4.55 out of 5 – Kidspot mums would purchase Banana Boat sunscreen again and recommend it to their friends and family.
Have fun in the summer sun with Banana Boat
Kiwis are very aware of the harmful effects of the sun but recent research* shows that we aren’t that great at keeping up with our sun smart routines. Do you remember to reapply sunscreen after two hours in the sun? Or after swimming? The research revealed that in the past 12 months 35% of Kiwi kids have been sunburnt and parents admitted that forgetting or finding it too time consuming was their main reasons for not applying or reapplying sunscreen to their kids.
How much? As a guide, each application requires 7 teaspoons of product – 1 per limb, 1 for your front, 1 for your back and one for your face, neck and ears
How often? Reapply at least every two hours or more often after swimming, sweating or towelling off – make it simple for yourself by setting a timer on your phone
“Reapplying sunscreen at the right time is really important, but less than a third of Kiwis are reapplying every two hours according to the research, putting families at risk of sun damage. It’s also very important to remember to reapply after swimming, perspiring or towelling off.” (Associate Professor Rosemary Nixon, Consultant Dermatologist).
Banana Boat top tips for having fun in the sun:
- Remember that sunscreen is only one part of protecting your family this summer!
- Apply your sunscreen 20 minutes before going outside.
- You will need to use 7 teaspoons of sunscreen per application
- Reapply at least every two hours, especially after swimming and towel drying.
- Get covered – wear protective clothing and find shade.
- Avoid the sun during the hottest times of the day.
- Check the expiry dates on your sunscreen – you may need to restock.
New Banana Boat Dry Balance™ SPF 50+ Sunscreen lets you have fun in the sun without feeling greasy or sticky. The formula combines SPF 50+ broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection with a formula that draws away excess moisture, leaving a soft matte finish that lets skin breathe – so your skin feels fresh, dry and comfortable.
Banana Boat offers a broad range of sun care products for families including products formulated especially for babies and kids, so your family can stay protected while having fun in the sun! Banana Boat Kids sun care products feature:
- SPF50+ Broad spectrum UVA/ UVB protection
- 4 hours water resistant
- Won’t run into eyes
- Non-greasy
- Fragrance free
- Fast and easy to apply
- Gentle formulation for young skin
- Roll on, pump bottle
Find out more at bananaboat.co.nz, or visit Banana Boat on Facebook for summer tips, competitions and the latest product information.
Each selected reviewer will receive:
- 1 x Banana Boat Dry Balance Lotion SPF 50+ (175ml)
- 1 x Banana Boat Baby Roll On SPF 50+ (75ml)
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(NB scroll to the bottom of the page to add your review as a comment).
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*400 New Zealand adults were surveyed online by CoreData in October 2017.
We have loved trialling the two Banana Boat sunscreens. The roll on baby sunscreen is very easy to apply to young kids and even if I accidentally get it in their eyes they don’t scream. Both our 3 year old and 8 month old haven’t been sun burnt since we’ve been using this sunscreen, and that is after hours at the pool or at the beach. We do reapply it every hour or so and always put it on half an hour before heading out in the sun.
I love the dry balance sunscreen for myself. It doesn’t have the typical sunscreen scent, it smells more like watermelon. It has a matte finish so doesn’t leave you looking like a grease ball. I use it everyday now and feel like I’m well protected without looking like I’m lathered in sun cream.
I will purchase these products from now on and can highly recommend them. I was sceptical with the bad press around the sunscreens but we haven’t had any bad experiences with them.
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Thanks so much for choosing us to trial the banana boat product. Used it heaps over the holidays 🙂 The Banana Boat Dry Balance SPF 50+ sunscreen is very impressive. Easy to apply, spreads around easily and easy rub in so it doesnt stay white, small slim bottle easy for storage, nice smell and best of all Not greasy…. 🙂 Loved the roll on for my twins soo easy to apply and it is a novelty for them rubbing it on themselves and wiping in…..(also my husband n I forgot our sunscreen the other day and used the roll on and it worked a treat!) thanks again for
choosing me for the trial and will def. been purchasing more when these are run out
Truth be told, when I signed up for this trial I was sceptical of the brand as there has been a lot of media coverage about it not meeting the stated UV protection ratings. However I was pleasantly surprised after using both products at how well they performed. The Banana Boat Baby sunscreen worked extremely well against my toddlers skin and didn’t cause any rashes or eczema. The only issues were that I found it didn’t roll on enough sunscreen and I had to reapply it multiple times before we went in the sun, and also the expiry date rubbed off as soon as I picked up the bottle as I had sunscreen on my hands. I would sugggest putting the expiry date on the bottom of the bottle or have it imprinted so it doesn’t run off.
