As a Florida girl, I am no stranger to the sun. Enjoying the outdoors is a way of life here in the sunshine state. Trips to the beach, to Disney, to the park — there is always a reason to be outside in the sun.
But this Florida girl also understands how important it is to protect myself, and my family, from the sun. We all have very pale skin — the kind that makes strangers question if we are really from Florida. When I was young I longed for a nice golden tan, but these days I know better. I know covering up my fair skin and keeping it pale is the way to keep my skin healthy, and the same goes for the rest of my family. (This pale Florida girl married a pale Florida man, and we have two pale Florida daughters.)
When an outdoor trip is planned the check list includes hats, sunglasses and sunscreen (bottles of water too, but that’s another story). I was recently sent several Banana Boat products to review, and a few days later a trip to Kennedy Space Center was the perfect opportunity to put the products to use.
Banana Boat (a very familiar brand in our house) offers products for the whole family, and because I am a firm believer in having the right product for every occasion I packed something for everyone.
Natural Reflect Baby is a tear-free, sting-free lotion that is pediatrician tested, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and endorsed by the Skin Cancer Foundation to protect mild on baby’s delicate skin. It is also water-resistant up to 80 minutes making it perfect for water play too.
Last summer I discovered Banana Boat Natural Reflect, and I really liked it for me. But this was the first time I tried Natural Reflect for babies. Formulated with naturally sourced sunscreen actives that deflect UVA and UVB rays, I like everything about this sunscreen.
It doesn’t matter how often we slather up with sunscreen, each time my girls turn into squirmy wormies, especially the baby. Wiggling and writhing away from sunscreen torture. When we applied the Natural Reflect Baby we discovered that it was very thick. While I don’t like thick sunscreen for me, it is very helpful when it comes to putting it on baby – we can see where we have gotten the sunscreen on as we rub it in. It doesn’t stay white all day, but it is creamier and stays white long enough to see that we have covered each tiny spot.
Banana Boat Kids Tear-Free Sting-Free Lotion is also pediatrician tested and hypoallergenic, but the part my daughter likes most is that it is tear-free and sting-free. And, of course, it is also water-resistant up to 80 minutes. (I like that it also comes in a giant family-size pump for home use.)
I remember that awful feeling of sunscreen in my eyes as a kid — man it stung. So I feel better about putting tear-free sunscreen on my daughter. No, it still doesn’t feel good if you get it in your eyes, but it doesn’t burn the way sunscreen did when I was a kid. Because it is a thinner, more traditional sun lotion than the baby sunscreen it goes on quickly and smoothly. My husband even used it on his face and it didn’t leave any white streaks in his stubble.
Banana Boat Sport Performance CoolZone Clear UltraMist is an invisible spray-on sunscreen that feels cool when applied. And like the others is water-resistant up to 80 minutes.
This is my husband’s sunscreen of choice and has been for the last several summers. We are big fans of the spray-on sunscreen, and he really likes the cool mist. I have to admit that on a hot day, like at KSC, it was refreshing to spray the cool sunscreen. If you have never tried it, you might wonder how much cooler it is than other spray-on sunscreens, and the answer is very. In fact, my daughter doesn’t care for it because she says it is too cold.
We had a great day at Kennedy Space Center, and even though we spent a great deal of our day outside the family stayed sunburn free.
Need some sunscreen for your next outdoor adventure? Grab a printable coupon for $1 off your next Banana Boat purchase.
I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Banana Boat. I received product samples and promotional item as a thank you for participating.
Sunscreen is just so important, especially for me with my fair skin. Banana Boat is a trusted brand at my house.
The Banana Boat Sport Performance CoolZone Clear UltraMist looks ideal, easy to apply and stays on.
I like Banana Boat sunscreen and use it a few times a week
I love the spray on sunscreen Banana Boat offers. It is so much easier to apply on wiggly kids
I love all the different varieties that Banana Boat Sunscreen comes in! It is perfect for every member of the family.
Everyone needs some sunscreen. The Banana Boat product is a good one.
The mist is really convenient. We use all of these products.
I haven’t tried this brand yet on my grandsons but it sounds like it works great and it’s definitely a trusted brand!
