Average Cost: $4-6/.55oz stick
Official URL: http://bananaboat.com/
Age Range: 6mos and up (or with pediatric recommendation)
Rating:

The Sunscreen Stick is a genius invention. It’s about the size of a glue stick, with the same familiar “twist to dispense” action. This little sunscreen by Banana Boat Kids has found a permanent home in my diaper bag. It’s perfect for applying sunscreen to the face of a wiggly toddler on those fall, winter or spring days when not enough of your body is exposed to merit toting along a full thing of sunscreen. I’m also planning on using this heavily in the summer months as it’s easier for facial application than the spray-on or cream sunscreens which somehow always end up in my daughter’s eyes.

SCENT

This sunscreen stick has a slight organic scent of beeswax and Caoco butter. Its pleasant and the lack of heavy perfumes makes it gentle enough for children that are sensitive to perfumes. The ingredients list “fragrance”, however my nose couldn’t detect anything, so whatever fragrance this sunscreen contains is very subtle.

APPLICATION

Applying this sunscreen is easier than I expected. You simply run the stick over your face as if applying lip balm, and then use your fingertips to blend it in to any creases or areas that you missed. When you first apply it there’s a slight sheen that lets you see where you have applied it and that disappears as you rub it in.

As with most sunscreens, this sunscreen stick should be applied 15 minutes before exposure to the sun to allow it to penetrate and start working. If you’re swimming, sweating, or using a towel you should re-apply the sunscreen frequently as it may wear off.

TEXTURE

The texture of this sunscreen is very similar to the texture of chapstick. It has that slightly waxy feeling that, once applied, has a therapeutic feeling rather than feeling heavy or oily. Some of its inactive ingredients are moisturizers that help soothe the skin while protecting it, which makes it a pleasure to apply over a pre-existing sunburn.

Its chapstick-like appearance and texture had me worried that it would melt easily. I’ve left it in my diaper bag on warm and sunny days at about 70 degrees and it hasn’t become even slightly tacky. I’d still be hesitant to leave it in the glove compartment of my car, but it seems to hold up well without melting under normal conditions.

HOW IT WORKS

This sunscreen is a “chemical” sunscreen rather than a “physical” sunblock. Sunscreens work by absorbing UVA (“aging” rays) and UVB (burn rays) and converting them from light to heat, thus preventing them from reaching the skin. Sunblocks work by physically blocking/deflecting the rays rather than absorbing or converting them.

The “Sun Protection Factor” of this product is 30. This applies to its protection from UVB (burn rays) only. The easiest way to understand the SPF of a product is that a sunscreen with a SPF of 30 will protect you for 30 times the amount of time it would normally take for you to burn without any sunscreen at all. So if you normally burn after 20 minutes of sun exposure, a sunscreen with SPF 30 will protect you for 600 minutes. (30*20) or approximately 10 hours as long as the sunscreen isn’t washed, sweated or rubbed off. Quite impressive!

INGREDIENTS

Active Ingredients: Homosalate (7.0%), Octinoxate (7.5%), Octisalate (5.0%), Octocrylene (8.0%), Oxybenzone (6.0%)

Inactive Ingredients: Ozokerite, Isocetyl Alcohol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil (Castor), Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut), Bees Wax, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter (Cocoa), Silica, Isobutylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben, Methylparaben, BHT, Fragrance

SAFETY

As with all sunscreens this product should be kept out of reach of children and the Poison Control Center should be called immediately if this product is swallowed. If this product gets into the eyes, rinse thoroughly with water and contact your doctor if irritation persists. The cap on this product can also pose a choking hazard, so this is definitely not an item to allow your toddler to play with.

Those concerned about chemical safety will be happy to know that this product is PABA free, but may want to note that this product contains Oxybenzone, a photocarcinogen that has come under fire in Europe.

This product, as with all chemical sunscreens can cause allergic reactions or contact dermatitis in those that are sensitive. This is fairly rare, but if your child has uniquely sensitive skin you may prefer to go with a physical sunblock rather than a sunscreen. The risk of allergic reactions is why most pediatricians recommend against using sunblock or sunscreen on infants under 6 months old.

BOTTOM LINE

This sunscreen is very easy to apply to a squirming child, and is less oily than spray/cream sunscreens. While it isn’t practical to use for all-over sun protection it is great for applying to the face, ears, lips and nose. Its small size has made it a permanent addition to my diaper bag for emergency re-application on the go, or for when the sun unexpectedly peeks out of the clouds. If you’re like me and frequently end up angry with yourself for forgetting the sunscreen at home, this little tube is inexpensive enough to stock up on and keep in every diaper bag and purse that you own. I highly recommend it to any mom looking to add to her sun protection arsenal.