The first thing I noticed about the Dry Balance sunscreen is that it smells absolutely delicious!! It is easy to apply, feels smooth and dry on the skin, and the bottle is a convenient shape to throw in the bag and go. I will definitely be buying the Banana Boat Dry Balance sunscreen and highly recommend it!
Both sunscreens were fantastic!! My kids are not babies, but have super sensitive skin, the baby roll on sunscreen has been perfect for them. There was a spot I missed (my bad) on my son, and it got burnt, but everywhere that was covered was completely fine.
The adults sunscreen has been awesome for myself and my husband. Yesterday both got really put to the test as we were in the sun ALL DAY, and not a single patch of sunburn for any of us.
My daughter also made the comment that they smell nicer than other sunscreens. BONUS!
Thanks so much for choosing us to trial the banana boat product. we have used it a lot over the holidays so far on the children and on ourselves. i really love the Banana Boat Dry Balance SPF 50+ sunscreen on myself its amazing and I like that it doesn’t leave me feeling all greasy . the children really liked applying the roll on and so far we have had no sun burn at all!
Very happy and will be purchasing in the future
We have spent a good month and a half giving the two samples of the banana boat sunscreens a good trial run. I have used it on myself and my two children with varying results. I don’t usually use roll on and our experiences with the banana boat one confirmed why I don’t tend to use these roll ons (regardless of the brand.) We did find some redness after an afternoon in the sun – I believe this is because roll ons don’t apply enough of the sunblock compared to when you squirt and rub on. I tried to apply twice on each area and found this worked better. I did love the convenience of this product though – so handy to just chuck in the bag and is good for face and neck as long as you are careful to ensure a good even coverage. It was a little oily but not as bad as some sunscreens and I didn’t feel sticky and hot so it seemed breathable. Possibly I would buy again just for faces and necks and stick to traditional bottles for larger areas.
Now to the dry balance. I loved this sunscreen. A good sized bottle with a lid so it doesn’t end up spilling in your bag like pump bottles tend to. What I loved most about this sunscreen was how light it was. I am usually so uptight about my hands ending up oily that I really detest applying sunscreen and take baby wipes along to the beach to wipe my hands off afterwards. I did not need to do that with this sunscreen. It’s light and absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave the sticky and hot feeling you get with oily sunscreens. I found it great at protecting from the suns rays, although it’s important to reapply after swimming, towelling dry etc This also smelt great – my kids said it smells like lollies. 😉 I will definitely buy this one again – my new favourite sunscreen.
Thank you so much for the chance to review this! We have been loving the summer and the sunscreens came at a perfect time. I’ve been using the baby roll on, on not just my 2 yr old but the whole family! We love it because it’s super gentle and easy for the kids to put on themselves and they actually enjoy it and ask to be sunscreen(ed) before heading outside which is awesome. It gives great sun protection too obviously the main point of the products, and we have had no sunburn with both the roll on and the dry balance formula…..and the and the kids have been living in the pool which has been a great test that both sunscreens passed with flying colours. I like the formula of the dry balance for myself, it absorbs fast and isn’t super greasy and heavy. I also find it has a pleasant soft fragrance to it that reminds me of summer which is nice. Overall super impressed with both and we will continue to use them on the whole family.
thank so much for choosing us to trial this product. we have been using it constantly over the holidays on the children and ourselves. i really love the Banana Boat Dry Balance SPF 50+ sunscreen on myself its amazing and doesn’t leave me feeling all greasy which i love. the children have really liked applying the roll on aswell and so far no sun burn at all! im one happy mum and will be repurchasing this product thankyou
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to trial this great product. It was simple to use, handy size and the best part was you didnt feel like you were caked in a layer of sunscreen. I always find it irritating when sunscreen makes you feel ‘trapped’. I tend to get itchy from sunscreen and this product didnt give me that feeling at all. Its awesome.
Thanks for the chance to try these products. I found the roll on Baby very easy to apply and rubbed in well. Skin felt good after application and not too greasy. It gave quite good protection but one child out of four did get a bit pink around the shoulders but he had spent the most time in the water. The Dry Balance formula I found more effective and possibly more water resistant but a bit greasier on the skin after application. I didn’t like the shape of the bottle though as once the lid was off I had to lie it down in between applying to children. I would prefer it had a flat bottom so it could stand up in between turns. Overall good effective products.
This sunblock had been great for miss 6 on all these hot days we have been having. Last for ages and is non greasy with hardly any smell. The baby roll on has been great to just chuck in her bag when we go out . Would buy this sunblock again. Thanks for the trial of this product
Thanks for letting us review the sunscreen! With a family history of melanoma and new Zealand a harsh sun a good sunscreen that will protect my children is important! Firstly the packaging of the sunscreen is appealing, the pink on the baby roll on isn’t my favourite but is easily noticeable in the cupboard! We applied the sunscreen as directed on the instructions and then went off for our day at the beach, enjoying the sun, sand and water! Reapplied when advised by banana boat and at the end of the day am happy to advise we had no sun burn on either of our two children! Both products lived up to their standard! No complaints here! Easy to apply, no mess no fuss!
