The Ingredients in Banana Boat's Aloe Vera Gel

Banana Boat’s Aloe Vera Gel is typically used as an after-sun product for sunburn or after tanning to cool the skin. Many use it as a skin conditioner or to add extra hydration to their skin’s surface. Other than water and fragrance, it has 11 ingredients.

Colors should be certified by the Food and Drug Administration for use in personal care products, according to Cosmetics Info. The two FDA-approved colors in this product are yellow 5 and blue 1.

A “vehicle” is an agent that is used to transport ingredients to the skin’s surface and have them stay there. The vehicle agent in Aloe Vera Gel is SD Alcohol 40, according to DERMAdoctor. It may also have a secondary effect of killing bacteria on the surface.

Preservatives are agents that help hinder the growth of mold, bacteria and fungi. This keeps the product from spoiling quickly. The preservatives in this Banana Boat product are iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, or IPBC, and imidazolidinyl urea. IPBC, according to Cosmetics Info., is generally safe and is a broad-spectrum preservative. Imidazolidinyl ureal, according to Cosmetics Cop, is a formaldehyde-releasing preservative and may be irritating for the skin.

Benzophenone-4 is the sunscreen agent in this product, according to Cosmetics info. It reflects and scatters UV rays from the sun keeping them from being absorbed into the skin.

Aloe has many different properties. It is antibacterial, an antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory uses, provides hydration to skin and it binds with water to lock in moisture, according to Cosmetics Cop. It may be effective for anti-irritation and healing wounds.

Glycerin is the hydration agent in this product, allowing the product to glide smoothly over the skin and creating a barrier against heat and irritation, according to DERMAdoctor. It may clog pores if used in a high concentration.

Thickeners are agents that keep a product from being too thin. The thickener in this product is carbomer, according to DERMAdoctor.

Surfactant agents give a smooth surface for the product to glide over and help to give continuous coverage. The surfactant in Aloe Vera Gel is polysorbate 20, according to Cosmetics Info.

Emulsifiers help keep ingredients in a product blended together. The emulsifier in this Banana Boat product is triethanolamine, according to Cosmetics Info. It also reduces surface tension, allowing oil and water products to blend.