Banana Boat Aloe Vera Gel Review

It was bound to happen sometime.  Since the day we bought our boat I just knew that at some point  I would get well and truly fried. Getting fried is actually tougher than it might seem in our household. My husband acts like a mother hen most of the time, chastising me constantly until I grudgingly put on SPF 30 sunscreen. But this time we were out on an overcast day and I complained, "I just want a little color! When I put on sunscreen I get no color!"  Well let me tell you, color - I got. My husband couldn't even look at me without laughing and moaning, "Oh you poor thing!" at my lobsterfied face. I knew we had some aloe vera products under the bathroom sink so I reached below and pulled out Banana Boat Aloe Vera Gel.

About Banana Boat Aloe Vera Gel
Banana Boat also makes sunscreens, but I seem to have the most experience with this gel. It comes in a couple of sizes, I have the 16 ounce bottle. The bottle claims that this product is "Like having an aloe leaf in a bottle", which I somewhat disagree with. Aloe is clear, after all, straight from the leaf. This stuff is a vividly colored, bright alien-like green. I think I last saw this color back when the aliens were spurting blood on "V: The Miniseries".

Banana Boat claims that this product provides cooling and soothing relief for your skin after sun exposure. They also claim that it can be used to soothe "minor burns, skin irritations, dry and rough skin" in addition to sunburned skin.

Ingredients: Water, SD Alcohol 40, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Fragrance, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Benzophenone-4, Yellow 5, Blue 1

Using the Gel
The directions on the back of the bottle say that this product can be applied freely on the body and face, and to reapply as desired. No limits are suggested. Bathe in it if you wish.

The product squeezes easily out of the bottle and is still very green, but when rubbed on skin easily fades into your skin, so you're still as nice and red as ever. There's a very slight scent to the gel, and after giving it several good, strong, intense sniffs the best way to describe it is that the scent smells for all the world like spray starch to me. Seriously. Easy On spray starch - that's the smell of this gel. Which isn't terrible. And if you're as sunburned as I was, frankly is the least of your worries.

The product feels tacky until it dries, but once it dries into your skin it's smooth. In spite of the garish color, I have never noticed any staining of fabrics from use of this gel.

How Well It Works
No matter what it smells like, looks like, rubs on like, or costs, the biggest question for a sunburn relief product is: How well does it ease the pain of a strong sunburn. I'm happy to report that it eases the pain, at least a little. It doesn't have quite the power that Lidocaine or other numbing-agents seem to have over resolving the pain of sunburn, but it does cool the skin a little bit.

What helps even more, I have found, is to keep the aloe vera gel in the refrigerator. We have a handy small refrigerator on our second level near the bedroom, so I keep this gel in there. That makes it go on nice and cold, which delivers some very welcome immediate relief.

How Much it Costs & Where to Buy
Usually grocery stores and drugstores like CVS stock up on Banana Boat Aloe Vera Gel in the summer. If you're trying to find it off-season, good luck. Best bet then is to go on the Internet. The 16 ounce bottle retails for around $8, which may seem expensive, but this stuff has lasted me forever. Of course it helps that I rarely get sunburned.

Cat's Bottom Line
Don't be stupid, wear sunscreen. But if you are stupid, as we all are bound to be some days, it's nice to have Banana Boat Aloe Vera Gel on hand to relieve the pain of your stupidity. I highly recommend this product to anyone looking for aloe vera-based skin relief.

Company Information:
Customer Service: 1-800-SafeSun, Mon-Fri
Web: http://www.bananaboat.com