Product Review: Banana Boat Kids Tear Free SPF 50 sunscreen lotion

 I love the finish this sunscreen leaves on the skin! The most common complaints people tend to have about sunscreens are that sunscreen smell, the sticky feel and the white cast. Well in this case the smell is the same (I have trained myself to learn to love it and equate it with safety and smooth skin!)  but the sticky afterfeel and the white cast are gone within a minute. It has all the things I love seeing in a sunscreen, a mix of chemical and physical UV blockers (best of both worlds), convenient bulk size packaging and a moisturizing formula. 

One caveat I do have is that it isn't particularly easy to spread on dry skin (if you're oily, you have found a possibility) but I usually use it with an AHA or a self tanning lotion anyway, so it's still ok. In addition, I actually wish there was more of a white cast, which is caused by the physical blockers I love so much. This only has a bit, which is great for those that hate that finish and not so good for those of us who are willing to sacrifice a little aesthetic appeal for protection performance. But aside from that, the absolute greatest thing is that it absorbs into skin very quickly, leaving instead of that sticky feel, a smooth silky, freshly lotioned feel.

If you have normal to oily skin, no sensitivity issues with chemical sunscreens, and need heavy, beach like protection with an appealing feel on skin, this just might be one of the best options at the drugstore.




Medicinal ingredients:
Homosalate 15.0%: Secondary UVB absorbing salicylate, usually used in high amounts in sunscreens like this to exponentially raise the SPF rating
Octinoxate 7.5%: UVB absorber, usually combined with other sunscreens to increase stability
Octisalate 5.0%: Another UVB absorbing salicylate
Titanium Dioxide 2.4%: This is where the UVA protection comes from, although I would love to see a higher amount, this is still great.

Non-medicinal ingredients: 

1. Aqua: the fancy french name for water
2. Isobutane: Usually used as a propellant, but it can also function as a solvent, as it does here
3. Isohexadecane: This is what makes this sunscreen feel so great on the skin, it is very very moisturizing, but then dries to a more velvety finish.
4. Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone: Used as an emulsifier, thickener and emollient
5. Diisopropyl Adipate: solvent that rapidly absorbs and creates very little tacky feeling.
6. Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate: An emulsifier which works particularly well in sunscreens
7. Glucose: Skin conditioning agent, yes this really is pure sugar
8. PEG-8: Humectant and solvent
9. Retinyl Palmitate: Vitamin A, despite recent rumours cooked up by the tricksters over at EWG, this is not harmful in sunscreens. It's actually highly beneficial, because its antioxidant properties are increased by using sunscreen at the same time, and the addition of antioxidants actually helps the function of the sunscreen. It really is a perfect marriage.
10. Tocopherol: Vitamin E, another antioxidant that helps sunscreens help your skin
11. Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate: The most stable form of Vitamin C, I love seeing this on a list and I would love it even more if it was higher up
12. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: Humectant and soothing, barely noticeable effect at this concentration
13. Tocopheryl Acetate: A more stable form of Vitamin E
14. Caprylyl Glycol: Solvent and preservative
15. Glycerin: Humectant
16. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: emollients and emulsifiers
17. Stearalkonium Hectorite: suspending agent, helps disperse solids and liquids
18. Propylene Carbonate: solvent
19. Sodium Citrate: pH adjuster
20. Glucose Oxidase: Used here as a preservative
21. Lactoperoxidase: Co-preservative
22. Sodium Chloride: Thickener
23. Disodium EDTA: Chelating agent and preservative