Is Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer 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
Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer 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 uses four chemical UV filters: avobenzone 2.9%, homosalate 5%, octisalate 4.9% and octocrylene 8%. It is a broad-spectrum body sunscreen oil made by Vacation and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes.
Sizes: 2.9 fl oz / 86 mL
Where Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer 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 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Guidance and repealed rules (4)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 “VACATION” Shimmer Oil SPF 30 active ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Avobenzone | 2.9% | Chemical |
| Homosalate | 5% | Chemical |
| Octisalate | 4.9% | Chemical |
| Octocrylene | 8% | Chemical |
Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer Oil SPF 30 inactive ingredients
Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Bisabolol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Oil, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Dextrin Palmitate, Dimethicone, Ethyl Ferulate, Fragrance, Hyaluronic Acid, Iron Oxides, Mica, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer
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 Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer Oil SPF 30
Is Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer 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 Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer 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 Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer 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 and octisalate, which are not allowed there. Guam: it contains octocrylene, which is not allowed there.
Does Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer 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 Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer Oil SPF 30 a mineral or chemical sunscreen?
Chemical. Its UV filters are avobenzone 2.9%, homosalate 5%, octisalate 4.9% and octocrylene 8%.
Is Vacation “VACATION” Shimmer Oil SPF 30 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 “VACATION” Shimmer 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