Banana Boat Simply Protect Sensitive Faces SPF 50
70/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Banana Boat Simply Protect Sensitive Faces SPF 50 is a chemical sunscreen with a small amount of zinc oxide, built mainly on older filters (homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, octocrylene). It commonly applies with a balanced finish, low white cast and a lightweight feel, and its low breakout-trigger rating is generally friendly to acne-prone skin. With 70.4/100 and good protection, it is a serviceable everyday face option, though the filter mix is less modern than some rivals.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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UV protection
Good
60
- +12 Homosalate at #1, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +38.9 Zinc Oxide at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +17.1)
- β10.5 UVB coverage saturated
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +2 Label claims (SPF 50)
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Health safety
Medium
50
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #1 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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White cast
Low
88
- +100 Starting score
- β14 Zinc Oxide, 7.3% declared
- +1.4 PHSA dispersant, fights agglomeration
- +0.9 Coated minerals (Triethoxycaprylylsilane)
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Eye sting
Medium
60
- +100 Starting score
- β22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Octisalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Heavy feel
Low
90
- +100 Starting score
- β8 Zinc Oxide, 7.3% declared
- β2 Cera Alba at #15, wax film
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Fungal acne
Medium
68
- +100 Starting score
- β32 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate)
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Fabric stains
Low
75
- +100 Starting score
- β15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Zinc Oxide at #4, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
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Moisture
Balanced
LightNourishing
- β 2 Zinc Oxide at #4, mild sebum absorbent
- β 4 Glycerin at #8, the anchor humectant
- β 2 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 2 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Xanthan Gum)
- β 6 High mineral load at #4 greys under foundation
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Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +7 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
- +2 1 water-locking waxes
Full ingredient list (19)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, β / β give the direction, and β / β shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
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Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 12 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 8 UV protection
- β 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene), high in the list, a primary filter
- β 16 UV protection
- β 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 22 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
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Mineral UV filter (Zinc Oxide)
- β 38.9 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 14 7.3% declared
- β 8 7.3% declared
- β 10 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- light β 2 mild sebum absorbent
- pills β 6 High mineral load greys under foundation
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5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 2 β nourishing light emollient
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8 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 14 feeds malassezia
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Film former, locks the formula onto skin for water resistance
- β 7 film former
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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12 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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15 Cera Alba
Occlusive, seals moisture into the skin
- β 2 wax film
- β 2 wax water lock
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Supporting ingredient
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
Is Banana Boat Simply Protect Sensitive Faces mineral or chemical?
It is mainly chemical, built on older filters such as homosalate and octocrylene, with a small amount of the mineral filter zinc oxide.
Does the Banana Boat Simply Protect Sensitive Faces SPF 50 leave a white cast?
It generally leaves a low white cast with a balanced, lightweight finish, so it tends to blend into most skin tones.
Is it good?
It is a serviceable everyday face option, scoring 70.4/100 with good protection. The filter mix is less modern than some rivals.