Banana Boat Natural Reflect Baby Sunscreen Lotion 50 SPF Claim: 100% Naturally Source Sunscreen Ingredients

Out of the 21 ingredients listed in this product, 8 are considered to be toxic, though admittedly a couple of those are mild toxins.  I should also state that out of those 21 ingredients  I could not find any information regarding 4 of those listed.  If you assume all of these ingredients are toxic (that's just an assumption to help make a point) that only equals 12.  12 out of 21 is not so bad considering that the other Banana Boat sunscreen that I wrote about had 20 out of 27 ingredients that were considered to be moderate to severely toxic. It's not great, but it is a step in the right direction.  With social awareness and pressure, I am optimistic that things will only improve, and companies will be forced to continue purging from their products all of those ingredients that are so toxic.  I really hate sounding "preachy", it's never my intention but only by standing up as a collective whole can we as consumers advocate for what is in our best interests.  For anyone out there looking for an alternative sunscreen that provides protection without a lot of the heavy toxins, here are a few links to products that are gentler for younger kids.



Banana Boat Natural Reflect Baby Sunscreen Lotion 50 SPF 

Claim: 100% Naturally Source Sunscreen Ingredients

Ingredients:

Medicinal:

Zinc Oxide

Titanium Dioxide

Non-Medicinal:

Aqua

Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride

Octyldodecyl Citrate Crosspolymer

Butyloctyl Salicylate

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone

Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone

Ozokerite

Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene

C30-38 Oleub/Isopropyl Maleate/MA Copolymer

Sodium Chloride

Dimethicone

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

PEG-8

Alumina

Glycerin

Sodium Citrate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Aloe Barbdensis Leaf Juice

Ingredients:
Medicinal:

Zinc Oxide:  is an inorganic oxide.  It is used as a skin protectant and a sunscreen agent.   There appears to be concern over the toxicity of this ingredient.  It is considered to be an environmental toxin.  It is also considered to be an occupational hazard but only in it is airborne.  It is also considered to be a respiratory toxin but again, only in products that are areosolized.  So perhaps stay away from a sunscreen that is a spray-on if it contains zinc oxide.  It is also considered to be an allergen.

Titanium dioxide: is derived from titanium and oxygen.  It is used to impart whiteness in personal care products and absorbs or reflects light which helps to protect the product from deterioration.  It is considered to be a medium health priority, with limited evidence of it being a carcinogen.  Some studies have shown it to be a positive mutagen.

Non-Medicinal:

Water:  H2O, the stuff we drink.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: is generally derived from coconut oil.  When used in skin care products it helps to moisturize dry skin.  It also reduces protein loss when used in hair care products such as shampoo/conditioner.  Its general purpose is to improve the feel and spreadability of creams.  It is also a suitable carrier for oil infusions among other things.  Although coconut oil has been deemed dangerous due to high levels of saturated fats and lauric acid which causes high blood pressure, it does not have the same reputation in personal care products.  It has been regarded as safe, even for pregnant woman to use.  However, there is a small population of people who still have reactions to this ingredient.  One worthy thing to note is this, it can be used as a personal lubricant, however it may cause damage to latex condoms.  An interesting piece of information.

Octyldodecyl Citrate Crosspolymer:  This ingredient appears to be fairly new. I say this because of the lack of information regarding this ingredient.  Even the Environmental Working Group doesn't supply any information.  According to an MSDS form, it states that this ingredient is safe and does not consist of any harmful ingredients.  I will continue to keep and eye out for any information pertaining to this ingredient as time goes on.
http://www.surfatech.com/pdfs/MSDS%20Cosmosurf%20CE-100HV.pdf

Butyloctyl Salicylate:  also known as beta hydroxy acid, it is found in the bark of willow trees.  It is used as a hair and skin conditioning agent.  It is not expected to be toxic to humans or to the environment.

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone:  this ingredient is a combination of a few different chemicals.  it is a silicon based polymer with PEG and PPG.  It is used as a skin conditioning agent.  It is thought to be a non-reproductive organ toxin.  There is also concerns over contamination with other known toxins such as  ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane.

