If you are packing for the islands, reef-safe sunscreen in Hawaiʻi belongs at the top of your list — right next to your swimsuit and snorkel. Hawaiʻi was the first place in the world to ban certain sunscreen chemicals to protect its coral reefs, and what you slather on at the beach genuinely matters here. The good news is that protecting your skin and protecting the reef are not at odds. With a little know-how, you can do both. Here is what every visitor and resident should understand before heading into the water.
What "reef-safe" actually means
You will see the phrase "reef-safe" on bottles all over the islands, but it is worth knowing that the term is not formally regulated. No agency certifies a sunscreen as reef-safe, so the label alone is not a guarantee. What matters is the ingredient list. The science points to a handful of chemical UV filters — most notably oxybenzone and octinoxate — that have been shown to harm coral, contributing to coral bleaching, DNA damage in young coral, and stress on the reef ecosystems that make Hawaiʻi's waters so extraordinary.
When you snorkel at a popular bay, the sunscreen rinsing off hundreds of swimmers adds up quickly. Researchers estimate that thousands of tons of sunscreen wash into reef areas worldwide each year. In a place like Hawaiʻi, where the reef is both an ecological treasure and the foundation of the marine life people travel across the world to see, those small individual choices have a real, collective impact.
The Hawaiʻi sunscreen law
In 2018 Hawaiʻi passed a first-of-its-kind law, which took effect on January 1, 2021, banning the sale and distribution of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate without a prescription. The Big Island (Hawaiʻi County) and Maui County have gone further, with local rules targeting additional chemical filters and, in some cases, restricting non-mineral sunscreens altogether. The intent is simple: keep the most damaging chemicals out of the water where coral is trying to survive a warming ocean.
For travelers, the practical takeaway is that you may not find your usual drugstore brand on local shelves — and that is by design. It is smart to buy a reef-friendly formula before you fly, or to pick one up once you arrive from a shop that stocks compliant options.
What to look for instead
The most reef-conscious choice is a mineral sunscreen that uses non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as its active ingredient. These minerals sit on top of the skin and physically reflect UV rays rather than absorbing them, and the "non-nano" designation means the particles are large enough that marine life is less likely to ingest them. When you are scanning a label, here is a quick checklist:
- Look for: non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient.
- Avoid: oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, and avobenzone.
- Skip the spray: aerosol sunscreens drift onto the sand and into the water, and waste product you never wanted on your skin anyway.
- Choose a lotion or stick so you can apply it precisely and let it bind to your skin before you swim.
Mineral formulas have come a long way. Older versions left a heavy white cast; many newer ones rub in far more cleanly while still offering broad-spectrum protection.
Beyond the bottle: cover up
The most reef-safe sunscreen of all is the one you do not have to use. Native Hawaiians and longtime ocean people have always known that the best protection from the tropical sun is shade and clothing. A lightweight long-sleeve rash guard, a wide-brim hat, and a swim shirt cover the largest areas of your body — your back, shoulders, and chest — without putting a single drop of anything into the water. Then you only need a small amount of mineral sunscreen for your face, the back of your neck, your hands, and the tops of your feet.
This approach is easier on your wallet, easier on your skin, and easiest of all on the honu, the reef fish, and the living coral you came to admire. Timing helps too: the sun is most intense between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., so an early-morning or late-afternoon snorkel is gentler on you and the reef alike.
Why it matters in Hawaiʻi
To Native Hawaiians, the reef is not scenery — it is family. The concept of mālama ʻāina, caring for the land and sea, extends to the koʻa (coral) and every creature that depends on it. Coral reefs shelter young fish, protect shorelines from storm surge, and hold generations of cultural and ecological history. Choosing reef-safe sunscreen is one of the simplest, most tangible ways a visitor can practice mālama and leave the islands a little healthier than they found them.
If you want to wear that commitment a little more visibly, our Ocean & Wildlife collection celebrates the honu, the reef, and the creatures that make Hawaiʻi's waters so alive — a quiet reminder, every time you wear it, of why the reef is worth protecting.
A simple plan for your trip
Pack a non-nano mineral sunscreen before you leave home, bring a rash guard and a hat, reapply after toweling off, and rinse the chemical-filter products out of your bag entirely. Do those few things and you will protect your skin from Hawaiʻi's strong sun while giving the reef the consideration it deserves. The coral has been here far longer than any of us — a little aloha goes a long way toward keeping it that way.
Bring the islands home: Explore our Ocean & Wildlife collection — original designs from our Native Hawaiian–owned studio in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi. Here are a few of the newest additions:
Reef Safe — a wearable reminder to protect the coral so future generations can fall in love with it too.
Ocean Cleanup — for everyone who believes the ocean that gives us everything deserves a little back.
Sea Turtle Rescue — honoring the honu that has swum Hawaiʻi's reefs since long before us.
Hawaii Night Owl — island style for the ones who come alive after the sun goes down.
Gold Dust Gecko — tiny, fearless, and utterly at home in paradise.