Quick Summary:
Date Tested: 07/19/2022
The Alba Botanica Hawaiian SPF 45 sunscreen lotion reminds me of taking a vacation to an all inclusive tropical island resort. The ingredients list reminds me of a lush garden filled with fruit and nourishing flora. The product web site says the lotion features “aloe vera, green tea and tropical fruit extracts, is lightweight, fast-absorbing and features a soft, tropical scent.” What’s not to like about that!? If that didn’t sound delicious enough, then feast your eyes on the great results from 2 hours of testing in the sunscreen testing machine.
The Alba Hawaiian SPF45 Lotion is a chemical only based sunscreen which reduced UVI by 97.30%, UVA by 97.43%, and UVB by 95.36%. A solid performer – grade A protection.
Alba Botanica Hawaiian SPF45 ingredients
Active ingredients: Avobenzone 3.0%, Homosalate 10.0%, Octocrylene 10.0%, Octyl Salicylate 5.0%
Inactive Ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice(1), Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract(1), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract(1), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract(1), Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract(1), Tocopheryl Acetate, Alcohol(1), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Citric Acid, Linalyl Accetate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Olivate, Triethyl Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Amyl Cinnamal, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool. (1)Certified Organic Ingredient
Manufacturers Website: www.albabotanica.com
The Alba Hawaiian SPF 45 sunscreen characteristics at a glance:
- Broad spectrum protection
- water resistant (up to 80 minutes)
- biodegradable formula
- Skin Cancer Foundation recommendation
- certified by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization
- free of oxybenzone, octinoxate, PABA and Vitamin A
- no parabens, phthalates or sulfates
- no artificial colors or synthetic fragrances
- Viscosity felt a little thin, but that didn’t seem to affect the performance.
Prepared slide ready for testing
The Alba SPF45 lotion spread consistently and evenly. It seemed a bit thin, but when the slide sample was prepared, looked OK. It didn’t even squeeze out from under the slide cover like thinner viscosity sunscreens tend to do. Go figure…
Below are the results from 2 hours of testing in my UV testing station.
Alba Botanica Hawaiian UV blocking test results
Ultraviolet light quick reference:
UVA: The Ultraviolet wavelength from 315nm – 400nm. The “Aging UV light” – Causes wrinkles.
UVB: The Ultraviolet wavelength from 280nm – 315nm. The “Bad UV light” – Causes skin cancer.
UVI: The global sun UV index. The more a sunscreen can reduce the level of UVI, the better.
UV test results:
Ultraviolet sensor readings:
| Before Sunscreen | After Sunscreen | % UV Blocked | |
| TEMP | 85.3 | 85.2 | |
| UVA | 24799 | 636.7 | 97.43% |
| UVB | 1235 | 57.2 | 95.36% |
| UVI | 14.5 | 0.39 | 97.30% |
Want to know more about how I test sunscreen? Head here to read about the details.
Testing notes:
A chemical UV filter based reef-safe sunscreen lotion, the Alba Botanica Hawaiian SPF 45 is a strong performer. Ultraviolet blocking potential is quite high and it has a lot of “natural” ingredients. Seems like a fairly nice product hitting all the fun marketing selling points (green tea, orange peel oil, lavender extracts, etc.). It is also priced right at just about $9 for a 4 oz bottle so its an easy choice for a grab and go at a local convenience store.
I appreciate products which work really well while also being priced affordably, and this is one of them. Yay!
Want to try the Alba Botanica Hawaiian SPF45?
High performance and low cost. Good value.
Disclosure: the Amazon link shown is the only affiliate link I am sharing on this post. I will earn a commission if you click on the amazon listed product link and place an order (at no cost to you). I do not collect any personally identifying information. Every little bit helps to keep this site up and running, I do appreciate it!