Stream2Sea Love Letter & Haul // Physical Barrier for Ecoconscious Sun Protection // Neck Gaiters // Dive Buffs

On June 22, 2020
By Kimberly

Last week I was cruising one of my favorite websites, the Stream2Sea website just in case… just in case they had anything new in production. Well! Shocker! Neck gaiters, also called dive buffs, pocket sprayer of hand sanitizer, and gel hand sanitizer had snuck into the product line without my knowledge. I love that Stream2Sea promotes not only reef-safe sunscreen, but also some alternatives for supplementing sun exposure coverage and prevention.

So, I did what anyone would do – immediately placed an order!

New Neck Gaiters // Dive Buffs

The newest addition to the Stream2Sea apparel product line is the neck gaiters. They come in four designs; turtles, sea life, waves, and solid blue. Usually I wear solid-colored clothing, so, I ordered all three that have patterns. And they are so cute! I hardly know which one to wear next!

Stream2Sea reports that these “reef neck gaiters” are totally recycled. Here’s their description:

I Was Once A Plastic Jug!

Great news! You are helping to reduce waste, and up to 50% of carbon emissions and energy consumption by choosing this apparel made with 100% recycled polyester. That means means one less plastic jug in our ecosystems!

Stretchy, lightweight, cooling on the skin, windproof, breathable material with UPF 40+ protection that can be worn as:

As Dust, Sun Protection for your face
As a Headband
As a Neck Accessory

We recommend handwashing to reduce the microfiber release.

Dimensions: 14.96 in (38 cm) height x 9.4 in (24 cm) width

Our neck gaiters & rash guards are not only stylish but they offer excellent coverage for any outdoor activity. They are designed to block UV rays by featuring UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) for topnotch defense against the sun. On top of all of that our chemical-free fabric, sourced from recycled polyester is reef friendly and has exceptional durability.

Can I Wear a Buff Instead of an N95?

No – buffs are not intended to substitute for a mask for reduction of spread of infection, however, with a few tweaks, you could modify these to comply with WHO and CDC guidelines. They do not eliminate the need for social distancing and can give a false sense of security when worn alone.

Rather than go into detail – here’s a link to On The Water’s Is Your Fishing Neck Gaiter a Good Face Mask? He covers it all, and I like that it’s well-researched and thought-out. In the comments, you will find even more information on how to turn your pretty buffs into viable face coverings.

Body Lotion Smells Like Florida

I’m a Florida girl – and I’ve used the travel sizes of the lotion from my Ecoconscious Camper and Explorer bags. However, I had forgotten how wonderful it smells. Initially, I thought it smelled like oranges, but the ingredients include an antioxidant blend of Green Tea, Tulsi, Wakame, and Olive Leaf. So, I will just say it smells like sunshiney Florida!

My travel sizes get saved for travel, but I needed a full-size tube for at home. This lotion not only smells wonderful; it feels great on the skin; not greasy or irritating to my sensitive skin.

All of the Stream2Sea mineral sunscreens and body care products are created from natural ingredients, they are biodegradable and also tested safe for fish and coral larvae.

That’s a great reason to use them; additionally, the tubes are made from sugarcane resins. Anything in a bottle is made from 97% post-consumer recycled content. Stream2Sea knows it’s not enough to have a natural product – many companies do. Going one step further to present their selection in ecoconscious containers takes their offerings to the next level of sustainability.

Soothing Lip Balm

Also using the antioxidant blend of Green Tea, Tulsi, Wakame and Olive Leaf, the lip balm is smooth and does not irritate my lips.

Strangely, I’m not a fan of any cherry-flavored lip balm. My husband Bill likes it, so I ordered one for him and two of the green tea for me!

Ecoconscious Start to Finish

From the packaging to the product; Stream2Sea keeps it renewable. They use boxes again, shipping materials again, and limit plastics. While the hand sanitizer does get shipped in a plastic resealable bag, I’ve reused those – after washing – for everything from storing seed packets to rain gear.

