Is EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 Reef Safe?
Not everywhere. Allowed in 8 of 9 places we track. See why
- Allowed: Hawaii
- Allowed: Maui County
- Allowed: Hawaiʻi County
- Allowed: U.S. Virgin Islands
- Not allowed: Palau
- Allowed: Aruba
- Allowed: Guam
- Allowed: Northern Mariana Islands
- Allowed: Thailand
EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 is allowed under the sunscreen laws of Hawaii statewide, Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks, but not in Palau. It uses two mineral UV filters: zinc oxide 9% and titanium dioxide 7%. It is a broad-spectrum tinted sunscreen lotion made by EltaMD (CP Skin Health Group, Inc.) and is water resistant for up to 40 minutes. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 72043-2588.
Sizes: 3.0 oz
Where EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Palau | Not allowed | Phenoxyethanol: banned by name. |
| Hawaii (statewide) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Aruba | Allowed | No restricted ingredients found. |
| Guam | 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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) | Meets guidance | |
| Bonaire (Bonaire National Marine Park) | Meets guidance | |
| U.S. National Parks with coral reefs (NPS guidance) | Meets guidance | |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc Oxide | 9% | Mineral |
| Titanium Dioxide | 7% | Mineral |
EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 inactive ingredients
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Alumina, Polyacrylate-13, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Carnosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 20, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Iron Oxides
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.
Common questions about EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41
Is EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 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, Maui County, Hawaiʻi County (Big Island), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Thailand's national parks, but not in Palau. Its only UV filters are minerals, which every law we track permits.
Is EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 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 allowed. In Hawaiʻi County (the Big Island), which has a mineral-only rule for sales, it is allowed. Oʻahu and Kauaʻi have no county rule, so only the statewide law applies there.
Where is EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 not allowed?
Palau: it contains phenoxyethanol, which is not allowed there.
Does EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 contain oxybenzone?
No. It contains neither oxybenzone nor octinoxate, the two chemicals banned under Hawaii’s statewide law.
Is EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Mineral. Its UV filters are zinc oxide 9% and titanium dioxide 7%.
Is the zinc oxide in EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 non-nano?
Its Drug Facts ingredient list doesn’t state particle size, and US labels aren’t required to. Many brands make non-nano claims elsewhere on the pack or website. No sunscreen law we track regulates nano particles.
Is EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 water resistant?
Yes, for up to 40 minutes of swimming or sweating, according to its label. Reapply after 40 minutes in the water, immediately after towel drying, and at least every 2 hours.
What is the NDC and UPC for EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41?
EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 72043-2588, and its UPC barcode is 390205025787. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to EltaMD UV Physical Broad Spectrum SPF 41 for Palau
Mineral sunscreens from other brands, allowed in that place, ranked by label: water resistance, SPF 30–50, broad spectrum, no listed fragrance. How we rank
Daily Face Tint SPF 30
ThinkDaily Face Sunscreen SPF 30 - Naturally Tinted
Every Day Sunscreen SPF 45 Tint
SPF 30 Tinted Hawaiian Natural Zinc Sunscreen