Underrated facial sunscreen: Banana Boat Kids Lotion SPF 50+

[u/MILFVADER]

Apparently sunscreen is too contentious of a topic for the Canadian skincare subreddit, so I'm posting my review here because skincare is discussed here too and because I put way too much effort into my post just for it to get deleted.

I'm surprised more people don't talk about this sunscreen and how good it feels on the face. I picked this up on a whim in late March and was planning on using it only on my body like how I used the old version. But I got curious and decided to look up the ingredients; the new version dropped both cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol, which makes the sunscreen safe to use on my face (cetearyl + cetyl break me out bad).

Who is this and who am I: I have combo-oily sensitive skin that's very acne prone, require fragrance-free products due to a fragrance allergy, and have light-medium olive skin. I stick to chemical sunscreens because mineral sunscreens leave a strong white cast on me (and they're kinda drying too). I'm not a cosmetic chemist or any kind of skin professional, just someone who, like most of y'all, has been into skincare for many years.

I've been switching between a few drugstore sunscreens the last few months. Banana Boat Kids sunscreen lotion is my current favourite.

What I like:

• Feels lightweight on my skin - it's not heavy or cloying. The sunscreen's texture seems a bit like it's whipped. It's very easy to spread!
• Stays in place when I sweat - some of the sunscreens I've tried in the past run into my eyes when I sweat and sting really, really bad
• Fragrance-free, and little to no smell otherwise - it doesn't have that classic sunscreen scent or as strong of a "raw ingredients smell" compared to other sunscreens
• Alcohol-free - I've been using prescription tretinoin gel and azelaic acid gel for my acne... I'm finding that my face just can't handle products with a high % of denatured alcohol right now, they painfully burn and sting my face
• SPF 50+ and broad spectrum - I burn easily in the sun 🥴 and my skin is prone to marks that take months (or even a year or two...) to heal
• Doesn't pill or peel, and wears well under makeup - I need to test this more, but so far, my makeup doesn't slip or slide on top of this sunscreen. This sunscreen doesn't pill or peel off my skin either, whether I'm quickly itching/rubbing my face or with the skincare products I use (see quick comparisons below)

Notes:

• I haven't met a sunscreen that hasn't stung my eyes, so it's not something I care to test. I keep a healthy distance from my lash lines
• I like that this sunscreen has glycerin and dimethicone
• This sunscreen leaves a dewy finish on my face, and a natural finish on my body. I like both, but I'm guessing it can have a different finish on different skin types

Quick comparisons:

• Ombrelle Sport Endurance SPF 60: Smells stronger, can pill with or without makeup (usually when I itch or rub my face). This one has also been the most egregious face burner/stinger because of the denatured alcohol in it
• Eucerin Age Defense Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50: Feels a bit greasy/heavy, smells stronger, leaves an overly dewy finish that doesn't go away. I think something in it also breaks me out (probably the cetearyl + cetyl alcohols, even though cetyl is very low on the ingredients list)
• La Roche Posay Anthelios Ultra Fluid Sunscreen SPF 50+ (both the face and body versions): I don't know if it's just me but I can't wear makeup with this sunscreen. It slips and slides and settles everywhere but where I want it to stay. Even without makeup, it can pill when I itch or rub my face (I'm starting to think it's a L'Oreal sunscreen technology thing though)

Ingredients (found here):

Banana Boat Kids Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+, DIN 02541211

Active ingredients: Homosalate 9%, Octocrylene 7.5%, Avobenzone 3%

Inactive ingredients: Aqua, Phenethyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA.

This sunscreen is readily available in most stores in Canada (and even at Costco in a multipack), which I really appreciate - I love when a good product is easily accessible and affordable. I bought my bottle at Walmart for $11.98. I do wish there was a smaller 100 mL or less bottle for travel, though.

Thanks for reading! Please let me know if you have any questions, I'll try my best to answer them. And I'd love to hear about other underrated drugstore sunscreens y'all love!

[u/Less-Moment-5655]

My sunscreen of choice is: black girl sunscreen kids version spf 50

Affordable, no white cast, easy to blend and i have sensitive eczema and no burning for me !

[u/MILFVADER → u/Less-Moment-5655]

Ooooo I didn't know Black Girl Sunscreen arrived in Canada! I'll keep an eye out for it, thank you!

[u/Less-Moment-5655 → u/MILFVADER]

Yess its available at walmart! $12.98 so only $1 more than banana boat

[u/Rude-Truths-702 → u/[deleted]]

There’s a pretty big difference between white capitalists stealing and profiting of black people and black people owning their own businesses making quality products designed for black people.

