Reef-Safe Sunscreen for Hawaii. Mineral by Formula, Luxury by Design.
Hawaii's 2021 sunscreen law banned the two chemicals most sunscreens still use. Solvyn Shield was built mineral-first — non-nano zinc oxide, single-use sachets, water resistant for 80 minutes. It contains neither oxybenzone nor octinoxate. Elevated on purpose.
- No oxybenzone or octinoxate
- Maui: mineral only
- One active: zinc oxide
Hawaii's Sunscreen Law, Explained
In May 2018, Hawaii became the first U.S. state to ban the sale and distribution of sunscreens containing two specific chemicals — oxybenzone and octinoxate. The law, Act 104, took effect January 1, 2021. Maui County went further in 2022: Ordinance 5306 bans the sale, distribution, and use of all non-mineral sunscreen without a prescription, so avobenzone and octocrylene, which the statewide ban does not cover, are banned there too.
For the statutes themselves — quoted in full, with the difference between a law about selling sunscreen and a law about wearing it — see reef-safe sunscreen laws by jurisdiction.
The reason: NOAA's published guidance — which summarizes the National Academies' 2022 review of sunscreen ingredients in aquatic environments — links these chemicals to coral bleaching, DNA damage, and deformed young in corals and other marine life, at concentrations the oxybenzone research measures in parts per trillion.
Act 104 · Hawaii
From a first-of-its-kind law
to a wider movement
- 2018
Act 104 signed — first U.S. state sunscreen ban.
- 2021
Statewide ban takes effect on oxybenzone and octinoxate.
- 2022
Maui County goes mineral-only — Ordinance 5306 bars all non-mineral SPF.
- 2026
Growing federal and international pressure on chemical SPF.
What “Hawaii Approved Sunscreen” Actually Means
Hawaii runs no approval scheme for sunscreen. There is no state list of approved products, no certification, and no registry a brand can be entered in — so “Hawaii approved” is not a status any sunscreen holds. Not ours either.
Is there a Hawaii Act 104 compliant sunscreen list?
No — and there is nothing for such a list to be a list of. Act 104 does not approve products. It makes it unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale any sunscreen containing oxybenzone or octinoxate without a prescription; the rest of the section defines what counts as a sunscreen and bars counties from having legislated ahead of it. Nowhere does it certify anything. A law that bans two ingredients creates no category of products that pass it, which is why “Hawaii compliant sunscreen” and “Hawaii Act 104 compliant sunscreen” name a status nobody issues. Where you see a product described that way, it is being described by whoever sells it.
What counts as a safe sunscreen in Hawaii
The Drug Facts panel, and nothing else. Read the active ingredients and hold them against what the two rules actually name: Hawaii's statewide law restricts oxybenzone and octinoxate, and Maui County's Ordinance 5306 permits mineral sunscreen only, absent a prescription. That check takes ten seconds, it needs no certificate, and it works on any bottle on the shelf beside ours. Both instruments are quoted in full, from their own text, at Hawaii's sunscreen law.
Shield lists one active ingredient: zinc oxide 17.50%. It contains neither oxybenzone nor octinoxate — the two filters Hawaii restricts — and no chemical UV filter of any kind. That is a fact you can check on the back of the sachet, against the statute, without taking our word for any of it. It is not a status anyone granted us, and this page does not claim one.
What's Actually Banned — and Why
Four chemical UV filters. All common. All still in most grocery-store sunscreens — and all implicated in the reef damage you see on Hawaii's coastline. Two are banned statewide; the other two are banned in Maui County, where Ordinance 5306 permits mineral sunscreen only — so the county's rule is not these four filters, but every chemical one.
- Statewide Ban
Oxybenzone
Benzophenone-3
Damages coral DNA and causes larval deformities at 62 parts per trillion — a drop in an Olympic pool.
- Statewide Ban
Octinoxate
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
Disrupts coral reproduction and accelerates bleaching under heat stress in tropical waters.
- Maui: Mineral Only
Avobenzone
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Breaks down in sunlight into compounds that persist in marine sediment long after exposure.
- Maui: Mineral Only
Octocrylene
2-Ethylhexyl 2-cyano-3,3-diphenylacrylate
Degrades into benzophenone, a known endocrine disruptor linked to hormonal and reef impact.
Shield contains zero chemical filters. Only 17.50% non-nano zinc oxide — the mineral filter NOAA does not identify among those implicated in coral bleaching.
The 62 parts-per-trillion figure is from Downs et al., Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 70 (2016).
Why Mineral Is the Only Reef-Safe Answer
Chemical sunscreens absorb UV through a molecular reaction inside your skin. Mineral sunscreens sit on top and reflect it. The biology of how they work is exactly why one damages reefs — and one doesn't. It is also why mineral formulas are the only ones that are genuinely reef friendly rather than merely unbanned.
| Attribute | Chemical SPF | Mineral ShieldReef-Safe |
|---|---|---|
| UV Filter | Oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone | Non-nano zinc oxide (17.50%) |
| Mechanism | Absorbed into skin → chemical reaction | Sits on surface → physical reflection |
| Reef Impact | Bleaches coral at trace levels | No documented reef toxicity |
| Hawaii Legality | Banned (partial or full) | Neither rule restricts it |
| Skin Profile | Often irritating, hormone-active | Hypoallergenic |
Shield Meets the Standard. And Raises It.
