About a month ago, I posted an opportunity for 25 of my readers to review Banana Boat Natural Reflect Kids Sunscreen Lotion. The response was – as always – amazing from my readers and a large group of you received a full-sized sample in the mail to test! The reviews are in and I received 21 reviews in total!
The general consensus was that my reviewers were surprised at how thick the lotion is at first. It’s definitely not watery and does take some time to rub in. The scent was appealing to most, and many appreciated Banana Boat having a more natural product. Many parents found that the sunscreen was great on sensitive skin and other “owies” on their kids, while one parent observed an eczema flare up but wasn’t sure if it was attributable to the product (as a mom of two eczema prone kids I get it, everything is suspect!)
Here’s just a few of the many reviews I received – thank you to every single person who submitted a review!
One of my reviewers has won a $50 Visa gift card! See who at the bottom of this post!
I am absolutely in LOVE with this new Banana Boat Natural Reflect kids sunscreen! My 3 year old son is very fair with blonde hair, he burns very quickly! The first nice day we have had I slathered him up with this sunscreen and we went outside to play in the warm sun (30 above temp) Typically I would reapply sunscreen to my son every hour in these temps, but I only had to apply this sunscreen every 4 hours! I love that this sunscreen is non greasy and absorbs quickly. He had a few scrapes on his knees from falling off his bike and I was able to apply this right over his scrapes and it didn’t sting him at all! Thank you for such a great product! I will be recommending this to all my friends and family with children! – Crystal E.
Upon initial application, I found the lotion very thick but then noticed how quickly it spread and absorbed. The texture in non greasy, but leaves a slight shimmer allowing me to see what areas I missed.
I personally tested it on a sunny and windy day. With one application to my face, upper chest, and arms, I was protected for 5 hours, with the exception of my nose. I didn’t burn, but noticed I did have a cute pink colouring around my glasses. I recommend additional application to sensitive areas as such.
The container bounced around my purse all day, and I knew the packaging was secure, and was not at risk of the contents spewing through my purse.
Overall, I am very pleased with the product, and very appreciative to it being fragrance free. – Debbie W.
We tested out the Banana Boat Natural Reflect Kids Sunscreen during our day at the zoo. It was a hot, sunny day so we all decided to use the sunscreen (not just the kids). First of all, I liked the packaging. I loved the flip top instead of a screw off top – so much easier to use while lotioning up! The size of the tube was perfect. It easily fit in my purse so we could reapply throughout the day.
The sunscreen went on very smoothly and didn’t leave any greasy feeling behind. I love the fact that it’s tear-free and sting-free so my boys didn’t complain that it was running into their eyes when they started to get sweaty.
We spent over four hours at the zoo and all came home without any redness or burns. I felt like this sunscreen worked every bit as well as a regular sunscreen but without the harsh ingredients so we will be using it regularly from now on. – Jonnie H.
I was really excited to be able to try out a “natural” sunscreen for my kids. I have a 7 year old and 6 month old and it is hard to find something they both can use that doesn’t have a lot of crap in it. But sadly once I tried it I was not to impressed with how it was absorbed into the kids skin. My oldest complained the whole time saying it felt like I was putting glue on him and honestly I had to agree. I tried using it on the baby but again it would not absorb like I would have hoped and I really had to rub to make sure it was absorbed . When applying sunscreen on my kids I need something quick and easy as my 7 year old is go go go. I don’t have 10-15 minutes to sit and rub it in.
I would say that once it was on it worked got the job done and it was nice to not have that strong sunscreen smell. But I will not buy it as like I said it does not absorb well into the skin. – Tiffany S.
My kids are out doors before breakfast and only come inside to grab food and use the bathroom (a huge improvement over last year’s “watering the grass” stage) and my daughter is as fair as any princess out there, hence we use a lot of sunscreen. When I first opened the Natural Reflect bottle my reaction was “this is so thick”, not drippy and watery like others I have used. It was like a real cream! It did not leave my hands greasy or filmy, a perk for mom. I loved that my kids did not smell like a tanning booth and they did too! My daughter skinned her knee the day we started using Natural Reflect and I was pleased to see that it did not bother her knee nor did it sting her boo boo at all, this is great news as one of my kids usually has a scratch or cut somewhere on their body (neither is named Grace for a reason). When it is applied in starts out white until rubbed in, making it easier to lessen “missed spots” and keep my kid’s skin safe.
I really enjoyed this product. It is small enough to be tucked in my purse and the non-greasy formula allows it to be applied anywhere without having to clean up. I would purchase this product again without a second thought. – Cindy B.
My whole family has been using Banana Boat Natural Reflect (spf 50) for over a month now and the verdict is in …. it works fantastic! Our whole family is fair skinned and both my husband and daughter are red heads so we have to use products that are sensitive on their skin and they MUST protect them from getting burned. Banana Boat Natural Reflect does all that and more! It is non-greasy, provides good coverage and has no strong after smell. We really like how only a little bit of lotion will cover a fair amount of skin. I plan to purchase 2 more tubes, one for my ‘purse/bag of everything’ and another for the afterschool Daycare programme. It’s reassuring to know this sunscreen really does work. Sensitive, fair-skinned families can be confident in knowing that this lotion is very effective & it protects. – Carrie N.
I’ve always been one to be careful about what sunscreen lotion I put on my baby and toddler. It’s very important to me to choose a sunscreen that includes natural ingredients, is paraben free and is waterproof. These types of natural sunscreens do exist but usually at a very high price point and in a specialty store. When I was given the opportunity to test the new Banana Boat® Natural ReflectTM Kids Sunscreen Lotion I was very excited to learn that a reputable and recognizable brand now offered this type of product.
Although we haven’t had the warmest of springs in Ontario it is alarming to know that the UV index can be very high even when temperatures are not. Whenever we head outside to play, I apply sunscreen to my toddler’s sensitive skin. What I like about this new Banana Boat® product is that while it goes on white (thanks to natural zinc oxide) so you can see where you’ve applied it, it rubs in quickly and the white disappears. It is not greasy at all and doesn’t stain clothing. It is also tear-free and hypoallergenic. Two very important selling features for this mom! Most importantly, after using this sunscreen and being outside for hours, there wasn’t a trace of pink on my little guy’s skin. He was truly protected, naturally.
I will definitely purchase this sunscreen for the summer and would recommend it to all moms looking for safe and effective sun protection for their little ones. – Jennifer M.
^^ Congratulations Jennifer M. above! You are the winner of the $50 Visa Gift Card! Thank you again to all of you – enjoy your Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen this summer!
Thank you so much for the opportunity AND for the gift card!
Thank you Tenille for the opportunity and congrats Jennifer!