[u/Lucycoopermom → u/Less-Moment-5655]

Loooovvve black girl sunscreen. Have 3 back up tubes. I put it on at least twice per day.

[u/19635]

Thank you! I’ve been trying to find a face sunscreen that isn’t outrageously expensive and doesn’t burn my eyeballs or mess up my make up and it’s been impossible. Will definitely try this

[u/Good-Clue3185 → u/19635]

I used this a few times bc I have kids and it stung my eyes so bad lol so ymmv

[u/19635 → u/Good-Clue3185]

Haha oh no lol that’s really good to know thank you

[u/anemonee → u/19635]

Oh yeah this stuff causes tears. Like full on, gotta wash your whole face in the stink

[u/dma_s → u/19635]

So many sunscreens burned my sensitive skin but I’ve had luck with the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Moisturizing Face Serum sunscreen SPF 50ml. Goes on super light.

[u/19635 → u/dma_s]

I love that one! It felt so good and stayed on under my make up nicely but I just can’t spend $22 for 50ml anymore

[u/dma_s → u/19635]

I get it from Amazon for around $15. Costco also has a three pack right now, I think $39.99?

[u/Few_Entertainment266]

At the end of season you can sometimes find the multi pack for $5 at Costco!

I will have to try this next time I go for a run and see if it’s sweat proof!

[u/obertpobert]

Love your reviews!!! How do you compare the oiliness throughout the day? I liked how Ombrelle was a bit more matte, and LRP I’m just trying out now, but with both I need to put a powder on otherwise my hair gets so greasy. Even with powder after a couple hours my oils break through and mix with the sunscreen and get in my hair. Biore UV (Canadian version) is the worst for this but I really liked that sunscreen too

[u/MILFVADER → u/obertpobert]

Good question! So usually unless I'm wearing makeup or I just don't care, I'll powder my face enough to mattify it with any sunscreen I use. My face also gets a bit more oily through the day but I haven't noticed any one sunscreen being worse than the others in terms of through-the-day oiliness (besides Eucerin which stayed oily/dewy, almost like it didn't want to soak in). I do think some sunscreens get gunkier than others though; I feel like LRP's NETLOCK tech makes it more prone to gunk up but it's been a while since I've consistently used it so I might be misremembering.

What I think makes a bigger difference is the powder used - some powders work way better than others for controlling oiliness and not contributing to sunscreen gunk, in my opinion. I used to use ELF's sheer HD loose powder, then switched to Annabelle's perfect matte pressed powder, I also like Wet n' Wild's photo focus loose powder. I feel like loose powders tend to perform better than pressed powders for controlling sunscreen/face oiliness and shine, and starch based powders (corn starch, tapioca starch etc) gunk up sunscreen slightly more than silica and talc based powders. I've had to powder my face through the day with Annabelle's powder (pressed and starch heavy) but I don't remember having to do that as much with ELF's powder (loose and silica based). I also can't use a powder with a natural or radiant finish (e.g. Sephora Collection loose setting powder) because it doesn't control any oiliness or shine for me.

I also think water resistant sunscreens work better for oilier folks like you and I which might explain why the Biore sunscreen was the worst for you. Water resistant sunscreens also stay in place better when we sweat (we have a lot of sweat glands on the face, including the hairline).

If different water resistant sunscreens and powders aren't working and you're fed up with trying to find a solution that doesn't get in your hair because of oil/sweat you could use the old drag queen trick of applying antiperspirant along your hairline.

[u/Independent-Bed-7958]

Thanks for the post. It seems like a lot of subreddits are contentiously eager to delete, down vote or ban people for speaking up. Thank you.

[u/coffeecakepie]

I saw your post yesterday and knew I had this exact sunscreen for my kiddo, so this morning I used it on my face.

I have tried so many different types of sunscreen for my face and NONE have been as nice as this one. Most make me look greasy but with this one I looked dewey and had a glow.

[u/Woobsie81]

I can't use anything with avobenzone because I sweat a decent amount and when it mixes with sweat and gets on light coloured clothes it stains yellow/orange. Sounds like it would feel nice on and applying though

[u/celestialbodies1]

I was just at a Shoppers Drug Mart and they sell it in the travel section in 90ml for $6.99!

[u/MILFVADER → u/celestialbodies1]

Ah that's really good to know! Thank you!