Shield isn't "reef-safe compliant." It's reef-safe native — built from a single mineral filter at a concentration (17.50% non-nano zinc oxide) high enough to deliver SPF 50 without a single chemical helper. No greenwashing. No asterisks. No surprise ingredients in the fine print.
Engineered for Hawaii's Environment
Compliance is the floor. Performance in tropical conditions is what actually matters on a reef.
Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Zinc oxide 17.50%, the only active ingredient, filters both UVA and UVB rays.
80-Minute Water-Resistant
Tested for snorkeling, swimming, and open ocean — without shedding into the water column.
Single-Use Sachets
No communal pumps, no cross-contamination on shared beaches and resort pools.
Non-Nano Particle Size
Zinc particles above 100nm — too large to be absorbed by coral polyps or filter through skin.
Where Shield Belongs in Hawaii
Hawaii runs on its water — on the reefs that draw five million visitors a year and on the resorts, charters, and tour ops that serve them.
Protect both. That's the assignment.
01Resort Pools & Beaches
Maui, Kauai, Oahu, Big Island. Hand guests a mineral sachet on arrival — not a chemical pump bottle they'll rinse into your reef.
02Snorkel & Dive Charters
Meet reef-entry guidelines without an awkward conversation at the dock. One SKU covers every boat and every guest.
03Beachfront Weddings & Events
Elevated guest favor for long days outdoors — branded, mineral-only, and actually worth keeping.
04Island Tour & Activity Ops
From Road to Hāna to Nā Pali — one SKU, zero banned filters, no fuss for your guides.
Sourcing Shield for your property or operation?
Resorts, spas, charters, events, and outdoor clubs — one mineral SKU, every guest.
Hawaii Reef-Safe Sunscreen FAQ
Everything travelers and operators ask before a Hawaii trip.
Is Solvyn Shield legal to sell and use in Hawaii?
Nothing in either Hawaii rule reaches it. The statewide law makes it unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale any sunscreen containing oxybenzone or octinoxate without a prescription; Maui County's Ordinance 5306 goes further, barring the sale, provision, and use of non-mineral sunscreen in the county without a prescription. Shield is 100% mineral — non-nano zinc oxide only, at 17.50% — and contains zero oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone, or octocrylene. Neither restriction names an ingredient Shield contains, and neither issues an approval for a sunscreen to hold.
What sunscreen ingredients are banned in Hawaii?
Statewide: oxybenzone and octinoxate (effective January 1, 2021). Filters not on that list — like homosalate — are not restricted by the state ban, though they face growing scrutiny. Maui County goes further than a list: Ordinance 5306 bans the sale, distribution, and use of all non-mineral sunscreen without a prescription (effective October 1, 2022), so avobenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, and every other chemical filter are banned there.
What is the difference between reef safe and reef friendly sunscreen?
Nothing enforceable — neither phrase is defined or regulated. The FDA recognizes neither as a sunscreen label claim, and the FTC has set no standard for either, so both are marketing language rather than a certification anyone audits. The only verifiable test is the ingredient list: check the active filters against Hawaii's statewide ban and Maui County's mineral-only ordinance. Shield lists one active filter, non-nano zinc oxide, so it clears both.
Can I bring chemical sunscreen into Hawaii as a tourist?
Technically yes — the statewide law targets sale and distribution, not personal possession. Maui County is stricter: Ordinance 5306 covers use as well, so chemical sunscreen you brought with you is still not allowed there. Most resorts, snorkel charters, and marine-park tours ask guests not to use chemical SPF regardless, and some refuse entry. Mineral is the safer choice either way.
Is "non-nano" zinc oxide actually important?
For absorption, yes — non-nano particles (larger than 100 nanometers) are too big to be absorbed by coral polyps or through human skin. Shield is formulated with non-nano zinc oxide. For the law, no: neither Hawaii's statewide restriction nor Maui County's ordinance mentions particle size anywhere. Both are written about which UV filters a sunscreen contains, and Shield contains one — zinc oxide.
Does TSA allow sunscreen in carry-on luggage?
Yes — under 3.4 oz (100ml). Shield sachets are 5ml each, so an entire pack flies easily in your personal item or carry-on.
Is mineral sunscreen as effective as chemical?
At equivalent SPF ratings, yes. FDA has proposed that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are GRASE (Generally Recognized As Safe and Effective) at concentrations up to 25%. Shield delivers broad-spectrum SPF 50 using 17.50% zinc oxide as its only UV filter.
Why does Shield come in single-use sachets instead of a tube?
Hygiene at shared water (pools, beach showers, tour boats), precise dosing, and no waste from oxidized product in a half-used tube left in a beach bag at 90°F.
Hawaii and Maui County sunscreen regulations last reviewed .
Arrive Ready for Reef-Safe Paradise
Pack clean. Protect both your skin and the water you came here for.