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Summer: it’s the season synonymous with poolside lounging, open-toed shoes and eating icy poles for every meal. Unfortunately, summer is also usually accompanied by its evil sidekick, sunburn. Banana Boat has come out swinging in our skin’s defence with their Clear Spray sunscreen – and some lucky Mamamia readers have roadtested it.
According to Banana Boat:
Gone are the days of greasy hands and missed spots – Banana Boat Clear Sprays are a practical, no mess, no fuss sunscreen. They are fast and easy to apply and do not need to be rubbed in.
- Spray on clear – no rubbing required
- Fast drying and dry to touch
- The ideal sporting partner for golf, football and tennis enthusiasts to avoid greasy, sticky hands while playing.
- A practical solution for squirming kids.
- Can also be used in self-application for those hard to reach areas like your back.
- Available in SPORT, ULTRA and KIDS variants.
The readers who have been trialling the Banana Boat Clear Spray are going to be telling us what they thought of it.
You can join in too, even if you’re not part of the trial but have tried the product.
QUESTIONS:
1. Did you apply Clear Sprays to yourself and did you find it easy to apply?
2. Were you surprised at the feel of the product and how light and non-greasy it was?
3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Comments
64 Comments so far
3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
It was hard to not try to rub it in at first, though you got used to it as there was nothing to rub
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Yes I thought it was a great sunscreen that you could apply yourself with out missing any spots. Though i may have used more than needed as I was worried I had missed spots. I haven’t gotten sunburnt yet so it is working
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No Rubbing – When you did rub it was icky so I got used to not rubbing pretty easily. I did use a lot more though as I was concerned I was covering everywhere.
Would I recommend – Yes definitely. It is a much more expensive option as I used so much, I went through each can pretty quickly. But my husband loves how easy and quick it is on us and the kids and said we can save money else where.
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3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
I wasn’t quite sure about it, I like the feeling of rubbing it in to make sure I don’t miss a spot. It was okay, but I wasn’t happy with it for my face and used a liquid sunscreen instead because application was so awkward.
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Probably. I’d warn them that the different application method is definitely different, but just because it’s not me doesn’t mean they wouldn’t like it.
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3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
I didn’t! I had to rub it in. I don’t know if that is out of habit but I really think to provide an even coverage rubbing it in is the best approach even though the spray does make it a little bit easier.
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Maybe for people with little children. It would make it much more convenient. I may recommend it to other firends it really depends on the type of lifestyle they lead…
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How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
I liked not having to rub it in. I would like it if it was a different colour when spraying on so I can see where I have sprayed. I have been getting friends and family to try with me whenever they need sunscreen and everyone wants to rub it in, they say it doesn’t feel normal not to rub it in. I liked it though. My husband still feels like it is being wrapped in plastic.
Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
I would recommend it for sure
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It did feel a bit weird not rubbing it in- I have to admit I did rub it in on my shoulders just to make sure I didn’t miss any spots!!
I would recommend it to family/ friends but I would make sure to tell them to spray it outside & away from other people- getting a face full of sunscreen spray when you weren’t expecting it is not nice!!!
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The idea of not carefully rubbing in sunscreen was definately novel, because I was wary I would miss some spots. As a result I did do a VERY thorough spray to make sure I had covered all areas. Happy to report I had no red strips at the end of my sun session, but I would recommend a thorough going over. I would definately recommend it to friends and family- in fact I have a garden/pool party planned and I will put a can of Banana Boat out for all my guests to use.
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3. We went well without rubbing it in, but applying it to my face was a little tricky as it seemed to ‘ball up’ when I rubbed it on my face. Not the greatest feeling of having grit on your face and hands.
4. I think I’d still stay with the roll-on cream for the kids. It just seems a lot smoother, and it’s hard to kick the habit of not rubbing it in. Using the spray and being able to see and smell these fumes going into the air made me a little uneasy – days of yore harking back to not using aerosol cans because of the ozone layer etc etc kept repeating in my head as I held the nozzle down repeatedly to coat my children. Also the price point is a little higher than we would like to pay.
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3. At first it was hard not to rub it in. It’s just a habit! You get used to it after a while and the confidence in it being correctly applied grows. My son who has autism would happily allow this to be put on where he doesn’t like the feel of creams or it being rubbed on. Bthis was perfect for him although he did sayits ticklish.
4. Definitely!only downside is its a little pricey as its easy to go through a lot but if it means my son will put it on then I’m happy with that. Great for kids on the go as its really quick and easy to apply.