This extra effort makes me happy to order from companies so committed to reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose.

Dogs Need Sun Protection Too!

While I may have received the last of the doggie rash guards, it’s worth noting that when I perform my amateur shave our miniature Schnauzers, their skin can be sensitive to the sun. Seeking shade is a good plan for our pups and ourselves.

Let’s hope they find a new source for the rash guards for dogs – at this time, there are no more in stock. While I’m not a professional dog groomer, I am getting better at the “Schnauzer Cut.” Shaving too close was a problem initially.

Let’s go ahead and ask owner/chemist Autumn Blum of Stream2Sea to formulate a Doggie Sunscreen. According to the AKC, in Should Your Dog Wear Sunscreen?, the answer is “YES!”

Spray Hand Sanitizer

A couple months ago, I ordered the spray hand sanitizer as soon as it was available. I ordered the large bottle for refilling the smaller sizes. This time, I did order two more small spray bottles so we can have one in each car and backpack.

The small size fits in my back pocket quite easily, however, I see there will be an even smaller version available soon as well as a glass bottle variety.

I believe what is happening is that Stream2Sea is releasing all different types of packaging because of supply and demand. As they find different types of bottle that blend with their sustainability requirements, they add them to the product line.

Some of those unusual type dispensers might not be a permanent offering, so if you want one, you better get it because I bet they won’t last!

Why Is It A Spray?

As soon as I unboxed my first shipment of Stream2Sea spray hand sanitizer, I actually was confused. I had never heard of spray hand sanitizer.

See, I trust Stream2Sea so much that I had not even read the description – if they offered it, then it was an ecoconscious option, and I had to have it.

Once it arrived, I immediately started researching. In fact, I was so impressed that I wrote an article entire about just that – Biodegradable Spray Hand Sanitizer // No Microplastics // Green Hygiene for Covid 19.

Never had I even thought to look at the ingredients on hand sanitizer – heck, we were practically spreading it all over our bodies to avoid contracting Covid-19, right? How could something almost medical be bad for us? Oh, I had no idea. Gel hand sanitizers can be full of plastics.

In addition, many hand sanitizers contain Carbomer, Triclosan, Paraben, and synthetic fragrances and preservatives. Stream2Sea do not use those ingredients because there are so many reasons why they are not safe or biodegradable.

Plus, those ingredients can even be toxic, cause skin cancer, allergic reactions, fertility and reproductive issues – and the list goes further.

I Don’t Go Anywhere Without:

Stream2Sea Reef Safe SPF 20 or 30 mineral, regular or tinted sunscreen, mask defog, shampoo, conditioner, rash guards and more reef-safe supplies. Use my code “KimW” for 10% off.
Crisis Medicine Tactical Casualty Care Course knowledge so we can help ourselves. With code “DeepWH” you save 20% on the TC2 course
MyMedic Individual Bleeding Control Kits, this link and my code “DeepWH15” will save you 15% on your purchase. We take ours everywhere.
North American Rescue CAT tourniquets. Use code “MAY25” for 20% off through midnight on 5/31/20. This is a huge savings!
Airbnb, “Kimberly gave you up to $55 off your first trip.”
Airbnb says, “Deep gave you up to $415 off your first adventure.
Uber gives you $2 off your first three rides.
Travelex is our trip insurer – click for a free quote.
Girls That Scuba – members discount card for all things diving.
REI Co-op for great sports equipment and travel clothes.
Sailo for $100 off your next boat rental! Discount Code: “KimWa1”
PierShare to rent your dock out or rent a dock.
BoatUS for your boat towing insurance! Code: “HEWAF88”
RoadId for $5 off your cycling/running/kayaking/travel id.
Thank you for using my links – your price does not change, but they may gift me a small percentage of your sale in return for my mention, which allows me to continue to bring to you fun content.
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