On July 3, 2018, Hawaii's governor David Ige signed Act 104, and from January 1, 2021 it became unlawful to sell sunscreen containing oxybenzone or octinoxate in the state without a prescription. Palau went further: its Responsible Tourism Education Act of 2018 banned sunscreens with ten listed ingredients starting January 1, 2020. Both laws are why so many of us now stand in an aisle squinting at a bottle, hunting for the best reef safe sunscreen.

Here is the part I wish more people said out loud. Consumer Reports points out that there is no standard or regulated meaning behind the labels "reef safe" or "reef friendly." So I do not call any bottle here reef safe, and neither should you take a badge on faith. Every product in this edit uses only mineral UV filters, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. NOAA says mineral sunscreen is considered a better option for aquatic life, but it also lists nano titanium dioxide and nano zinc oxide among the chemicals that can harm marine life. So my honest approach is mineral filters, plus shade, plus a sun shirt, plus fewer bottles in the water.

This first grid is the everyday face group. If you want a silky finish, Tatcha's The Silk Sunscreen and Shiseido's Urban Environment Mineral Clear Sunscreen are the ones I would look at. Summer Fridays' ShadeDrops Mineral Milk Sunscreen is a milk you can dispense a little at a time. Kiehl's Better Screen Miner-all UV Serum and Ultra Violette's Future Screen Mineral Sunscreen Serum lean lighter and more fluid, and Kate Somerville's Hydrakate drops and KORA Organics' Silky Sun Drops are the drop formats you mix into your routine.

For plain daily moisturizer energy, try Utu, Forah, Grown Alchemist, Good Weather and Caudalie, or Dune's The Mineral Melt if you like a balmier feel. Augustinus Bader, Dr. Dennis Gross, Goldfaden MD, Lesse, Saie and Isdin round out a group with different textures and different finishes. One honest note: U Beauty's Multimodal Sheer Mineral Sunscreen is SPF 25, so wear it over or with an SPF 30 or higher sunscreen, never as the only layer.

Tinted mineral sunscreen is where I have changed my mind the most. I used to think a white cast was the toll of using zinc, and I was wrong. A little pigment hides it, and the AAD says tinted sunscreens contain iron oxide, which research shows helps protect skin against visible light from the sun. For me that is a bonus on top of hiding the cast.

The skin tints here are the ones I would wear to replace foundation on a normal day. Tower 28's SunnyDays Tinted Sunscreen Foundation, Iris&Romeo's Weekend Skin and ILIA's Super Serum Skin Tint give you a sheer, skin-like finish. ILIA also makes the Sun Serum Mineral Sunscreen for a lighter, more fluid feel. Supergoop's Mineral Mattescreen is the one for people who dislike a dewy face, while the Glowscreen drops are made for the opposite mood.

Dr. Few's Tinted Mineral Sunscreen, Merit's The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen and Beauty of Joseon's Dayscreen are the simple ones, closer to a tinted moisturizer. Isdin's Eryfotona Ageless Tinted and Good Weather's The One Warm Glow Sun Cream add a little glow. Carte Blanche, Sarah Creal, Tonal's Sunveil foundation and Innbeauty Project are the more finished-face choices, and Fenty Beauty's Hydra Vizor Huez is a tinted moisturizer with SPF 30.

Two reminders. Check shade ranges, because a skin tint that is not close to your skin looks worse than none. And Kosas Revealer is SPF 25, so treat it as makeup that sits over a real SPF 30 or higher sunscreen. bareMinerals' Complexion Rescue, on the other hand, is a tinted moisturizer with mineral SPF 30, so it can do the whole job on a quiet day.

Face sunscreen gets all the attention, but the body takes most of the sun. The AAD says most adults need about 1 ounce, roughly a shot glass, to cover skin not covered by clothing. That is a lot more than most of us pump, which is why I like a body formula that is pleasant enough to actually use up.

For arms and legs, I reach for Saint Jane's Body Sun Ritual, Utu's SPF30 Moisturizing Body Sunscreen, Supergoop's PLAY 100% Mineral Lotion and Avène's Mineral Sunscreen Face & Body Lotion. Good Weather's All-Over Sun Milk is a face and body milk. Shiseido's Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion Mineral is another body option. None of these names says water resistant, so check each label and reapply after a swim.

Sticks are the real gift for beach bags, because they are quick on noses, shoulders and the backs of hands. Utu's SPF50 Lightly Tinted Mineral Stick and Evereden's Cooling Mineral Sunscreen Stick are the ones I carry, and Supergoop's Glowscreen Sunlighter Stick adds a bit of shine. For eyes, Supergoop's Bright-Eyed Mineral Eye Cream and RMS Beauty's ReFresh Eye Brightener. ciele's shade & PROTECT Powder Bronzer and sculpt & PROTECT Contour Stick are for makeup lovers, and they are made for color first.

What I would skip: treating the low-SPF items as your main layer. bareMinerals' Original Loose Mineral Foundation is SPF 15, and the Well-Rested Under Eye Brightener is SPF 20, so they are touch-ups or extras over an SPF 30 or higher sunscreen. I would also skip buying a fresh bottle for every trip when a long-sleeve shirt will cover most of you.

When I pack for a beach day, the bottle is only one piece. NOAA says UV-protective clothing like sun shirts and pants is also a great option, and that it helps to seek shade between 10 am and 2 pm. So I wear a rash guard, bring an umbrella and put the bottle on whatever is left out.

The routine is boring and it works. Choose a sunscreen that is broad spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, and water resistant, the AAD's three words. Put it on dry skin 15 minutes before you go outside, use that shot glass for the body, and reapply about every two hours, or after swimming or sweating. The National Academies also noted that consistent use of broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 and above reduces risk for skin cancer, sunburn and photoaging.

If you want to look further, the National Academies' August 2022 report recommended that the EPA conduct an ecological risk assessment of UV filters. Meanwhile, the FDA's February 2019 proposed rule proposed that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are safe and effective. That is not a promise about reefs, but it is why I start with mineral. The AAD also says dermatologists recommend mineral formulas for sensitive skin. Pick the one you will actually wear, and wear it. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together The Cotton Shirt Does The Most Work and Read the shirt.