Tourists and residents are gearing up for the much-anticipated reopening of Hawaii…. Again! There’s been a sharp decline in tourism and a 14-day mandatory quarantine since March for tourists. However, after pushing back the August 1 reopening date, another late summer-September lockdown, and a gradual decrease in the number of Covid-19 cases, the State of Hawaii finally has set an opening date of October 15, 2020.  No details yet, but we do know this: Transpacific Travel Quarantine Lifted with Negative Test Results Transpacific visitors can forgo the 14-day quarantine if they test negati ..read more

FDA ADMITS YOUR SUNSCREEN COULD BE INEFFECTIVE AND POISONOUS   This is a big deal! After over 40 years of people slathering on poisonous chemical sunscreens approved by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), the FDA decided that actually 12 out of 16 approved active sunscreen ingredients do not have enough scientific data to determine whether they are harmful for humans, and two of them have been officially declared unsafe. The FDA found that only 2, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, were deemed safe and effective based on available data.   The February 21, 2019 FDA announcem ..read more

Aloha and welcome to the beautiful islands of Hawaii, a tropical paradise where the sun shines bright, and the beaches are inviting. While enjoying the breathtaking scenery and endless outdoor activities, it's essential to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. In recent years, mineral sunscreens have emerged as a safer and more eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical sunscreens. In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of mineral sunscreens and why they're the perfect choice for sun protection in Hawaii. 1. Safer for your skin Mineral sunscreens, also known as physical ..read more

SUNSCREEN LAWS: HAWAII, BONAIRE, PALAU, AND NOW… KEY WEST!     Our home state of Hawaii has started a trend and the momentum is building! In May 2018, the State of Hawaii was the first to pass a landmark law, the first of its kind anywhere in the world banning toxic sunscreen ingredients, oxybenzone and octinoxate, for the purpose of preserving marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, and human health.   Two weeks later, the Caribbean island of Bonaire, a popular tourist destination for diving, followed Hawaii’s lead. In October 2018, the small nation of Palau, made up of over ..read more

These are four of our favorite beaches for “keiki” or kids on Oahu that we have enjoyed over the years. The Kōkua ohana has two children, and we have visited these beaches numerous times.  We hope you check them out and enjoy! KAIMANA BEACH. This is a small centrally located beach in Kapiolani Park near Waikiki. We love that it has a sandy bottom and calm, manageable waves. Lifeguards on duty add extra security for swimming. The water gradually gets deeper and looks beautiful and clear. Head there early in the morning to get easy parking and beat the crowd. There is plenty of shade in th ..read more

The short answer: Maui and Big Island are only allowing mineral sunscreens – those that have zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as the only active ingredient(s). Kōkua Sun Care has you covered with non-nano zinc oxide-based sunscreens fortified with extra antioxidant rich Hawaii-grown botanicals. The long answer: Hawaii’s sunscreen laws have become stricter! Hooray! The first state-wide Hawaii sunscreen law that affects all the Hawaiian Islands went into effect on January 1, 2021, and it bans the sale and distribution of the toxic sunscreen chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate that damage or k ..read more

The SPF 30 tinted is finally here!  It was supposed to launch in 2020, but because of the pandemic and related issues, progress came to a screeching halt.  We were left with only lab samples for a while. If we were not planning to be in direct sun with harsh UV conditions and wearing the SPF 50, we would reach for those SPF 30 tinted samples again and again.  It's perfect for daily use and an active lifestyle.   It’s your go-to daily moisturizing sunscreen, and the light tint blends in with any skin tone.  If you wear makeup, it acts as a great foundation. It cont ..read more

CASCARA AND SUNCARE? KŌKUA SUN CARE HAWAIIAN NATURAL ZINC SUNSCREEN WITH KONARED® HAWAIIAN COFFEE FRUIT EXTRACT The same KonaRed® Hawaiian coffee fruit extract found in our Hawaiian Cascara Juice is also a superfood for the skin! Kōkua Sun Care uses this bright red super fruit extract in its reef safe Hawaiian Natural Zinc Sunscreen because it is a potent source of natural antioxidants due to its extremely high concentrations of polyphenols. The extract is made from the fruit of Kona coffee plants grown in the rich volcanic soil of Hawaii coffee farms.   Scientific research shows that ca ..read more

Kōkua Sun Care for your wedding, corporate, sporting, or other special event is a perfect gift or addition to any welcome package.  Your guests will love a unique local Hawaiian gift, one that supports local Hawai’i farms and businesses. Our elegant vintage Hawaii logo with graceful hula girl and iconic Diamond Head and ocean waves in the background embodies the relaxed feeling of the islands and all their natural charms from the mountains to the oceans.  Reef safe sun care is also a useful and eco-friendly gift, ensuring that your guests avoid terrible sunburns without damaging Hawa ..read more

Ever since the discovery of benzene in 78 sunscreen products on the market that was made by the independent pharmacy Valisure in the spring of last year, many consumers have been at a loss about which products are safe to use anymore. This is why the Benzene Sunscreen Replacement Initiative was launched – to provide consumers with safe, natural, zinc-based sunscreen if they had been using one of the contaminated products.  The campaign was the idea of the attorneys and legal team of Environmental Litigation Group, P.C. Because they have seen the terrible health consequences of b ..read more