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3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
It took a while to get used to the idea that you are not to rub it in however, it is quite an easy application once you are used to it. I wasnt keen on the chemical smell of the spray and made sure I did it outside, The fact you are to spray on your hands and then rub onto face did not work as well as I hoped. It seemed to dry up to quickly and is sticky on your hands.
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Personally, I prefer the cream for my family. The reasons for this is the strong chemical smell (my husband suffers migranes so we cant use this around him), and I just feel the cream is easier to apply on the kids inside before we go out in the sun.
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3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
We did end up going with a normal cream for the face as we found it difficult to apply to hands then rub in – it dried too quickly. Also we learnt not to spray too close to the skin – one of our boys has a white line down his tan where we got too close.
Very easy to apply, loved being able to spray my own back
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Absolutely! It just made life so much easier with the children, and stopped so many fights. My only concern would be that we went through one tin quite quickly – so maybe would be more careful with the amounts next time.
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3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
We did end up going with a normal cream for the face as we found it difficult to apply to hands then rub in – it dried too quickly. Also we learnt not to spray too close to the skin – one of our boys has a white line down his tan where we got too close.
Very easy to apply, loved being able to spray my own back
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Absolutely! It just made life so much easier with the children, and stopped so many fights. My only concern would be that we went through one tin quite quickly – so maybe would be more careful with the amounts next time.
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The sunscreen was incredibly easy to apply, but boy is it strange not having to rub it in! Perhaps because of this, I found I sprayed each area several times, and the sunscreen has quite a strong chemical scent. Make sure you spray this somewhere well ventilated!!
I have already recommended this to my parents who play golf, as they can re-apply mid game and not have to worry about greasy hands. However I would be cautious in suggesting this to someone with asthma as I found it did make me a little bit wheezy one time
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I took this product traveling with me and it was great. It was quick and easy to apply and good for hard to reach areas like the back! I sometimes had to rub it in but then realised that you didn’t need to do this.
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3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
It was a little strange not rubbing it in and I must admit it got sprayed with some water which washed it off a little so I have a strange bit where I got sunburnt on my back. Otherwise was great.
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
I have recommended it to a few friends but unfortunatly both my sisters are allergic to one of the ingredients and couldn’t use it though they did recommend it for both my brother in laws.
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The spray was really easy to use and apply yourself – especially the back area which is hard to reach. I used it all this last week, when the weather has been in the late 20′s, early 30′s, applying it myself and i haven’t got any burnt bits which is testament to how good the spray is. I also use the baby spray on my cousins 6 month old baby and it worked a treat.
My dad – who loathes putting on suncream as he hates the sticky, greasy feeling loved it as it meant he didn’t get sticky nor did he get burnt as he usually does in his refusal to put suncream on.
With it being non-greasy it really does mean that you don’t get sand and bits sticking to you unnecessarily! A hit this Christmas will all my family.
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The sunscreen was very easy to apply and did not need any rubbing. But out of years of habit I could not help rubbing a little until I realised I did not need to. I would recommend this brand and product to family and friends.
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Thank you, my first answers seem to have disappeared.. so here they are again, along with new ones.
1. Did you apply Clear Sprays to yourself and did you find it easy to apply?
Yes I applied it to myself. It was easy to apply at first, however the nozzle become clogged and it was hard to depress.
2. Were you surprised at the feel of the product and how light and non-greasy it was?
Yes I was surprised and it felt nice, however it was a bit scarey to go out in the sun with it as I wasn’t too confident on the coverage with a different product.
3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
This was very hard, and in fact I found it impossible not to rub some of it in to ensure coverage. I have gotten a little better at trusting it and making sure I spray all parts evenly.. however I am concerned that I am wasting product.
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Yes I would, as long as they test it first to make sure it is suitable for their kids skin, especially in the reliability of the nozzle (ie cloggin) and their ability to apply full coverage.
Thank you
Tania
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3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
It took some getting used too, as when you do rub it, it almost creates a film of dried sunscreen balls, which isnt very nice, so you cant rub it!! This took some getting used too and you had to make sure you applied everywhere, as its easy to miss a little patch (which i did on my leg)
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
For sure! I would highly reccommend it, much less greasier and easy to do top up coats than normal sunscreen which is better when you want to apply fast so you can get back out in the sun.