Thanks for letting us try this sunscreen! I have 3 young kids and we all use sunscreen every day. I am fair skinned with freckles, but my kids are lucky to have skin that doesn’t burn as easily as mine! That being said, I made sure to test the sunscreens on myself a couple of times before applying to the kids.
I loved the roll-on one, it goes on very easily and at the perfect amount – no big blobs or repeated rolling around the same area. It was very easy for my kids to use themselves which made them feel very independent. This sunscreen goes on like a moisturiser, it spreads easily and absorbs quickly. This would definitely be a great option for kids to take to school to re-apply themselves!
The Dry Balance I wasn’t so keen on, based on the application. I find it smears on the skin and takes a bit to absorb – it just seems to move around on the top of our skin. I’ve tried this one on all of us and get the same result – on dry skin with no other products on it. It does absorb but it takes a bit of work and patience, and I tend to leave it to settle in properly even though it looks like zinc on the skin (I was a bit paranoid that if I tried to work it around too much that we wouldn’t have an even coverage). I can say that none of us got burnt when wearing this sunscreen, but for me it is too much hassle putting it on.
Thanks for letting us sample these sunscreens! The dry balance smelt nice and didn’t have that typical sunscreen smell. It wasn’t greasy and it rubbed in easily. This was my babies first summer so we took caution with the baby sunscreen but she has no reaction at all, and no Sun burn! Will definitely be buying when we run out.
Thanks for allowing us to try these products. I liked the easy apply roll on and the fact the weren’t overly greesy so sand and grass didn’t stick too bad like some sunscreen. The smell was pleasant so putting it on kids faces wasn’t an issue lol.
Size of bottles were good too and the colour made it easy to find in towel bag.
We were lucky enough to be choosen to trial the Banana boat products. I have 4 children with various shades of pale to olive I worry constantly when we are out in the sun that my toddler and my 2 pale children will get burnt. I was once burnt when I was younger and it has stayed with me forever something I would never wish to happen anyone. Plus we are so more aware of the dangers of the sun these days.
I had the roll on which was perfect for my 4 year old she liked the roll on as she hates having it rubbed so the roll on does a great job and she is a girl so loved the pink. It gave good coverage was not too thick and rubbed in easily. It had no smell and no stingy (her words) so what could be a drama of putting on sun screen became so easy. It also fits easily into your handbag or beach bag I also bought 2 other ones and have one in my glove box and one in my toddlers back pack so I know where it is always.
The larger bottle is a cream it I 50+ which is the only thing I will allow my children to wear. I was so surprised again how well this goes on, it rubs in easily but you feel you have great coverage but it drys super quickly so you don’t feel sticky with your t shirt once its poped on over the top or when you go to put your sandels on. My husband who is so fussy about sunscreens but works outside so needs it really enjoyed this product as he liked how it dried quickly as he does not like that oily feeling on your skin or slippery as it is a hazard for his work. I can vouch that hubby and kids have stayed super sun safe no red burnt areas and any product that keeps the toddler and the hubby happy is a winner in our household.
Hi Kidspot,
Thanks for the opportunity to trial these Banana Boat sunscreens. My family and I have found both these products to be great. My son loves using the roll on. He finds it easier to apply and it’s easy to control the amount to use, and there’s no mess. The handy size pops easily in his school bag, or travel bag for overnight stays over the holidays, so he has happily been taking it with him wherever he goes.
The Dry Balance sunscreen in the bottle was also popular. Easy to apply, with no sticky residue feel like other sunscreens, and a pleasant scent. Also easy for all to use and again, control the amount applied, as when you squeeze the bottle it doesn’t pour out too fast like other sunscreens often do.
The sun protection from both of these products has been great. We live on the Hibiscus Coast, and my son is always playing outside. it has been so hot over the past few weeks, and these products have given me peace of mind that my son is going to be sun safe. Riding his bike and playing on his scooter on the reserve that fronts our house daily and no sunburn to be seen. 🙂
All of our 5 family members wear sunscreen on a daily basis throughout summer – but we tend to stick to one or two brands that we perceived had better protection. So we were keen to try the Banana Boat brand.
My eight year old sun is very resistant to applying sunscreen but he deemed the Dry Balance sunscreen ‘awesome’ because of the banana smell. I really liked this one also, because of the non-greasy texture, it felt more like a moisturiser than a sunscreen and had great coverage, yet still offers SPF 50 plus protection.
