Banana Boat Ultra Protect Faces Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 Pa++++ UVA/UVB Protection
69/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Banana Boat Ultra Protect Faces is a chemical SPF 50 PA++++ face lotion using an older-generation blend of Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane. It wears light with a balanced finish and low white cast, and is generally low on the pore-clogging scale, though some users may notice mild stinging around the eyes. Protection is rated good and it sits okay under makeup. At 69.2/100 it is a workable face option, but its filter set is dated next to newer chemical formulas.
Ingredient & SPF scores
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UV protection
Good
62
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +16 Octocrylene at #3, UV filter
- +7.6 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #4, UV filter
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #6, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- Γ0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +4 Label claims (SPF 50, PA rating)
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Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- β40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β10.5 Octocrylene at #3, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β3.5 Avobenzone at #6, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
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Allergens
Low
96
- +100 Starting score
- β1 1 declared fragrance allergens
- β3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
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Eye sting
Medium
47
- +100 Starting score
- β16 Avobenzone at #6, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β22 Octocrylene at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- β6 Octisalate at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
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Heavy feel
Low
93
- +100 Starting score
- β2 Mangifera Indica Seed Butter at #23, butter/occlusive fat
- β5 Cetearyl Alcohol at #7, rich gel-network thickener
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Fungal acne
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- β9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Mangifera Indica Seed Butter)
- β9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Ceteth-10 Phosphate)
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Fabric stains
High
30
- +100 Starting score
- β45 Avobenzone at #6, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- β15 Octocrylene at #3, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- β10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
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Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- β 4 Glycerin at #8, the anchor humectant
- β 1 1 strong humectants (Panthenol)
- β 1 1 emollient lipids (Mangifera Indica Seed Butter)
- β 1 1 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol)
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Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- β 2 1 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Diisopropyl Adipate)
- β 4 2 emollient lipids (Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate)
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Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- β 3 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- β 0.5 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
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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
Full ingredient list (31)
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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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
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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 (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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Legacy UV filter (Octisalate)
- β 7.6 UV protection
- β 6 migrates into eyes with sweat
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte β 2 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
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Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- β 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- β 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- β 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- β 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
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Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- β 5 rich gel-network thickener
- 1 β nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
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8 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 4 β nourishing the anchor humectant
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- β 7 film former
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Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 3 β dewy emollient lipid
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Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
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Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
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18 Dimethicone
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
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19 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
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pH adjuster
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Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
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Botanical extract
- β 2 butter/occlusive fat
- 1 β nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 β dewy emollient lipid
- β 9 feeds malassezia
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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Botanical extract
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29 Panthenol
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 β nourishing humectant
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Soothing, skin-conditioning active
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Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
Is Banana Boat Ultra Protect Faces mineral or chemical?
It is a chemical sunscreen with an older-generation blend of Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane.
Does the Banana Boat Ultra Protect Faces Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 Pa++++ UVA/UVB Protection leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. As a chemical face lotion it sinks in clear with a balanced finish on most skin tones.
Is Banana Boat Ultra Protect Faces SPF 50 any good?
It scores 69.2/100 with good rated protection. It is a workable lightweight face option that is generally low on the pore-clogging scale, but its filter set is dated next to newer chemical formulas.