Is Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 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
Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 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 used three chemical UV filters: avobenzone 3%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 10%. It was a broad-spectrum body sunscreen stick made by Trader Joe's 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 71270-162.
Sizes: 19.8 g
Where Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, octisalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, octisalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Not allowed | Octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Palau | Not allowed | Octocrylene, avobenzone, octisalate 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 | Avobenzone, 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. Octisalate and octocrylene: not mineral actives. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 3% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 10% | Chemical |
Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 inactive ingredients
WATER (AQUA), GLYCERIN, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE, VP/HEXADECENE COPOLYMER, PHENOXYETHANOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, SODIUM BENZOATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, DISODIUM EDTA, ASCORBIC ACID, TOCOPHERYL 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
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: Discontinued: not on traderjoes.com. Actives and inactive list (label order) from Trader Joe's FDA-filed label on DailyMed, SPL set ID 316c7793-5937-9ce4-e063-6294a90ae0a1 (label version effective 2025-03-28). The filed inactive list starts with water and glycerin and is identical to the Face and Body Sunscreen lotion's, which is unusual for a stick; it is copied as filed.
Common questions about Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40
Is Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 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 Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 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, 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 Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 not allowed?
Maui County: it contains avobenzone, octisalate and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains avobenzone, 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, octisalate and phenoxyethanol, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 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 Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 10%.
Is Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 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 Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40?
Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 71270-162. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to Trader Joe's Shimmer Glow Sunscreen Stick SPF 40 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
Ultra Sheer Mineral Face & Body Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
Sheer Zinc Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF30
Sensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Stick
Pure & Simple Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 50