My three year old enthusiastically embraced the roll-on sunscreen – we found this great for applying to the face because it has a 50 SPF factor, and it’s useful if you don’t want sunscreen on your hands, especially if they’re covered in sand…
As we all have fair Celtic skin, I was most concerned with the level of protection provided. Both sunscreens advise that the sunscreens need to be applied every two hours. We followed this advice, and also view the use of sunscreen as part of a wider routine, which includes being conscious of time spent in the sun, and covering up (hats, rash suits etc.)
Both sunscreens have colourful packaging and were visually appealing to my three kids. Aside from the benefits of not having to chase my children around the house to apply sunscreen, both sunscreens offered good protection, were non-greasy (a big bonus for kids) and were easy to apply, even for my two youngest children. They boast a reasonable price point and I would definitely purchase these as opposed to the brand I had been buying.
Would recommend both Banana boat products.
Hello! I loved the smell of the dry balance it’s hard to find a sunscreen that smells good. Our family loved it. Christmas Day we used it and my sister also loved it. She is going to look for it next time she gets some. It’s applies nicely without any residue it’s great. The girls loved the roll on and they could take it to school to easily re apply. Thank-you so much for the opportunity to trial your products. Our family enjoyed them
Slip Slop and Slapped – Thanks Kidspot and Banana Boat for allowing us to trial Banana Boat Dry Balance SPF 50+ sunscreen and Banana Boat Baby Roll On SPF 50+ and SLOP and ROLL it on our 4 kids aged 1, 5, 8 and 11. We have well used these products well in the beautiful sun over the Christmas and New Year period (although you wouldn’t know today in this storm) and I’m glad to say they worked really well – No sunburn! We did stick to the instructions and had great success at not getting burnt. The Dry Balance sunscreen had a really pleasant smell and the kids loved it. The baby roll on went on very easily. Would highly recommend to other families and would consider buying myself to keep the family protected from the sun. (I tried to attach a photo of my youngest getting Slip Slop Slapped by hubby but not sure if it worked sorry).
We were lucky enough to be triallists of this sunscreen. Our family of 3 adults and 1 child spent a whole day at the pools in the sun, and we used the Dry Balance sunscreen. It spread onto the skin easily, and we re-applied it once during the day – around 5 hours in the water and the sun. No problems, and no sunburn. The next time we had a day in the sun we took the Baby rollon for space saving reasons. Again, we applied it in the morning, but no swimming this time so we didn’t re-apply. We were in the sun for approx 4 hours, and no sunburn or problems.
Thanks so much for including us in this trial. Perfect timing for the ample amount of sunshine we have had as of late! I was really pleased to try this particular roll on with my baby. She has not had a baby-specific sunscreen yet and I found this product to be really good for her! No skin irritation, easy to apply and non-greasy. I particularly enjoyed the Dry Balance sunscreen as it was so easy to use, non-greasy and we just LOVED the smell! No skin irritation from this product either and we followed the guidelines to ensure we applied it when required and none of us got burnt 🙂
Our wee family were given the opportunity to test out the essential summer product, the new Banana Boat Dry Balance SPF 50+ sunscreen as well as the Banana Boat Baby Roll On SPF 50+. This was perfect because, as a fair skinned family, we go through a lot of sunblock and it can be tricky finding the right one each summer. This year I have also had a new baby who is now 10 months so finding sunscreen that protects their delicate skin is so important.
Miss 4 and I have been using the new Dry Balance sunscreen and I have been very impressed. The bottle is nice and slim so it doesn’t take up much space in the bag. It’s easy to apply, we just squirted straight on to each part of the body and rubbed it in. It has very good coverage and you don’t need a large amount as it is easily spread. It has a great smell, nice and fresh. I like how it doesn’t feel heavy and sticky like other sunblock.
I used the roll on for miss 10 months and again found it to be an easy to use product. Fits nicely in her baby bag. Rolls on evenly and is easy to spread on her face and limbs (even with her trying to grab at it and wriggle around)
The first time we used it, we went and had a play at a new splash pad that had opened up in our district. I was a bit unsure about how it would stand up to the water test but they were both great. No sunburn and their skin didn’t feel slippery and gross like it sometimes does when water and sunblock meet.
We have been applying it almost daily for the past couple of weeks and there is still quite a lot left (maybe half the bottle, although it’s hard to tell) but so far we have managed to avoid sunburn which is great, I usually get bad sunburn at least twice every year, but so far so good (touch wood)
We have used it at the beach and Dusty playgrounds and miss 4 doesn’t get all grity and dirty from the sand sticking to the sunblock which is great and it also didn’t drip into our eyes when we started to get all hot and (slightly) sweaty/melty like some sunblock does.