Banana Sport SPF 50 sunscreen is safe to use. Ingredients in the product have been approved.

Sunscreen is a skincare product designed to protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. It helps reduce the risk of sunburn, skin damage, and premature aging. But nowadays people are concerned about the ingredients used in it. 

Recent social media posts are claiming that one of the known sunscreen brands Banana Sport contains Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Homosalate, and Octocrylene which are carcinogens and harmful for humans.

However, Fact Crescendo found the claim to be false. All the ingredients mentioned in the post meet safety standards and have been approved by regulatory bodies.

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Fact Check- 

First, we found out the list of ingredients in Banana Sports SPF 50 Sunscreen. The National Institute of Health (NIH) mentioned in its website that Avobenzone, Octocrylene and Oxybenzone are listed as active ingredients in the product. 

The product contains Avobenzone (0.03 ml/1ml), Octocrylene (0.10 ml/1ml) and Oxybenzone (0.05 ml/1ml). The numbers (like 0.03 mL / 1 mL) mean how much of each ingredient is present in each milliliter of the sunscreen.

The details of the ingredients labelled in the product can also be seen here. We did not find Octinoxate mentioned in the list of ingredients. 

Avobenzone: 

Avobenzone, also known as butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, comes from a chemical group known as dibenzoyl methane. It blocks UVA rays even when a small amount is used in sunscreen. Its primary drawback is that its UV protective capability diminishes quickly and significantly due to photodegradation.

It is allowed as an active ingredient in sunscreens in many places, but the approved amount varies. In the U.S., the FDA allows up to 3% of it when mixed with other sunscreen ingredients. The European Union and Canada recommend up to 5%. In Asia and South Africa, the approved amount is also up to 5%. Japan allows a higher limit of up to 10% in products.

According to a report, Avobenzone is the only sunscreen ingredient approved by the FDA that mainly protects against UVA-1 rays. While it covers a wide range of UVA rays, it breaks down easily in sunlight. To resolve this, it is often mixed with ingredients like octocrylene and oxybenzone. Studies have shown that combining avobenzone with octocrylene gives strong UVA protection in the U.S.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel reviewed the safety of Avobenzone along with other similar ingredients like Oxybenzone. It is approved for use in over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreens. 

Octocrylene: 

According to the National Institute of Health, Octocrylene is a common sunscreen ingredient and is generally considered safe when used on skin. It is widely used and approved by the FDA and EU. However, there have been rare reports of allergic skin reactions, particularly in children. Studies are going on for clarity on its potential to disrupt Vitamin D production. 

Another report says, Octocrylene in sunscreen blocks UVB rays. It helps in keeping Avobenzone stable. Without octocrylene, avobenzone breaks down quickly (within 1 hour in the sun), which makes sunscreen less effective. 

Medical News Today reported that Octocrylene helps in protecting the skin from UVA and UVB rays and keeps the sunscreen stable and water resistant. The FDA and The European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)considered Octocrylene safe at concentrations up to 10%. However, some people, especially adults previously allergic to certain medications have experienced allergic skin reactions like photo-contact dermatitis . There’s limited evidence from animal studies suggesting it could disrupt hormones, but no strong proof in humans. Researchers have also found that octocrylene can break down into benzophenone which may lead to health concerns but it requires further research.

Oxybenzone: 

Cosmetic Ingredient Review has clarified that reviewing reliable scientific studies have not shown oxybenzone to cause harmful hormone changes in humans. One study found that a person needs to use sunscreen with 6% oxybenzone every day for 277 years to match the levels that caused effects in lab tests.

According to another report, Oxybenzone up to 6% concentration was approved to be used in cosmetics in 1983. The FDA listed it as GRASE (Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective) in sunscreen after extensive testing. For most users, oxybenzone causes no harm when applied as directed. 

However, a 2024 FDA study found oxybenzone in blood plasma after sunscreen use, with levels up to 200 ng/mL. While far below toxic thresholds, this absorption raised concerns about long-term effects. No studies link these levels to health risks. 

Conclusion: 

Fact Crescendo found the claim to be false. Ingredients like Avobenzone, Octocrylene and Oxybenzone in Banana Sport meet safety standards and have been approved to be used in sunscreen products.