Is Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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
Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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 8%. It is a broad-spectrum sunscreen for kids spray made by Ocean Potion (GNL Brands International, LLC) and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes.
Where Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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 and octisalate: 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 |
Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 3% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 8% | Chemical |
Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray inactive ingredients
Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Alcohol Denatured, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Disopropyl Adipate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, 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
- Drying alcohol: Alcohol Denatured
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: The oceanpotion.com product page prints only the inactive list (under an "ACTIVE INGREDIENTS" heading), so the actives (Avobenzone 3.0%, Octisalate 5.0%, Octocrylene 8.0%) and the 80-minute water resistance were read from the back-of-can photo on the same page (https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0683/3340/4463/files/OP-individual_KIDSSPF50--CAN-back.jpg). The can says it is unscented. Inactive list copied from the page text, including "Disopropyl Adipate". This is the formula on the brand's product page and can photos. Ocean Potion's 2025 FDA filings for its "Suncare" continuous sprays show a different formula with homosalate added; those are listed separately.
Common questions about Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray
Is Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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 Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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 Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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 and octisalate, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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 Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 8%.
Is Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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.
Alternatives to Ocean Potion Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray 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
Kids Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray
Pure & Simple Kids Mineral Sunscreen Spray SPF 50
Kids Mineral Sunscreen Spray SPF 50
SPF 50 Kids Mineral Sunscreen Butter Stick