Is Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick 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
Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick 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: homosalate 5%, octocrylene 10% and zinc oxide 15%. It is a broad-spectrum sunscreen for kids stick made by Equate (Walmart Inc.) and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 49035-962.
Sizes: 42 g
Where Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Homosalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Homosalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Not allowed | Octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Palau | Not allowed | Octocrylene and homosalate: 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 | Homosalate and octocrylene: not mineral actives. |
| Bonaire (Bonaire National Marine Park) | Meets guidance | |
| U.S. National Parks with coral reefs (NPS guidance) | Against guidance | Homosalate and octocrylene: not mineral actives. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Homosalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 10% | Chemical |
| Zinc Oxide | 15% | Mineral |
Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 inactive ingredients
caprylic/capric triglyceride, ozokerite, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, tridecyl salicylate, lauryl laurate bis-PEG-12 dimethicone beeswax, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, synthetic beeswax
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.
Note: 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 0cdfc3a1-4bfa-474d-a4eb-4bfa1e628c89 (label version effective 2024-10-16). Sold as "mineral based", but zinc oxide is paired with homosalate and octocrylene, so it is not a mineral-only formula. The filed inactive list is copied verbatim, including the missing comma in "lauryl laurate bis-PEG-12 dimethicone beeswax".
Common questions about Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
Is Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick 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 Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick 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 homosalate and 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 Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 not allowed?
Maui County: it contains homosalate and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains homosalate and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. The U.S. Virgin Islands: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there. Palau: it contains octocrylene and homosalate, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 contain oxybenzone?
No. It contains neither oxybenzone nor octinoxate, the two chemicals banned under Hawaii’s statewide law.
Is Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Both. It combines mineral (zinc oxide 15%) and chemical (homosalate 5% and octocrylene 10%) UV filters, so it does not meet mineral-only rules.
Is the zinc oxide in Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick 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 Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick 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 Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50?
Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 49035-962, and its UPC barcode is 681131109673. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to Equate Kids Mineral Based Sunscreen Stick 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
SPF 50 Kids Mineral Sunscreen Butter Stick
Baby + Kids SPF 30+ Stick
Thinksport Kids Sunscreen Stick SPF 30+
Kids Mineral Sunscreen Face Stick SPF 35