Lauryl PEG-8 Dimethicone: there appears to be very little information on this ingredient.  The Environmental Working Group does not even have a listing on it.  The information I could gather states that it is generally used as an emulsifier, and a surfactant.  There appears to be great data groups on its toxicity, most sites listing toxicity as an N/A.  I will keep my looking into this ingredient and will update my blogs when further information becomes available.
http://www.siltechcorp.com/msds/P2527.pdf

Ozokerite:  this ingredient is a wax and is derived from either coal and shale, or petroleum.  It is used as a viscosity controlling agent, a binder, and an emulsifier.  It is not considered to be toxic to humans or to the environment, nor are they considered to be irritants.

http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient_details.php?ingredient_id=443

Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene:  this is an ingredient that does not have a lot of information available.  The Environmental Working Group does not even have information listed. It appears to be a photo-stabilizer.  There may be concern regarding this ingredient and cancer, however I was unable to find enough substantial proof of this.  At this point it seems as though the general toxicity information is lacking and will require further investigating when more information is made available. 

C30-38 Olefin/Isopropyl Meleate/MA Copolymer:  is a copolymer of a few different chemicals.  It is used as a viscosity controlling agent and an emulsifying agent.  It appears to be of low toxicity, although that could be in part to the lack on research.  I had a really hard time finding any information on this ingredient,  I am hoping with time and awareness that more information will be available.

Sodium Chloride: is your everyday salt.  It is not considered to be toxic and is used as a cleansing agent as well as a thickener. Dimethicone: also known as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) which is a silicone oil.  It is used in shampoos to lubricate hair and make it easier to comb and adds shine.  In creams it acts as a skin protectant and an emulsifier.  The FDA has deemed it safe to use.  However most people have heard of the horror stories with silicone breast implants leading companies to switch to saline filled implants.  Other side effects linked to PDMS include allergic reactions from mild to severe as well as a worsening in dryness.  Although the data is limited, it appears to also cause non-reproductive toxicity as well as links to environmental toxicity due to the toxins being bioaccummulative.  This means it builds up and builds up in our soils and sediments. Phenoxyethanol: Is a fairly new ingredient, it is a glycol either and is used as a bactericide.  It is generally considered safer then the traditional formaldehyde releasing agents, however the FDA has stated that it can depress the central nervous system which could cause vomiting, diarrhea and can cause dehydration in infants.  There have been concerns of this product being carcinogenic due to the ingredients it is derived from. Sodium Citrate: it is the sodium salts of citric acid.  It is used as a emulsifier and is often used as a chelating and pH balancing agent.  It is not considered to be toxic to humans or to the environment.    Caprylyl Glycol:  is also known as 1,2-octanediol.  It is used as a skin and hair conditioning agent. It may also have antimicrobial activity.  It is considered to be of low toxicity to humans and the environment.  PEG-8:  like all PEG's is a polyethylene glycol.  It is used as a humectant and a solvent.  There is concerns over this ingredient being contaminated with other toxins such as 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide.  It is also considered to be a non-reproductive organ system toxin.   Alumina: is aluminium oxide.  it is used as an anti-caking, bulking, and viscosity controlling agent.  It is considered to be a non-reproductive organ system toxin, an environmental toxin (persistent  and bioaccumulative) and it also enhances skin absorption.  This makes it possible for other toxins to enter the skin barrier. Glycerin: is pretty benign and of low toxicity.  It is used in products mainly because it is affective at improving the smoothness of the product and is a good lubricant.  Glycerin is a byproduct of bio-diesel.  However, all you vegans take note.  This form is very expensive, therefore it is more often derived from animal fats such as beef and vegetable oils such as coconut or soy beans.  Therefore some products that list glycerin in their ingredients may not be vegan. Sodium Citrate: it is the sodium salts of citric acid.  It is used as a emulsifier and is often used as a chelating and pH balancing agent.  It is not considered to be toxic to humans or to the environment.    Tocopheryl Acetate: is also known as vitamin E acetate.  It is used in skin care as an antioxidant, and a skin conditioning agent.  According to some studies, it has shown to be mutagenic, a broad systemic toxin, as well has human skin toxin. Aloe Barbandensis Leaf Juice: Also known as Aloe vera.  It is used for it's rejuvenating and healing/soothing properties.  Can cause diarrhea if too much is ingested.  Photoxicty and erythema have been reported through topical application.  Though that could be linked to an allergic reaction, the information surrounding this information is very limited.  Overall, aloe appears to be of low toxicity, low environmental toxicity and not carcinogenic. TN