Is Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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
Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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: avobenzone 3%, homosalate 7.3%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 9%. It is a broad-spectrum facial sunscreen gel made by Vacation and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes.
Sizes: 1.7 fl oz / 50 mL
Where Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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, 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 |
Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 3% | Chemical |
| Homosalate | 7.3% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 9% | Chemical |
Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel inactive ingredients
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Bisabolol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Flower Extract, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Ethyl Ferulate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Isododecane, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Polyamide-3, Propanediol, Squalane, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Water
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: Fragrance-free. The brand page describes it as 'Broad spectrum SPF 50 PA++++'.
Common questions about Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel
Is Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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 Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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 Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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 and octisalate, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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 Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 3%, homosalate 7.3%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 9%.
Is Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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 Vacation Crystal SPF 50 Face Gel 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
