Is Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) 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
Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) 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%, homosalate 10% and octocrylene 6%. It was a broad-spectrum baby sunscreen lotion made by Equate (Walmart Inc.) 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 49035-969.
Sizes: 237 mL
Where Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, homosalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, homosalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Not allowed | Octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Palau | Not allowed | Octocrylene, avobenzone, homosalate 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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, homosalate 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 and octocrylene: not mineral actives. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 3% | Chemical |
| Homosalate | 10% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 6% | Chemical |
Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) inactive ingredients
water, cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, glycerin, acrylates/C12-22 alkyl methacrylate crosspolymer, cetyl alcohol, carbomer, ceteth-10 phosphate, dicetyl phosphate, coco-glucoside, xanthan gum, disodium EDTA, methyl dihydroabietate, lauryl PEG-8 dimethicone, phenylisopropyl dimethicone, polyglyceryl-3 stearate/isostearate/dimer dilinoleate crosspolymer, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, tocopheryl acetate, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, phenoxyethanol, triethanolamine, propylene glycol, hydroxyacetophenone
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: Walmart is the labeler of record for Equate, and the actives and inactive list (label order) come from its FDA-filed label on DailyMed. SPL set ID b2083cbd-ef19-4edc-9d7d-eca3452ee0ee (label version effective 2024-10-16). Treated as discontinued because Walmart filed a newer label for the same product (December 2025). The actives are the same; the inactive list is different.
Common questions about Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula)
Is Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) 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 Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) 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 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 Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) not allowed?
Maui County: it contains avobenzone, homosalate and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains avobenzone, homosalate 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 and phenoxyethanol, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) 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 Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, homosalate 10% and octocrylene 6%.
Is Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) 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 Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula)?
Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 49035-969. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (earlier formula) 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
Thinkbaby Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 30
Pure & Simple Baby Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Baby Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
BGS Baby SPF 50