Is Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion 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
Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion 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 four chemical UV filters: homosalate 5%, octocrylene 10%, octisalate 2% and avobenzone 2%. It is a broad-spectrum body sunscreen lotion made by Sun Bum and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 69039-801.
Sizes: 8.5 oz
SPF 15 is below SPF 30, the minimum the American Academy of Dermatology recommends when choosing a sunscreen.
Where Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate and avobenzone: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate and avobenzone: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Not allowed | Octocrylene: banned by name. |
| Palau | Not allowed | Octocrylene, avobenzone, homosalate, 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 | Homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate and avobenzone: 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, octocrylene and octisalate: not mineral actives. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Homosalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 10% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 2% | Chemical |
| Avobenzone | 2% | Chemical |
Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion inactive ingredients
water, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, fragrance, caramel, cetyl alcohol, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil, aleurites moluccana (kukui) seed oil, coffea arabica (coffee) seed oil, carica papaya fruit extract, zingiber officinale (ginger) root extract, helianthus annuus (sunflower) extract, macadamia ternifolia seed oil, glycerin, hydrolyzed algin, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, tocopheryl acetate, tocopherol, magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate, isohexadecane, polysorbate 60, caffeine, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium hydroxide, blue no. 1, red no. 33, red no. 4, yellow no. 6
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: listed as “fragrance”. US labels don’t have to name the allergens inside a fragrance, so there may be more than this list shows.
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 Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion
Is Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion 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 Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion 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 homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate and avobenzone, 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 Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion not allowed?
Maui County: it contains homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate and avobenzone, which are not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate and avobenzone, which are not allowed there. The U.S. Virgin Islands: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there. Palau: it contains octocrylene, avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and phenoxyethanol, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion 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 Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are homosalate 5%, octocrylene 10%, octisalate 2% and avobenzone 2%.
Is Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion 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 and UPC for Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion?
Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 69039-801, and its UPC barcode is 840155602106. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to Sun Bum SPF 15 Sunscreen Browning Lotion 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
Face + Body SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
Every Day Active Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45
Hawaiian Natural Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50 (Beach/Sport/Baby), 3 oz
UV Pure Broad Spectrum SPF 47