Love the Baby Banana Boat formula. My DD has sensitive skin, so it’s nice that it’s hypoallergenic so it doesn’t break her out.
I didn’t realize they had so many products. Good to know.
I love using Banana Boat products. I like how they have products for everyone in the family
I bought several of their products at the beginning of the summer when Walgreens had BOGO, we love it
My husband loves the spray on sunscreen. We still use the lotion for the kids. They don’t like it either but have learned from experience that a burn is worse then getting lathered up.
It’s great to teach our kids early about the importance of using sun screen.
Banana Boat products are so good at protecting my family form the harmful affects of the sun. They go on smoothly and have different SPF which are great. This is the only brand that I use!
Sunscreen is so important in the summer
I always make sure to cover the kids in sunscreen before we go play at the beach.
Spray on sunscreen is the way to go.
I too am fair. I have never tanned in my life. I freckle. My husband freckles and then burns. and then tans. He works outside a lot for his job so I have to hear him whine when he burns his neck shoulders and my personal favorite his lower back from where his shirt lifts up and his pants ride down when hes bending over. ( he bends over a lot for his job) We got banana boat and I spray him down every morning. its helped a lot. My daughter wants to wear it all the time too.
I haven’t seen great results with spray-on sunscreen. It just doesn’t seem to give enough coverage.
Living in Florida it is very important to teach the importance of using sunscreen from a young age. We love the Banana Boat baby sunscreen!
I love Banana Boat Natural Reflect Kids. The best thing about the Banana Boat brand is that is is not heavily scented. I have allergies and asthma so I cannot be slathering something all over my kids which has a strong smell. Even some of the other natural sunscreens have very strong scents from the plants used in them which will irritate my asthma.
Spray on is my fave so much faster getting it on that way.
May sound funny, but I get sunburn on my scalp, and I’m waiting for the day that they come up with something suitable for the scalp without greasing out my already oily hair and skin. If anyone is aware of something along these lines, PLEASE let me know. I have a some bald patches where I have been burned so bad in the parts of my hair and bangs, and I’d really like to keep the little bit of hair that I have left up there. Thanks!!
My mom always used Banana Boat on my and brother and me, now I use it on my kiddos. Even put the spray kind in my husbands truck so he can put it on himself when he’s out working.
we have always used banana boat in our house
Banana boat and my kids do not mix well 🙁
I like to use the spray better than the cream ( I believe is less messy and quick to apply)
Sunscreen is necessary almost all year long and we love Banana Boats products. Especially the Natural type because my son has sensitive skin and it works great. We love the spray as well.
When we buy sun screen we almost always get Banana Boat. If you are worried about protection for kiddos then Banana Boat is the best product
Sunscreen is soooo important. So many people think it is no big deal to get a sunburn but it may have some very bad long term effects.
I a fairly pale skinned too – and the more I learn about how the sun can harm your skin, the more I really stress sunscreen with my kids – and my hubby (who is not as fair skinned and doesn’t care for sunscreen).
Sunscreen is so important too protect the skin from the sun rays too prevent skin cancer
I think Banana Boat has the best sunscreen lotions.They are effective and reasonable in price!
Banana boat is a well known trusted name in lotion. It needs to be broad spectrum for UVA & UVB rays.
I like the spray on option. It makes it quicker and easier to apply.
sounds like a great product – tear-free, sting-free lotion that is pediatrician tested, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and endorsed by the Skin Cancer Foundation
We love the Banana Boat Sport Cool Mist in SPF 50. All of my kids are darker than I am thanks to their father’s genetic makeup, but I still make sure that we all have sunscreen on if we are going to be outside for any extended period of time.
We have used Banana Boat sunscreen’s before, they work really well on the little one’s too. Great product.
Sunscreen is really important when going outside to play, swim, or for other activities ,this is the only brand I use my kids have never burned with this brand but have with other brands
Banana Boat Natural Reflect (the regular, not the baby variety) is my absolute favorite sunscreen. The whole family uses it – it goes on smoothly, it doesn’t feel greasy and it WORKS. No sunburns all summer. We usually take the CoolZone spray for touchups if we’re going to be out all day.