Drug Store Beauty: Friday Cheapies : Banana Boat Ultra Protect Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50

Aloha! I just discovered a folder full of unreviewed goodies dating back to my ... honeymoon last year! It was such a nostalgic walk down the park... er... even if it was just a little over 6 months ago. *shy* I found an item that I ~totally~ was blown over with, and promised that I would blog about it cos it was so awesome... but then I totally forgot about it! Although I only got 2 uses out of it, it is a "definitely works" thing for me, and I'm thinking of buying a full-size tube of Banana Boat's Ultra Protect Sunscreen Lotion. Going at about RM26 for a 90ml bottle, I think it's worth it.

A lot of people might think that sunscreen is not necessary, but :
- I was on my honeymoon and I was going to a lot of places out in the sun. I did NOT want to burn!
- Once I tan, it takes a long time before my skintone evens out again. I'm not one of those people who burn, skin peels off, and then back to normal
- Sunscreen protects from skin burning as well as blocking UVB / UVA rays. This one from Banana Boat blocks from UVB rays, which is the kind that causes sunburns, melanoma, and basal cell skin cancers. The UVA protection comes from their AvoTriplex technology which I will elaborate on below. UVA rays (both short and long) cause the long-term effects of premature wrinkling and aging of the skin.

I got this sample sachet from the Vanity Trove x Watsons beauty box in Singapore. Yes, I really do use samples, and yes, I will finish them all sooner or later! *determined*

As you can see from the above, it is :
a) Sun tested & sun proven (this is their registered trademark, but I can't find any further information on it. How did they test it? How long in the sun??)
b) Enriched with vitamins C & E (which are powerful antioxidants, helps prevent skin aging)
c) Sheer, lightweight
d) Very water resistant
e) Has AvoTriplex technlogy to protect from UVA rays - AvoTriplex™ is Banana Boat's patented new technology that maintains broad UVA coverage over time – the skin-damaging rays that can cause wrinkles. This triple-packed technology features:

UVA Absorber: Powerful Avobenzone
Stabilizer: Prevents the Avobenzone from breaking down under the sun
Enhancer: “Synchronizes” energy for more efficient protection

I was REALLY pleased with the results of using Banana Boat's sunscreen during my holiday. Firstly - I totally love how it is REALLY sheer and lightweight. I could use it on my face, and it didn't feel like I literally had a SHIELD on my face. Everything was still very breathable, and at the end of the day, it didn't cause clogged pores or horrible breakouts. Wonderful, since I'm on holiday and I would love to camho more. =p

Although I was no where near the beach, it was awesome that it was water resistant as well because -- I was sweating a lot! With some sunscreens, sometimes you just feel like your sweat + sunscreen gets melted off together when you sweat. In fact, you might see your sweat is not like water droplets, but looks milky cos it's mixed with all the sunscreen, hahaha! Ok, don't imagine too much, please.

Lastly, there's no horrible smell associated with this sunscreen. Really a case of "leave it on, forget about it". At the end of the day, I managed to stay my usual skin color and I didn't burn or get tanned. Super A++++ ok! Love this sunscreen!

In case you're wondering if you should get a SPF 100 or even SPF 130 (yes, there are brands that go way beyond!), here is what SPF means : SPF means "sun protection factor", and the mathematical formula = time to burn * SPF multiplier. If you use an SPF 30 sunscreen, and you usually take 10 minutes in the sun to burn, it means if you use the SPF 30 sunscreen, you will take 10 * 30 = 300 minutes to burn instead. 300 minutes = 5 hours, pretty decent protection. Of course, if you stay in the sun longer than that, you will have to reapply. Also, there are cases where some people do not apply ENOUGH sunscreen in the first place to get the real SPF 30 multiplier. Don't be so stingy! =) If you use a droplet and expect it to cover your arms, legs and face ... well, don't blame the product if you get burned in the end.

With an SPF 50 product, you would take 500 minutes to burn, which is around 8 hours and 20 minutes? That's pretty decent coverage, especially if you only head out at 10am -- you won't need to reapply til 6pm++. By then, the sun is probably not that hot anyway. Hence, a lot of people are saying that SPF 100 and above is getting ridiculous. Companies are in fact advised to cap it at SPF 50!

Well, that's all from my today, hope you would consider Banana Boat for your sunscreen instead of splurging on crazier products. I once had an Avene sunscreen. A titchy tube that was REALLY heavy on my skin and seemed to finish after two uses! It worked, but it is super expensive! About RM80 for a 50ml tube. *fainted* It's a tinted sunscreen, but I don't even need tinted sunscreen with Banana Boat because it is super sheer, it's totally not visible on my skin. It won't leave any white streaks on your face! Sometimes cheaper products do the trick too!

Some random "in the sun" pictures from my honeymoon. =)