Is EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Reef Safe?
Not everywhere. Allowed in 8 of 9 places we track. See why
- Allowed: Hawaii
- Allowed: Maui County
- Allowed: Hawaiʻi County
- Allowed: U.S. Virgin Islands
- Not allowed: Palau
- Allowed: Aruba
- Allowed: Guam
- Allowed: Northern Mariana Islands
- Allowed: Thailand
EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is allowed under the sunscreen laws of Hawaii statewide, Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks, but not in Palau. It uses two mineral UV filters: zinc oxide 13.5% and titanium dioxide 4.4%. It is a broad-spectrum facial sunscreen lotion made by EltaMD (CP Skin Health Group, Inc.) and is water resistant for up to 40 minutes. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 72043-2522.
Sizes: 1.7 oz
Where EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Palau | Not allowed | Phenoxyethanol: banned by name. |
| Hawaii (statewide) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Aruba | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Guam | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Thailand (all national parks) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
Guidance and repealed rules (4)
| Mexico: federal marine protected areas (e.g., Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún & Punta Nizuc) | Meets guidance | |
| Bonaire (Bonaire National Marine Park) | Meets guidance | |
| U.S. National Parks with coral reefs (NPS guidance) | Meets guidance | |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc Oxide | 13.5% | Mineral |
| Titanium Dioxide | 4.4% | Mineral |
EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 inactive ingredients
Water, Dimethicone, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Cetyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Alumina, Phenoxyethanol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Chloride, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Carnosine, Dipropylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Iron Oxides
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
None of the 80 fragrance allergens on the EU list appear on this label, and it lists no fragrance, essential oil or drying alcohol.
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.
Common questions about EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Is EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum 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 Hawaii statewide, Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks, but not in Palau. Its only UV filters are minerals, which every law we track permits.
Is EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 legal in Hawaii?
Under Hawaii’s statewide law (Act 104, which bans oxybenzone and octinoxate) it is allowed. In Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi), which allows only mineral sunscreens, it is allowed. In Hawaiʻi County (the Big Island), which has a mineral-only rule for sales, it is allowed. Oʻahu and Kauaʻi have no county rule, so only the statewide law applies there.
Where is EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 not allowed?
Palau: it contains phenoxyethanol, which is not allowed there.
Does EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 contain oxybenzone?
No. It contains neither oxybenzone nor octinoxate, the two chemicals banned under Hawaii’s statewide law.
Is EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Mineral. Its UV filters are zinc oxide 13.5% and titanium dioxide 4.4%.
Is the zinc oxide in EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum 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 EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 water resistant?
Yes, for up to 40 minutes of swimming or sweating, according to its label. Reapply after 40 minutes in the water, immediately after towel drying, and at least every 2 hours.
What is the NDC and UPC for EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50?
EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 72043-2522, and its UPC barcode is 827854010111. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad Spectrum SPF 50 for Palau
Mineral sunscreens from other brands, allowed in that place, 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