Is Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray 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

Contains chemical UV filters

Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 70 is not allowed in any of the 9 places with a sunscreen law that we track. It uses five chemical UV filters: avobenzone 3%, homosalate 15%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 4% and oxybenzone 6%. It is a broad-spectrum body sunscreen spray made by Equate (Walmart Inc.) and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 49035-765.

SPF70

Water resistance80 min

Formatspray aerosol

Typebody

Sizes: 156 g

Where Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray 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 and octisalate: 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 70 active ingredients

Ingredient	Amount	Type
Avobenzone	3%	Chemical
Homosalate	15%	Chemical
Octisalate	5%	Chemical
Octocrylene	4%	Chemical
Oxybenzone	6%	Chemical

Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 70 inactive ingredients

acrylates/octyacrylamide copolymer, alcohol denat., argania spinosa seedcake extract, butylene glycol, fragrance, octydodecyl neopentanoate, tocopherol acetate, water

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

Drying alcohol: alcohol denat.
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: 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 9b655e56-33e5-45a3-9174-356fc717e39d (label version effective 2024-10-16). Contains oxybenzone. Inactive list copied verbatim, including "acrylates/octyacrylamide copolymer" and "octydodecyl neopentanoate".

Common questions about Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 70

Is Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray 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 Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray 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 Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray 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 and octisalate, 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 Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray 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 Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 70 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?

Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, homosalate 15%, octisalate 5%, octocrylene 4% and oxybenzone 6%.

Is Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray 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 Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 70?

Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 70 is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 49035-765. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.

Alternatives to Equate Ultra Sunscreen Continuous Spray 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