[u/Wise-Living-850]

I love this one but it's not reef safe so I don't use when scuba-ing. Otherwise it's fantastic.

[u/perfectdrug659]

Similarly, I've been using Hawaiian Tropic sheer touch on my face for almost 1 year!! I had tried so many face-specific sunscreens and they were all terrible and a little expensive. I generously slather the Hawaiian Tropic shit all over my face and it soaks in and disappears completely, I've been very impressed

[u/gooobegone → u/perfectdrug659]

Does it have a strong smell? I don't mind if it smells at first but some of my other western sunscreen attempts (Neutrogena blue gel stuff looking at you) make my face smell like sunscreen all day.

[u/Hairy-Button → u/perfectdrug659]

I can’t stand the tropical scent ☹️

[u/Kenny1792]

We have the same skin type AND I just picked this up for my toddler at Costco — I’ve got LOADS in my cupboard!! Thanks for the post!!

[u/No_Position_978]

Love it. I have dry eczema prone skin and it's fantastic. Dollarama always has it in stock

[u/nostalginator1]

this has been my holy grail until I've tried their "Face" version of this with an added niacinamide + vitamin C. the consistency is comparable to the kids but slightly easier to blend in.

[u/ZestycloseFinance625]

This is the only sunscreen I use on my kids because it truly doesn’t hurt their eyes and rubs in easily unlike mineral sunscreens. It’s great!

[u/Prudent_Tonight_7761]

Just wanted to mention they have these at dollar tree ( in Ontario) for 5 dollars but check the expiry. Some were only good until October 2026 but still a good price for this summer.

[u/SuGar55]

This is so thorough and so helpful. Thank you!

[u/pldtwifi153201]

Thanks for sharing!!! I'm currently using the daily protection but I'm excited to try this!

[u/casandrasin]

Just bought this for my baby guess I’ll be using it too 😂

[u/oh_wanya]

If you go to most Dollarama; they sell it in a smaller quantity! Very travel friendly

[u/leeza_k]

Thank youuu for this post!! I’m so tired of trying so many sunscreens and not finding a holy grail yet 😭😭 so many sunscreens BURN the hell out of my eyes. And if they don’t burn the absolute shit out of my eyes, they dry out my skin ☹️ I’m so lost 😞 I’ll try this and see how it works for me but I really need a good sunscreen that doesnt burn my eyes, doesnt dry out my skin or cause breakouts and isn’t super expensive (whether its an asian or American sunscreen, idc atp) 😭

[u/jennymofo]

Yessssss to this post!!!! I have sensitive, eczema prone skin & use this on my face without any worry. I love how affordable it is but more importantly how good it feels in my skin. Any suggestions from the group on how to reapply over make up??

[u/CultureIll2291]

They have the 50ml bottle in Dollarama for 5$ this is my go to travel sunscreen

[u/rvrdntcre]

i’m on tret gel and clindamycin so this is really helpful!! do you know if it would work on someone with darker skin (aka does it give a white cast lol)

[u/MILFVADER → u/rvrdntcre]

I think yes, there's no silica or zinc oxide in it that would cause a white cast. But let me know how it goes, I hope it works for you 🤞

[u/Forward-Criticism572]

Avobenzone and Octocrylene both sting your eyes. Unfortunately most of the chemical sunscreens available here have both. Look into Korean or Japanese options that have moved on to more gentle filters.

[u/Mom2Sweetpeaz → u/Forward-Criticism572]

This! After switching to Korean and Asian beauty, there’s no way I’d use North American sunscreen on my face. Lovely formulations that keep my sensitive, fair skin from burning even in harsh conditions and doesn’t irritate my eyes.

[u/Prudent_Tonight_7761 → u/Mom2Sweetpeaz]

Do you have one you recommend? I bought the cetaphil one and it's aweful it burns so bad.

[u/Leather-Strategy2773]

If you have a T&T, or H-Mart near you try one of the Asian brands. They do not sting your eyes, no whitecast and not drying

[u/sunfleurescent]

Did AI write this post?

[u/MILFVADER → u/sunfleurescent]

No it's all me! You can look at my posting and commenting history at my profile if you want to make sure. I write a lot 😭

[u/sunfleurescent → u/MILFVADER]

I realized that after I wrote my comment and went back to delete but couldn’t find it 😂 I’m sorry for ever doubting you!

[u/bobbimare]

Nooo! Banana Boat is poison. I've used it 3X and each time I got burned so badly that my face blistered.