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We are still loving the sunscreen. It takes dramatically less time to put on a family of 4 kids and that means less stress for me. My daughter is the only one that doesn’t like it sprayed onto her. 3 yr olds get some funny hates and they are generally random but the 3 boys put arms up and laugh when it gets applied. I like not having to rub it in and I have recommended the spray to family and friends. At a recent trip to our local pool I sprayed the boys as they walked out the front door and just topped it up when needed. It does get a little difficult to spray on yourself as the can gets lower. I have started using the new ones for myself and the older ones for the kids.
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Hi all,
Thanks again for the opportnity to try this product.. especially during the warm weather!
3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
I think this is the trickiest bit – i get worried i might ‘miss a spot’ when i just spray.. although, i have found a great use for it to be in the part of hair, to avoid getting that burnt – and it works wonders.
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
Yes – its easy, approachable and a good companion to a good face sunscreen – especially when you are flying solo and you have no one to rub it in on your back!
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Okay, so I’ve been a bit slack this festive season. Let’s get my answering questions hat on!
1. Did you apply Clear Sprays to yourself and did you find it easy to apply?
Yep, I’ve been applying it on myself, and also had it with friends and their children to get their thoughts on it. I found it very easy to apply… it took some getting used to as I’m used to the old school sunscreens, but it was great for those hard to reach areas- AND the spray meant I didn’t need to get greasy sunscreeny hands. Win!
2. Were you surprised at the feel of the product and how light and non-greasy it was?
Didn’t quite know what to expect from a spray sunscreen but was pleased with how easy it went on, and soaked into the skin. I’ve been a bit tempted to rub it into the skin- which seems to work fine on the body, but goes a bit grainy when it’s on the face… maybe it’s reacting with my makeup? That being said, I wasn’t meant to rub it! Despite being fair skinned I don’t like wearing many sunscreens as I find them quite heavy, but these have been really great for day to day use.
3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
Took a while but I got used to it, as others have said I just sprayed more in the areas I was worried about.
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
For sure, and I’ve had positive comments from the people who’ve used it over at our place around the pool this summer. It’s been a hit with the kids who have loved being a little more independent about using their own sunscreen. It’s been good for little hands.
Thanks MamaMia & BananaBoat for letting us trial some great new products. Will be using it again.
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Ok so the Banana Boat Clear Spray Sunscreen has been really great to try out and I have been excitedly showing friends and family how easy applying sunscreen has now become. For someone who has two kids who hate having sunscreen applied this has been fabulous.
3. How did you go applying the sunscreen without rubbing it in?
Great,however I did have to make sure however that spots weren’t missed as being a spray if we were in a windy area it could be a little tricky to get every area.
4. Would you recommend it to your friends and family?
For sure! Really great product and coverage and loved using it to apply to the face. I would absolutely recommend it,
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I used Banana boat spray on sun cream for the first time on my 9 year old last week xmas eve morning ( very hot in Perth !) She was at the beach and played on and off for 2 hrs . I loved the ease of applying it and applied it a few times but unfortunately it didn’t protect her skin ,she blistered really badly and none of the other children got burned and she has never burned like this before.. She is still healing now four days into the New Year ! A friend of mind said she had the same problem and had heard some children have had allergic reactions to the Banana boat spray on products. I just wondered if any one else had had this problem ?
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Thank you for the opportunity to trial this product. Our family have used Banana Boat products for years so this was exciting to try something from them that was completely different.
Hubby and I both used the Ultra and Sport varieties whilst doing some gardening and also in the pool as we’re both on holidays till the end of Jan, so we are having lots of outdoor time with our 18 month old. Both seemed to work well and we didn’t burn. However we couldn’t tell any difference between the two. The formula was incredibly light but was a little sticky when first applied, but didn’t take long to sink in and then you quickly forgot about it.
We have also been using the Kids variety even though I was a little hesitant at first because I couldn’t find any info on the can about what age is safe to start using the product on your child. But luckily, she was fine. The spray worked well on her and she didn’t burn. However she didn’t like when we sprayed it on her as the spray easily blew info her face, but didn’t harm or sting her eyes at all.
Overall I would recommend it to family and friends, esp those who hate wearing sunscreen like my hubby. It takes some effort to get him to put it on, but this seemed more fun for him and it also doesn’t smell as much as other sunscreens. Very easy to use and very effective.
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I got some of this the other day. I’m super white, burn very easily, and live in an area with very high UV most days of summer. I tend to just where sunscreen all day every day, because if I don’t I get burned.
