For many, summer is around the corner, and it’s time to break out the sunscreen to protect skin from UV while wearing swimsuits and sports gear. Banana Boat Sport Performance CoolZone Lotion SPF 50 “instantly cools and refreshes skin” with its aloe-enriched formula, and the broad-spectrum UVA/UVB formula claims to provide “resilient, water-resistant (80 min) protection for any sport activity” in a “non-greasy and fast-absorbing” lotion. This column will review the ingredient listing for functionality and claims substantiation.
For many, summer is around the corner, and it’s time to break out the sunscreen to protect skin from UV while wearing swimsuits and sports gear. Banana Boat Sport Performance CoolZone Lotion SPF 50 “instantly cools and refreshes skin” with its aloe-enriched formula, and the broad-spectrum UVA/UVB formula claims to provide “resilient, water-resistant (80 min) protection for any sport activity” in a “non-greasy and fast-absorbing” lotion. This column will review the ingredient listing for functionality and claims substantiation.
This product is a water-in-oil emulsion with the active UVA filter avobenzone (3.0%), and UVB filters homosalate (8.0%) and octylcrylene (4%). The primary vehicles and/or carriers are water and denatured alcohol, the latter of which contributes to the “cooling” effect due to evaporation.
The emollient moisturizers are ethylhexyl palmitate and dimethicone, and glycerin is a humectant. Cetearyl alcohol is a thickener and stabilizer for the emulsifying system of ceteth-10 phosphate and dicetyl phosphate, and silica helps to absorb excess oil for the “non-greasy” claim.
Sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP crosspolymer and Citrus aurantium sinensis (orange) fiber are emulsion stabilizers, and acrylates/C12-22 alkyl methacrylate copolymer is a film-former for “resilience” and water-resistance. Menthyl lactate and menthol are also cooling sensory agents.
The “bio-active” or cosmeceutical ingredients are sodium ascorbyl phosphate (stabilized vitamin C), tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) and Aloe barbadensis leaf juice. Gellan gum is a thickener and triethanolamine is the pH adjuster, to neutralize the acrylic polymers; disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. Also, the product is fragranced.
Caprylyl glycol is the only “preservative,” which is not broad-spectrum but because the denatured alcohol appears high up in the ingredient listing, little preservative is required for this formula. In this author's opinion, the ingredients in this formula do support the marketing claims.
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 2.5%, Homosalate 5.0%, Octocrylene 4.0%. Inactive Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Acryloylimethyltaurate/VP Crosspolymer, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Menthyl Lactate, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Silica, Citrus Aurantium Sinesis (Orange) Fiber, Triethanolamine, Gellan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Menthol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Fragrance (Parfum).
