Is Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm 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
Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm 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 uses four chemical UV filters: avobenzone 3%, homosalate 15%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 10%. It is a broad-spectrum lip balm made by Ocean Potion (GNL Brands International, LLC).
Where Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Not allowed | Octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Palau | Not allowed | Octocrylene, avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and propylparaben: 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 | Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene: not mineral actives. |
| Bonaire (Bonaire National Marine Park) | Meets guidance | |
| U.S. National Parks with coral reefs (NPS guidance) | Against guidance | Avobenzone: on the avoid list. Homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene: not mineral actives. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 3% | Chemical |
| Homosalate | 15% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 10% | Chemical |
Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm inactive ingredients
Aloe Oil, Avocado Oil, BHT, Caprylic/Cpric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclemethicone, Diisobutyl Adipate, Dimethicone, Flavor, Insoluble Saccharin, Isostearyl Linoleate, Jojoba Oil, Menthol, Natural Cocoa Butter, Octyl Palmitate, Ozekerite, Propylparaben, Rosemary Extract, Vitamin E Acetate
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 allergens on the EU list: Menthol
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: Actives and inactive list copied from the Drug Facts text on the oceanpotion.com product page. Inactive list kept verbatim, including the page's non-INCI names and spellings ("Caprylic/Cpric Triglyceride", "Cyclemethicone", "Ozekerite"). The page's Directions block is the one used for the body lotions, so water resistance is not recorded.
Common questions about Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm
Is Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm 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 Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm 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 avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate 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 Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm not allowed?
Maui County: it contains avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. The U.S. Virgin Islands: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there. Palau: it contains octocrylene, avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and propylparaben, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm contain oxybenzone?
No. It contains neither oxybenzone nor octinoxate, the two chemicals banned under Hawaii’s statewide law. Being oxybenzone-free does not make it mineral: it still uses chemical UV filters.
Is Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, homosalate 15%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 10%.
Alternatives to Ocean Potion SPF 50 Lip Balm 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
