Is Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 Reef Safe?
Not by the law. Allowed in 1 of 9 places we track. See why
- Not allowed: Hawaii
- Not allowed: Maui County
- Not allowed: Hawaiʻi County
- Not allowed: U.S. Virgin Islands
- Not allowed: Palau
- Allowed: Aruba
- Not allowed: Guam
- Not allowed: Northern Mariana Islands
- Not allowed: Thailand
Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is allowed under the sunscreen laws of Aruba, but not in Hawaii statewide, Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks. It combines chemical and mineral UV filters: octinoxate 7.5%, octisalate 4.5% and zinc oxide 9.7%. It is a broad-spectrum facial sunscreen lotion made by Coppertone (Beiersdorf Inc.) and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 66800-3641.
Sizes: 3 fl oz (88 mL)
Where Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (statewide) | Not allowed | Octinoxate: banned by name. |
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Octinoxate and octisalate: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Octinoxate and octisalate: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Not allowed | Octinoxate: banned by name. |
| Palau | Not allowed | Octinoxate and octisalate: banned by name. |
| Guam | Not allowed | Octinoxate: banned by name. |
| Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) | Not allowed | Octinoxate: banned by name. |
| Thailand (all national parks) | Not allowed | Octinoxate: banned by name. |
| Aruba | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
Guidance and repealed rules (4)
| Mexico: federal marine protected areas (e.g., Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún & Punta Nizuc) | Against guidance | Octinoxate and octisalate: not mineral actives. |
| Bonaire (Bonaire National Marine Park) | Against guidance | Octinoxate: on the avoid list. |
| U.S. National Parks with coral reefs (NPS guidance) | Against guidance | Octinoxate: on the avoid list. Octisalate: not a mineral active. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force | Octinoxate: banned by name. |
Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Octinoxate | 7.5% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 4.5% | Chemical |
| Zinc Oxide | 9.7% | Mineral |
Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 inactive ingredients
water, dicaprylyl ether, glycerin, polyester-27, styrene/acrylates copolymer, trilaureth-4phosphate, cetearylalcohol, beeswax, dimethicone, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer, benzyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, triethoxycaprylylsilane, chlorphenesin, disodium EDTA
Highlighted ingredients are regulated somewhere; red ones are restricted in at least one location we track. Dotted ones are listed below.
Fragrance allergens, essential oils and alcohol
- Fragrance allergens on the EU list: benzyl alcohol (Benzyl Alcohol: The EU label rule applies when it is used as a fragrance. In sunscreens it is often a preservative.)
The EU requires these allergens to be named on cosmetic labels above 0.001% in leave-on products (Regulation 1223/2009, Annex III). They can cause skin reactions in people who are sensitized; they don’t affect whether a sunscreen is legal anywhere we track.
Note: coppertone.com product pages carry no Drug Facts (no ingredient lists), so the actives and inactive list (label order) were taken from the manufacturer's FDA-filed label on DailyMed. FDA SPL set ID baaec6a9-2c60-2d11-e053-2a95a90abca7 (label version effective 2025-12-31). Contains octinoxate. Inactive list copied verbatim, including the label's missing spaces ("trilaureth-4phosphate", "cetearylalcohol"). No brand-hosted product image found for this exact item.
Common questions about Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Is Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 reef safe?
“Reef safe” isn’t a regulated label claim, so we answer by law instead. It is allowed under the sunscreen laws of Aruba, but not in Hawaii statewide, Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks.
Is Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 legal in Hawaii?
Under Hawaii’s statewide law (Act 104, which bans oxybenzone and octinoxate) it is not allowed because it contains octinoxate. In Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi), which allows only mineral sunscreens, it is not allowed because it contains octinoxate and octisalate, and Maui’s rule covers using it there, not just selling it. In Hawaiʻi County (the Big Island), which has a mineral-only rule for sales, it is not allowed. Oʻahu and Kauaʻi have no county rule, so only the statewide law applies there.
Where is Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 not allowed?
Hawaii statewide: it contains octinoxate, which is not allowed there. Maui County: it contains octinoxate and octisalate, which are not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains octinoxate and octisalate, which are not allowed there. The U.S. Virgin Islands: it contains octinoxate, which is not allowed there. Palau: it contains octinoxate and octisalate, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octinoxate, which is not allowed there. The Northern Mariana Islands: it contains octinoxate, which is not allowed there. Thailand's national parks: it contains octinoxate, which is not allowed there.
Does Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 contain oxybenzone?
Yes. It contains octinoxate 7.5%. Oxybenzone and octinoxate are banned in Hawaii and most other places with a sunscreen law.
Is Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Both. It combines mineral (zinc oxide 9.7%) and chemical (octinoxate 7.5% and octisalate 4.5%) UV filters, so it does not meet mineral-only rules.
Is the zinc oxide in Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 non-nano?
Its Drug Facts ingredient list doesn’t state particle size, and US labels aren’t required to. Many brands make non-nano claims elsewhere on the pack or website. No sunscreen law we track regulates nano particles.
Is Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 water resistant?
Yes, for up to 80 minutes of swimming or sweating, according to its label. Reapply after 80 minutes in the water, immediately after towel drying, and at least every 2 hours.
What is the NDC and UPC for Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50?
Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 66800-3641, and its UPC barcode is 072140026998. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 for Hawaii statewide, Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks
Mineral sunscreens from other brands, allowed in all 8 places, ranked by label: water resistance, SPF 30–50, broad spectrum, no listed fragrance. How we rank
Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
Thinksport SPF 50 Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen
SPF 30 Mineral Facial Sunscreen
Sheer Face Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion