Luxury resort hotels which rely on pristine beaches and a clean healthy ocean to attract guests, have started to insist on a patented eco-compatible sunscreen that leaves marine life intact. Cocoa Island by COMO is among the first of such resorts.
Thousands of hotels around the world have the ocean as their star attraction yet this natural asset has often been seriously damaged at worst or taken for granted at best. In addition to the threats posed by natural occurrences (mostly attributable to global warming) and poor construction or management practices, this natural habitat is also threatened by sunscreens that can kill coral, mussels and phytoplankton.
As they wash off the body, several sunscreen ingredients are either toxic or, worse still, can start viral and terminal epidemics in the algae that coral relies on for its food. Coral ecology systems account for 30% of all marine life.
Biodegradable is not the answer and mere dilution in the ocean does not help.
Aethic, a London-based skincare company launched the answer, Sôvée sunscreen, in Selfridges two years ago as part of its Project Ocean promotion. Sôvée has since added an approved ecocompatible patent to its credentials and this triple-filter sunscreen is also certified marine positive.
Laurent Sola, General Manager at Cocoa Island says: “Sôvée is entirely consistent with many other efforts we make here on Cocoa Island to go blue too and safeguard the aquatic environment. Our heavy reliance on a clean ocean and vibrant live coral makes Sôvée the only viable choice for our guests and it is the only sunscreen we carry. Guests seem to love using it and it’s selling well from our boutique”.
Several other resort hotels are poised to join the trend now.
Adds Allard Marx, Aethic CEO “It’s very gratifying to have Sôvée recognised by the management and discerning guests of a stunning luxury resort like Cocoa Island. Protecting guests’ skin and maintaining marine life for future generations of guests is what we feel ecologic and economic sustainability is all about”.