I have been using the Banana Boat spray on sunscreens for a while now, because they are so quick, easy and un-messy to apply.
The older non-clear version was good, but I think this clear stuff is even better.
1. It is very quick and easy to apply. I do generally just wear it with my clothes, so it’s arms, legs, and neck (face gets an SPF30 skin care product). If I was wearing something like a bikini, I would probably get someone else to spray my back though.
2. I was surprised. The product is very light, especially compared to the old Banana Boat aerosols (which I’d only finished a bottle of a couple of days ago)
3. I had no issues not rubbing the sunscreen in. I actually liked, because the old ones needed a bit of “smoothing”. It was one less step, so it was much quicker.
4. Definitely. Although I’m still trying to figure out what the material differences are between the Sport and the Ultra (or the kids for that matter). As far as I can see, they all advertise the same features, so what is the difference?
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3. I didn’t think it required rubbing in, I just sprayed more in that location where I felt it hadn’t been properly covered.
4. Yes I would recommend it to my family and friends, in fact I did just the other day and my friend purchased the child version for her son.
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1. I applied it to myself with ease, although had to take care as to where i had already put it but I just over lapped, better to be safe than sorry!
2. I found it a little sticky when on, but after a while it settled in and was fine.
3. I wanted to rub it in as it felt a bit splotchy but just sprayed more on in those sections instead.
4. Yes I’ve already recommended it to my friends and family! Great alternative!
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The product was quite easy to apply. I did sometimes find the nozzle a little bit hard to press down long enough to spray large areas. It was incredibly light and not greasy which is great especially for children. Easy to spray on faces too. My hubbie liked it for running as non greasy when sweating. I did rub when not needed from years of habit.
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I have read sunscreen sprays are ineffective and dangerous
“Aerosol spray sunscreen packages will soon be required to display FDA-mandated warnings such as “use in a well ventilated area” and “intentional misuse… can be harmful or fatal.” These cautions highlight growing concerns that sprays pose serious inhalation risks. Spray sunscreens also make it too easy to miss a spot, leaving bare skin exposed to harmful rays.”
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I applied spray to myself, but I found it difficult. I think my nozzle was not quite right.
Product was non-greasy and light. I do automatically try to rub it in…note to self, do not rub!
I feel safer with a cream.
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Very easy to apply and non greasy. Love the twisty lid – no extra bits to get lost (or put in someone’s mouth!) Great for little ones at the beach as the sand doesn’t stick to it. It was a little hard to work out though where you had already applied it and if there were any missed spots, due to the ‘lightness’ of it. Thanks for the samples.
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1. I have applied it to myself and I have applied it to others. While I found it easy to apply. However it wasn’t easy to see where ypu had put it already, I did miss a few small patches!
2. The spray had a really nice feel, it wasn’t greasy at all and didn’t mark my clothes or make them stick to me.
Thanks heaps guys!
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Answered wrong:
1) Yes I applied it to myself
2) Yes it was easy to apply, especially to my back! big bonus
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i used it in a sport loving family and found it fantastic in performance. the only thing was trying to apply it in the wind. on the beach and at the park was a little awkward!!!! loved the feel, loved the performance. just isn’t practical at the beach or in the wind x
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We are away on holiday and in the west it has been great beach weather so they have been getting a bit of a workout. It is very easy to apply to both the kids and myself. As I am scared of missing a bit I am sure I am over zealous in how much I am spraying it will be interesting to see how long they last.
It is also very light and non greasy and we haven’t had any complaints of melting into eyes yet. It’s great to put clothes straight on and not worry about staining or sticking.
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I applied it to myself, a little fiddly (missed a tiny spot!!) but no dramas.
Very light & non-greasy- being oily-skinned this was a big plus for me!!
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Hello
Yes I applied the spray to myself. It was very easy to apply – I was concerned I would miss a spot but I spent a day out in the sun and didn’t get burnt! Winner!
I did find the formula light and non greasy – which is excellent for sport. But I also would suggest pop on some moisturiser underneath as I felt my skin was too dry. You really don’t have to rub it in – which I was surprised at.
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I have the pleasure of having family over for Christmas, including my cousin’s 6 month old baby – the spray is ridiculously easy to use for a squirming baby – and didn’t mark her baby grow when I got a bit over excited and sprayed it on her clothes.
It is very light and non greasy and soaks in, in an instance. Sometimes too quickly when using it on your hands to put on your face – maybe I should be using a separate one for the face.
