Aussie scientists developing sunscreen made from slimy sea creatures; American parents complain of Jessica Alba’s sunscreen for causing sunburn

Fish, algae and other slimy sea creatures have natural ultraviolet (UV) protection systems, so it makes sense to manufacture sunscreen made from these materials which an Australian centre is developing.

Professor Vincent Bulone, director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, said the sunscreen that the entre is developing provides higher protection against UV and UVB radiation. It is also more stable in heat and light conditions because of its higher UV absorption capacity.

He says that the compounds they are using are the same type of mycosporines made by many fish species in the Great Barrier Reef that protect the eyes and tissues of these sea creatures from different types of UV light, UVA and UVB. Current sunscreens in the market use both synthetic and natural compounds such as titanium oxide and zinc to reflect, scatter and absorb UV light, reports Perth Now.

In spite of the grisly sound of some of the components, the final product will be smooth and 100 percent transparent, Bulone assures Aussies, many of whom love to sunbathe at Gold Coast and other beaches. He foresees the sunscreen becoming a commercial success.

Beyond being a sunscreen, the product would also have multiple uses such as dressing wound and burnt skin, protection for outdoor furniture and shampoos to protect dyed hair.

The bulk of the research work on the sunscreen were done in Spain and Sweden by researchers from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and the University of Adelaide.

Meanwhile, in the US, Honest Sunscreen Lotion, made by Honest Company owned by actress Jessica Alba, is the subject of complaints by parents. Despite multiple application of the sunscreen with mineral-based SPF 30 formula, children were still sunburned, the parents said.

According to NBC 5 which investigated the product, Honest Company reduced the zinc content of the sunscreen to 9.3 from 20 percent. However, the firm said it added other ingredients to keep it effective.

Eonline reports that dissatisfied consumers ranted on the Internet. One user who purchased the sunscreen from Costco said it was disappointing for her children to experience sunburn for the first time despite multiple applications. Another consumer wrote, “I covered myself with this sunscreen and now I am burnt to a crisp.”

Honest Company, in a statement, said its sunscreen was tested by an independent third party using protocols prescribed by the US Food and Drug Administration. “The results showed that our product is effective and safe for use as an 80-minute water-resistant (FDA’s highest rating) SPF 30 sunscreen lotion … when used as directed.”

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