In the chemical crackdown over the last few years, pioneered by the clean everything brigade, suncare is one of the areas that’s caused most confusion. Sun damage causes ageing and can lead to skin skin cancer, so naturally we should wear SPF everyday when the sun is out to play. OK fine.

Or is it? What if it’s not fine at all. Now we’re being told that the creams, blocs, oils and sprays we’ve be slavishly slathering on all these years might actually be causing harm not just to our own bodies, but to coral reefs too. So what’s a sun-worshipper supposed to do?

With nearly seven million search results for ‘is suncream toxic?’ — up from just over half a million three years ago — now appearing on Google, it’s clearly a topic we want to know more about.

We asked the experts how bad it really is. 

The issue with these sunblocks, like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, is they tend to be thicker and more visible. Legit if you’re a surfer, understandably less so if you’re aiming for poolside cool. Not just that, it has real impact on marine ecosystems. Particularly concerning are oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, explains consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto, which are absorbed into the skin, rather than sitting on the surface and deflecting the sun, and have been suggested to generate free radicals and disrupt hormone levels.

Oxybenzone is also one of the sunscreen ingredients (together with Octinoxate) that have just been banned by Hawaii after scientists confirmed they can kill young coral polyps and exacerbate the reef bleaching effects of climate change.

Fragrances, preservatives and lanolin are also known to cause dermatological irritations.

We’ve rounded up the best natural, organic, chemical-free sunscreens to keep you safe in the sun with minimal impact on your health and the environment… (Though it goes without saying: the best sun protection is not being in it, so be sensible, people.)