Little Hands Hawaii was founded in 2011 when Rosalyn Ardoin and Michael Koenigs welcomed their first daughter into the world. As Rosalyn, a registered nurse, was shopping for sunscreen for her new baby, she began to realize that the “natural” sunscreens in health stores were full of toxic chemicals and ingredients she couldn’t even pronounce.
These chemicals are not only dangerous for humans, but can damage marine life when it rinses off our bodies in the water. Rosalyn decided to begin making her own homemade sunscreen that would protect her newborn from the sun, while also protecting the ocean and its creatures.
Rosalyn began formulating homemade recipes and sharing her product with friends and family members. Eventually retail stores began contacting her and the business started growing. At this point, Michael left his family-owned painting business to be part of the journey to educate others on the effects of chemical-filled sunscreens.
The Little Hands website states, “Protecting our health, natural resources and preserving our marine life is more than just a tag line; my Ohana and I breath this.”
The chemical sunscreen options that flood the market are typically designed to be absorbed into the bloodstream. These chemicals are linked to hormone disruption and coral reef bleaching. Reef bleaching occurs when a coral reef is stressed by toxins. If a reef remains stressed, it will eventually die.
According to the Little Hands website, coral reefs are on the decline globally and make up less than 1 percent of the ocean floor; yet, they provide food and shelter for more than 1 million species and a quarter of all fish.
6,000 tons of sunscreen enter into Hawai’i ocean annually. Globally, more than 14,000 tons of toxic sunscreen enters the ocean each year, not just from sunscreen, but from sewage and other common household products that rinse off of our bodies.
Little Hands prides itself on its mineral ingredients containing Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, which are designed to sit on top of the skin. Zinc Oxide is the only mineral that provides both UVA and UVB broad spectrum protection. It is also stable in chlorine and will not cause harmful free radicals or skin irritation, and is not absorbed into the bloodstream. In addition, it is not harmful to the ocean and its many creatures.
Little Hands products contain no chemicals, are GMO-free and are made with locally grown and sourced essential oils. To learn more, visit littlehandshawaii.com.