Is Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 Reef Safe?
Not by the law. Not allowed in any of the 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
- Not allowed: Aruba
- Not allowed: Guam
- Not allowed: Northern Mariana Islands
- Not allowed: Thailand
Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 is not allowed in any of the 9 places with a sunscreen law that we track. It used five chemical UV filters: avobenzone 3%, homosalate 15%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 2.8% and oxybenzone 6%. It was a broad-spectrum body sunscreen lotion made by Equate (Walmart Inc.) and was water resistant for up to 80 minutes. It has been discontinued, but is kept here for reference. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 49035-406.
Sizes: 177 g
Where Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (statewide) | Not allowed | Oxybenzone: banned by name. |
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene and oxybenzone: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene and oxybenzone: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Not allowed | Oxybenzone and octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Palau | Not allowed | Oxybenzone, octocrylene, avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and phenoxyethanol: banned by name. |
| Aruba | Not allowed | Oxybenzone: banned by name. |
| Guam | Not allowed | Oxybenzone and octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) | Not allowed | Oxybenzone: banned by name. |
| Thailand (all national parks) | Not allowed | Oxybenzone: banned by name. |
Guidance and repealed rules (4)
| Mexico: federal marine protected areas (e.g., Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún & Punta Nizuc) | Against guidance | Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene and oxybenzone: not mineral actives. |
| Bonaire (Bonaire National Marine Park) | Against guidance | Oxybenzone: on the avoid list. |
| U.S. National Parks with coral reefs (NPS guidance) | Against guidance | Oxybenzone and avobenzone: on the avoid list. Homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene: not mineral actives. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force | Oxybenzone: banned by name. |
Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 3% | Chemical |
| Homosalate | 15% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 2.8% | Chemical |
| Oxybenzone | 6% | Chemical |
Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 inactive ingredients
Water, Acrylates Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Butyl Octyl Salicylate, Tapioca Starch, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Silica, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Diethylhexyl 2,6-Napthalate, Polyester-7, Beeswax, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 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: listed as “Fragrance”. US labels don’t have to name the allergens inside a fragrance, so there may be more than this list shows.
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: Discontinued: Walmart is the labeler of record for Equate, and the actives and inactive list (label order) come from its FDA-filed label on DailyMed. SPL set ID 87aef5d4-860d-7d44-e053-2a95a90aaaea (label version effective 2019-06-26). Treated as discontinued: the label has not been updated since 2019, while Walmart re-filed its other sunscreen labels in 2024 or 2025. Contains oxybenzone.
Common questions about Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70
Is Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 reef safe?
“Reef safe” isn’t a regulated label claim, so we answer by law instead. It is not allowed in any of the 9 places with a sunscreen law that we track.
Is Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 legal in Hawaii?
Under Hawaii’s statewide law (Act 104, which bans oxybenzone and octinoxate) it is not allowed because it contains oxybenzone. In Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi), which allows only mineral sunscreens, it is not allowed because it contains avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene and oxybenzone, 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 Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 not allowed?
Hawaii statewide: it contains oxybenzone, which is not allowed there. Maui County: it contains avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene and oxybenzone, which are not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene and oxybenzone, which are not allowed there. The U.S. Virgin Islands: it contains oxybenzone and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. Palau: it contains oxybenzone, octocrylene, avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and phenoxyethanol, which are not allowed there. Aruba: it contains oxybenzone, which is not allowed there. Guam: it contains oxybenzone and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. The Northern Mariana Islands: it contains oxybenzone, which is not allowed there. Thailand's national parks: it contains oxybenzone, which is not allowed there.
Does Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 contain oxybenzone?
Yes. It contains oxybenzone 6%. Oxybenzone and octinoxate are banned in Hawaii and most other places with a sunscreen law.
Is Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, homosalate 15%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 2.8% and oxybenzone 6%.
Is Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 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 for Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70?
Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 49035-406. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to Equate Beauty Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 70 for Hawaii statewide, Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Palau, Aruba, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks
Mineral sunscreens from other brands, allowed in all 9 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
UV Pure Broad Spectrum SPF 47