Is EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ Reef Safe?
Not everywhere. Allowed in 4 of 9 places we track. See why
- Allowed: Hawaii
- Not allowed: Maui County
- Not allowed: Hawaiʻi County
- Not allowed: U.S. Virgin Islands
- Not allowed: Palau
- Allowed: Aruba
- Not allowed: Guam
- Allowed: Northern Mariana Islands
- Allowed: Thailand
EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ is allowed under the sunscreen laws of Hawaii statewide, Aruba, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks, but not in Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau and Guam. It combines chemical and mineral UV filters: octocrylene 10% and zinc oxide 15%. It is a broad-spectrum body sunscreen lotion made by EltaMD (CP Skin Health Group, Inc.) and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 72043-2563.
Sizes: 1.7 oz · 3.0 oz
Where EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Octocrylene: not a permitted active (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Octocrylene: not a permitted active (mineral only). |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Not allowed | Octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Palau | Not allowed | Octocrylene and phenoxyethanol: banned by name. |
| Guam | Not allowed | Octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Hawaii (statewide) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Aruba | 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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) | Against guidance | Octocrylene: not a mineral active. |
| Bonaire (Bonaire National Marine Park) | Meets guidance | |
| U.S. National Parks with coral reefs (NPS guidance) | Against guidance | Octocrylene: not a mineral active. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Octocrylene | 10% | Chemical |
| Zinc Oxide (transparent) | 15% | Mineral |
EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ inactive ingredients
Water, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Isohexadecane, Butylene Glycol, Isododecane, Phenoxyethanol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acacia Senegal Gum, Polysilicone-11, Xanthan Gum, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Isostearate
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 Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+
Is EltaMD UV Sheer 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, Aruba, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks, but not in Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau and Guam. Labels like “Hawaii Act 104 compliant” only mean a product has no oxybenzone or octinoxate; they don’t make a chemical sunscreen legal on Maui or the Big Island.
Is EltaMD UV Sheer 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 not allowed because it contains octocrylene, 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 EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ not allowed?
Maui County: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there. The U.S. Virgin Islands: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there. Palau: it contains octocrylene and phenoxyethanol, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does EltaMD UV Sheer 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 Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Both. It combines mineral (zinc oxide 15%) and chemical (octocrylene 10%) UV filters, so it does not meet mineral-only rules.
Is the zinc oxide in EltaMD UV Sheer 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 Sheer Broad Spectrum 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 EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+?
EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 72043-2563, and its UPC barcodes are 390205025367 and 827854002239. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to EltaMD UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ for Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau and Guam
Mineral sunscreens from other brands, allowed in all 5 places, ranked by label: water resistance, SPF 30–50, broad spectrum, no listed fragrance. How we rank
Face + Body SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
Every Day Active Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45
Hawaiian Natural Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50 (Beach/Sport/Baby), 3 oz
Pure & Simple Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula)