Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF vs Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz: which is safer?

Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz is the clear pick. Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF

Banana Boat

Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 8/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Water-resistant lotion emulsion (unspecified surfactants/polymers)

Confidence

45%

PossibleUndisclosed waterproofing polymer composition

ReportedUV filter photostability (oxybenzone or avobenzone breakdown)

PossibleContact sensitization from fragrance or emulsifiers

Our pick

Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz

Goddess Garden

Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 6 oz

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 92/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes

Confidence

78%

PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components

PossibleSkin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Undisclosed waterproofing polymer composition, UV filter photostability (oxybenzone or avobenzone breakdown), Contact sensitization from fragrance or emulsifiers and Incomplete removal and polymer residue accumulation on the Banana Boat and not on the Goddess Garden.
  • We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components and Skin irritation or photosensitivity from plant oils on the Goddess Garden and not on the Banana Boat.
  • The Banana Boat is Water-resistant lotion emulsion (unspecified surfactants/polymers) where the Goddess Garden is mineral-based UV filters, plant-derived waxes, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 70 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Goddess Garden is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Banana Boat grade, at 45% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More sunscreen: see the full ranking