Is Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer 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
Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer 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 three chemical UV filters: avobenzone 3%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 10%. It is a broad-spectrum facial sunscreen lotion made by Alba Botanica (The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.) and is not water resistant. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 61995-3012.
SPF 15 is below SPF 30, the minimum the American Academy of Dermatology recommends when choosing a sunscreen.
Where Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 |
Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 3% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 10% | Chemical |
Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer inactive ingredients
Water (Aqua), Coconut Alkanes, Glycerin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Achillea Millefolium Flower Extract, Achillea Millefolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Primula Veris Extract, Ulva Lactuca Extract, Veronica Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum, Diacetyl Boldine, Erythritol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Homarine HCl, Linalyl Acetate, Lysolecithin, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Silica, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Levulinate, Triethyl Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Amyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool
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: Linalyl Acetate, Amyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool
- Drying alcohol: 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: Brand page labels the inactive list "Other Ingredients". Directions say to use a water-resistant sunscreen when swimming or sweating. "(1)" certified-organic markers removed. Sizes are not listed on the brand product page.
Common questions about Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer
Is Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer 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 Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer 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 Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer 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 Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer 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 Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 10%.
Is Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer water resistant?
No. It makes no water-resistance claim, so it isn’t meant for swimming or heavy sweating. Use a water-resistant sunscreen for time in the water.
What is the NDC and UPC for Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer?
Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 61995-3012, and its UPC barcode is 724742003128. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to Alba Botanica Even & Bright SPF 15 Moisturizer 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
Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
Thinksport SPF 50 Clear Zinc Face Sunscreen
SPF 30 Mineral Facial Sunscreen
Sheer Face Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion