Is Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 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
Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 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 four chemical UV filters: avobenzone 3%, homosalate 7.5%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 7%. It was a broad-spectrum body sunscreen oil made by Trader Joe's and was not water resistant. It has been discontinued, but is kept here for reference. Its FDA National Drug Code (NDC) is 71270-163.
Sizes: 118 mL
Where Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 is allowed
| Location | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene: not permitted actives (mineral only). |
| Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) | Not allowed | Avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene: 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 | Avobenzone, homosalate, 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. Homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene: not mineral actives. |
| Key West, Florida | No rule in force |
Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 3% | Chemical |
| Homosalate | 7.5% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 7% | Chemical |
Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 inactive ingredients
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isododecane, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Mica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Hexamethylindanopyran, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-20 Olefin), Ethylhexylglycerin, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool, Tocopherol, Coumarin, Methyl Salicylate, Maleated Soybean Oil Glyceryl/Octyldodecanol Esters, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Linalyl Acetate, Vanillin, Benzyl Benzoate, Oenocarpus Bataua Fruit Oil
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: Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Hexamethylindanopyran, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool, Coumarin, Methyl Salicylate, Linalyl Acetate, Vanillin, Benzyl Benzoate
- 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.
Note: Discontinued: not on traderjoes.com. Actives and inactive list (label order) from Trader Joe's FDA-filed label on DailyMed, SPL set ID 4a6b69ed-2739-d22a-e063-6294a90a1e52 (label version effective 2026-02-09). Filed in February 2026. Its list adds fragrance components (linalool, coumarin, vanillin and others) that the 2025 filing does not name.
Common questions about Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30
Is Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 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 Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 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, 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 Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 not allowed?
Maui County: it contains avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene, which are not allowed there. Hawaiʻi County (Big Island): it contains avobenzone, homosalate, 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, homosalate, octisalate and phenoxyethanol, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 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 Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, homosalate 7.5%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 7%.
Is Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 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 for Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30?
Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 is listed with the FDA under National Drug Code 71270-163. The NDC identifies this sunscreen on its FDA drug label (DailyMed); package sizes carry longer package NDCs.
Alternatives to Trader Joe's Shimmer Sunscreen Oil SPF 30 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
Mini SPF 40 Sunscreen Tin
Face + Body SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
Hawaiian Natural Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50 (Beach/Sport/Baby), 3 oz
Lightweight Mineral Lotion - SPF 50