Frequently Asked Questions
What are the drawbacks of using hair conditioner for donning a wetsuit?
We stew in our wetsuits for hours at a time, and whatever we use to get into the suit soaks into our skin and permeates our bodies. Hair conditioner contains many chemicals that can be harmful to our health. If you wouldn't eat it, think twice about putting it on your skin.
Many of the chemicals in hair conditioners are also toxic to the underwater environments that we dive in.
One final problem is that hair conditioners all contain oils, which can be difficult to clean off of wetsuits. If they are not thoroughly cleaned, wetsuits can end up with oil residues on them that feed bacteria and cause the suit to smell "funky."
What about using a natural, biodegradable soap like Dr. Bronner's?
While natural soaps are much easier on the environment (and wetsuits) than hair conditioners, they also strip the skin of its natural oils. This can cause dry, itchy skin, and sensitive people can get rashes. Soaps can also sting and irritate the eyes.
If the soap contains preservatives and other chemicals, like most baby shampoos, then there are also the issues with chemical toxicity mentioned above.
How do I use SharkSnot?
The instructions are on the label. Here’s how it works:
-Mix 2 ounces of Shark Snot into 10 ounces of fresh water
-Shake for at least 60 seconds, until the mixture is fully combined
-Coat the inside of your open cell wetsuit completely and put some on your hair
-Don your open cell wetsuit
Does it matter what water I use to dilute Shark Snot with?
Shark Snot mixes best with fresh water. It can be mixed with seawater, but ends up less slippery than if fresh water is used.
What is Shark Snot made of?
Shark Snot is made of four ingredients:
Seaweed extract - This is what gives Shark Snot its slippery, lubricating properties. The seaweed extract in Shark Snot is known as carrageenan, a hydrocolloid extracted from red seaweed. The carrageenan we use is food grade, biodegradable, and benign to ocean life and human skin.
MSM - Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a sulfur compound found in all plants and animals. It is naturally present in the ocean as part of the sulfur cycle. MSM is often taken as a supplement to support joint health. In solution it can be anti-fungal and is part of Shark Snot's skin-friendly, ocean-friendly preservative system. The MSM used in Shark Snot is food grade.
Colloidal silver - In its colloidal form, silver is antimicrobial yet benign to skin and aquatic ecosystems. Silver is found naturally in the ocean at 0.0003 ppm. Colloidal silver is the second part of Shark Snot's skin-friendly, ocean-friendly preservative system, and is what gives it its reddish-brown color.
Water - Shark Snot is made with filtered, potable water.
Is it safe for my wetsuit?
YES. Shark snot will not react with your neoprene wetsuit. It contains no petroleum products, which can degrade neoprene. It contains no oil, so there won't be a residue if thoroughly rinsed off with water. It is important to rinse and dry your wetsuit after use as the seaweed extract could become food for microorganisms.
Is it safe for me?
YES. Shark Snot is made entirely of food grade ingredients, ensuring that it is non-toxic to the skin and body. Even though it is made of edible ingredients, Shark Snot is NOT a food and should not be eaten.
Is it safe for the reefs I dive in?
YES. We went to great lengths to find a formula that contains only ingredients found naturally in the ocean. This enables us to have confidence that introducing additional small amounts of these substances will not harm the ecosystems that we dive in.
Will it make me a better spearfisher?
No promises! However, fish have sensitive chemoreceptors that can detect chemicals in the ppm range (part per million) or less. Whether or not they detect the chemicals in soap and conditioner is anybody’s guess, but Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), an ingredient in most soaps/shampoos and some conditioners, has been shown to be an effective fish REPELLANT:
Ishida, Yoshinari, and Hiroshi Kobayashi. "Avoidance Behavior of Carp to Pesticides and Decrease of the Avoidance Threshold by Addition of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate." FIsheries Science 61.3 (1995): 441-46.
Where can I buy it?
Shark Snot can be purchased through this website, and at these retailers. We hope to soon be available at your local dive shop. If they don’t carry Shark Snot, let them know about it!