Overall, everyone using it felt it went on well and protected them well.
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I have tried the sport and kids versions of the Clear Sprays so far and found them fantastically easy, perfect for reaching my back. kids have loved them too, although it took a bit of training for them to work out the spraying upright bit
2. Were you surprised at the feel of the product and how light and non-greasy it was?
Absolutely – it feels so light you forget you have it on – perfect for our two Asperger kids who hate normal suncreams. Thanks!
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Thanks for opportunity to try it!
1. Did you apply Clear Spray to yourself and did you find it easy to apply?
I haven’t had an opportunity to use it myself but have used it on my son. He is only 6 and quite hairy and he thought it was very funny how it stuck his hairs together. I found it very convenient as it meant that I could spray him quickly. However I did find that when I sprayed it on my hand to put on his face that it dried really quickly too so had to be fast! I think it is great. I have used some on my husband (who hates the gresiness of sunscreen). He said he felt a bit like he was covered in cling wrap but he would have complained no matter what!
2. Were you surprised at the feel of the product and how light and non-greasy it was? I guess I wasn’t surprised in so far as this is what the product is meant to be. Having said that it is great that is it and that it doesn’t feel like you need to wipe it off.
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I have been applying the sprays to myself and my children. It is great for reaching backs and easy to apply. My 13 yr old loves using it.
I was surprised at the light feel of the sunscreen. I sometimes wonder if I have covered everything, but we haven’t had a sunburn yet.
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Q1. Yes, I did apply Clear Spray to myself. I swim for fitness at our local pool, and am always worried about the harsh effects of the Queensland sun. I found the spray application perfect for application to my back. Fantastic: no more streaky painful burn marks on the patches that I failed to reach.
Q2. It felt a little stiff as it dried on my skin, but I was really pleased at how quickly it did dry. I felt it more likely to be dry before the kiddies launched themselves back into the pool on these hot summer days. Perfect.
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I have always looked at the sprays and thought they were too expensive and was worried about how they would go everywhere but I am very pleasantly surprised. I love the Banana Boat sprays and they have saved me plenty of time and frustration. Getting 4 kids ready to go swimming, to school just even into the backyard can take hours but with the spray it only takes a minute for all of them and they don’t move, squirm or try to run away.
1. It is easy to apply even to myself and we were completely covered.
2. I didn’t feel greasy and my hands weren’t slippery afterwards. It was light and I didn’t feel all clogged and horrible.
I am very happy.
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1.Yes, I did, and it was very easy to apply.
2. Yes, I was surprised at the feel of the product. And I found it to be quite light and non-greasy. I’m not a fan of having my hands sticky after applying it to faces etc though.
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I have applied it to myself and to my son. I was a bit concerned about knowing if I had missed a spot but it was fine. Really easy & I could even spray my son as he was running away from me!
Its very light and so much less mess than creams yet just as effective. I was surprised!
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1. It was easy to apply to arms, torso, legs etc. Not ideal for face though given it is so light and you can’t spray directly on the face. I’d prefer a cream based sunscreen for my face.
2. Very light spray, is a little stickier than promised (but no worse than any other sunscreen. It did however, leave a little residue on the hairs of my arms.It didn’t irritate my sensitive skin at all.
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1. I found the clear spray very easy to apply to all parts of my body, including tricky areas like the backs of knees and middle back.
2. The product feels very light when it goes on, like a spray deodarant. When you first spray it on it feels a little sticky for about 30 seconds but as soon as it dries that is gone with no oily residue. It feels so much better than the thick heavy creams I am used to applying.
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As someone who just needs to look at the sun and I burn, I have tried every sunscreen under the sun (no pun intended). I found the Clear Spray really easy to apply and was able to cover everywhere including the middle of my back which I always miss! I was surprised how light the sunscreen was as previous spray sunscreens have been a lot thicker. I was a little worried it would be to light but it stood up well to the humidity and didn’t sweat off like some spray ones do (joys of living in nice humid Queensland).
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1. I applied the Clear Spray (sport) to myself, and the ultra version onto my boyfriend. I’ve been a fan of spray-on sunscreens for a few years now, but most are in a squirt bottle – the aerosol of Clear Spray was fantastic
2. I’ve shied away from Banana Boat in the past as I’ve always found them to be too heavy and greasy for me, particularly on the face. I was genuinely blown away by the light texture of this sunscreen
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