am about reef conservation. Our coral reef ecosystems are the backbone of Florida’s largest industry: tourism, not citrus like you maybe thought. I have worked as an independent ocean researcher in Florida and Australia, and when I was a teacher I even grew coral fragments with my students. I am very ocean minded!

I made it my priority to purchase reef safe sunscreen that do not contain oxybenzone. This chemical disrupts the reproduction cycle of coral polyps. Oxybenzone to coral spawning is the equivalent of a record scratching during the Barry White song on your sexy date night. This results in a deficiency of algae growth thus causing coral bleaching. Nobody likes a baby making buzzkill, so I swore off oxybenzone a year ago to make sure both my skin and the reefs are protected.

COOLA has reef safe suncare on lock, with luxury ingredients they make foundations, lip tints, and makeup primers. Being a Florida girl, there is no reason why I should not be lathered up with a minimum of SPF 15 at all times.

COOLA fits all of my natural beauty requirements: cruelty free, reef safe, 70% organic and sustainably sourced. If their product could not get any better, they outdid themselves with a great travel kit, the COOLA X Cynthia Rowley CHANGE Limited Edition Suncare set.

The set is priced at $75 with 100% of the profits donated to the Ocean Conservancy. In addition to a feel-good purchase, it is an absolute value since it includes the Mineral Sport Lotion, a Tinted Mineral Sport Stick, Rosilliance Golden BB Cream, Mineral Liplux in Firecracker carried in a cute neoprene clutch (which doubles as my shelling bag).

I got the pack 6 weeks ago, I can attest the products compliment my skin and do not run into my eyes when I sweat. With this kit, I can use from day to night, the sport line for paddling in the sunshine and the BB cream and LipLux to transition evening cocktails. I know you do not need sun protection at night, but the products make me feel beach babe glamorous and presentable to my pretty friends. I creatively use the Tinted Sport Stick as a concealer if I have a blemish, not its intended use, but it totally works as a multitasker.

My favorite COOLA product is the Mineral LipLux, which it retails individually at $20. I am not a lipstick girl, and usually wear a tinted chapstick but they rarely contain SPF. The LipLux is moisturizing and provides a perfect tint and SPF 30, I need it in all the colors! I even had a friend poke fun at me saying I was not a true beach babe because I was wearing makeup at the beach and I said “It’s not makeup! It’s COOLA!”

Much credit due:

Mucho Mahalo to COOLA Suncare for providing me the Cynthia Rowley pack for review, and making me look beach babe over beach bum. You can buy locally at Bunulu in The Gardens Mall.

Thanks to the Portuguese Man-O-War that photobombed my product shots. No cnidarians nor bloggers were harmed in the making of this post, it was a harmonious collaboration!