Kokua Sun Care
Quick verdict: Kokua was built by two people in Hawaii who were unhappy with what they were putting on to sail and surf, and it shows in the formula. Non-nano zinc doing the protection, with Hawaiian-grown antioxidants like spirulina, noni and kukui doing supporting work, in a texture that’s lighter than most heavy-duty zinc without giving up staying power. It’s expensive and there’s no third-party certification. Our rating: 3.9 out of 5.
Who they are
Tatyana Cerullo had the original idea and her husband Robin, who had sailed to Hawaii from South Africa, had the same complaint from the other direction: the chemical sunscreens available were unpleasant and, in Hawaii specifically, increasingly restricted.
The company is Hawaii-owned and operated, independent, and small. It sources its distinctive ingredients locally, which for a sunscreen brand in Hawaii is a supply chain rather than a marketing line.
What they get right
The antioxidants aren’t decoration. Spirulina, noni, kukui and macadamia are there because antioxidants help with the oxidative stress UV causes, which is a different mechanism from the zinc blocking the UV itself. Most sunscreen skips this entirely.
It’s lighter than it should be. Getting a heavily zinc-loaded formula to spread without feeling like paint is the hard part of mineral sunscreen, and Kokua does it better than Raw Elements or Badger.
Non-nano zinc, no oxybenzone or octinoxate, so it complies with Hawaii’s sunscreen legislation by formulation rather than by claim.
Independent and local. In a category where the biggest reef-safe names are owned by larger groups, a Hawaii family business making sunscreen for Hawaiian conditions is the ownership answer this directory rates highest.
Where they fall short
No third-party certification, and it’s the clearest gap. There’s no Protect Land + Sea mark of the kind Stream2Sea and Raw Elements hold, no B Corp, no organic certification. The formula is sound and the claims are plausible, and none of it is audited.
It is expensive, the priciest sunscreen in this directory, and for everyday use that’s hard to justify against All Good or Attitude doing a similar job for a third of the price.
It still leaves a cast, less than the thickest options but present. The range is very small, and availability outside Hawaii and online is limited.
What they sell and what it costs
Mineral sunscreen for face and body in a few SPFs, plus lip care. Most items run $25 to $35.
Who it’s actually for
Anyone going to Hawaii, anyone who lives somewhere the sun is punishing, and anyone who has found other zinc sunscreens too heavy to actually wear. The texture is the reason to pay the premium.
For everyday use at a normal price, All Good. For hours in the water, Raw Elements. For published reef testing, Stream2Sea.
Deals and discounts
No affiliate program on our side, so nothing here earns us anything.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Is Kokua Sun Care legal under Hawaii’s sunscreen ban?
Yes, by formulation rather than by exemption. Hawaii’s law targets oxybenzone and octinoxate, and Kokua uses non-nano zinc oxide as its only active. That’s the whole point of the brand: it was built in Hawaii, for Hawaiian conditions and rules.
What do the Hawaiian antioxidants actually do?
They work on a different problem from the zinc. Zinc blocks UV from reaching skin; antioxidants like spirulina, noni and kukui help with the oxidative damage that gets through anyway. It’s a genuine supporting mechanism rather than a marketing garnish, though it’s a supplement to sun protection, not a substitute.
Why is Kokua more expensive than other mineral sunscreens?
Small batches, locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients, and no scale to speak of. Some of what you’re paying for is the lighter texture, which is hard to achieve at this zinc level. Whether that’s worth double the price of All Good depends on whether you’ll actually wear it.
Is Kokua certified?
No, and that’s the honest gap in an otherwise strong profile. Unlike Stream2Sea and Raw Elements it doesn’t hold Protect Land + Sea certification, and there’s no B Corp or organic mark. The formula and the ownership are what recommend it, not an audit.