Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen offers a safer alternative for protecting your baby from harmful UVA/UVB rays, free radicals, irritants and biologically harmful chemicals found in many “natural” baby sunscreens on the market. You should apply sunscreen whenever your child's outside for any length of time, and reapply every two hours, or after activities like swimming. Vladyslava Doktor, M.D., and owner of Skin Center Boston Opens a new window says this is especially critical during the sun's strongest hours, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sanober Pezad Doctor, M.D. Opens a new window, who specializes in integrative and holistic dermatology, agrees and adds that sunscreen is important to wear if a child's out in the mid-afternoon sun for longer than 10 minutes. If, however, they will be outside briefly, she says "letting your child play without the use of sunscreen is absolutely fine." American Academy of Dermatology, Infant Sun Protection: How Parents Can Keep Their Baby Safe, Accessed December 2022. My son has moderate eczema and sunscreen always causes it to flare up. We finally found this sunscreen which works very well for his sensitive skin! Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50." If you think you’ll be spending time in the water with your little one, you’ll want to prioritize water resistance. However, buyer beware: No sunscreen is actually waterproof, despite any claims made.

We use Blue Lizard and have been really happy with it! My son is on medication that makes him more prone to sunburn, but we haven't had any trouble with this sunscreen!" Enjoy the sun with your baby year-round with highly efficacious, gentle ingredients. ThinkBaby Sunscreen has got you (and your baby) covered (literally 😉)!Many baby sunscreens come in 3-ounce bottles, but Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 comes in a 6-ounce bottle for the same price as other baby mineral sunscreens. It has a gentle, hypoallergenic formula and goes on smooth, so you won’t spend extra time trying to spread it on your baby's body. This sunscreen is also water resistant for up to 80 minutes, allowing you more time to play with your child. The formula is free of synthetic fragrance, phthalates, parabens, oxybenzone and octinoxate, so you can feel good about putting it on your little one for a price that won't break the bank. SPF. The AAD recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, as mentioned previously. The difference between sunscreens with SPF 15 and SPF 30 is that SPF 15 can filter out up to 93 percent of UVB rays while SPF 30 can filter out 97 percent. To comply with recommendations from the AAD, all of the baby sunscreens we've included in our list have an SPF of 30 or higher.

To choose the best baby sunscreen, we looked to the millions of members of the What to Expect community to find products they have tried and loved for their own babies. We also spoke with What to Expect staff members to get their opinions on favorite sunscreens they used for their own children. There’s a wide range of baby sunscreens that can work for you and your family depending on your budget, the features that matter most to you, and your preferred application method. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Enriched with Vitamin C & E along with a slight tint to reduce whitening from trace minerals, this ultra-moisturizing sunscreen can help to reduce skin aging by 24% when worn daily. Thinkbaby and Thinksport sunscreens are perfect for daily use and for anyone spending time in the sun, including pregnant women, children over 6 months, and for anyone with sensitive skin. Please note that use of sunscreen on children younger than 6 months of age requires a doctor's prescription. This is true for ALL brands.

The organic formula is also hypoallergenic and approved by the National Eczema Association, making it a great choice for sensitive skin types, too. And, it's water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: PURIFED WATER, CAPRYLIC /CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, POLYGLYCERY-4, ISOSTERATE, CETYL DIMETHICONE, HEXYL LAURATE, GLYCERIN, HYDROGENATED METHYL, ABIETATE (PINE WOOD RESIN), MAGNESIUM SULFATE (EPSOM SALT), CAPRYLHDROXAMIC ACID, GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE, SORBITAN SESQUIOLEATE, RIBES RUBRUM (CURRANT) FRUIT, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) OIL, SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL, TOCOPHEROL, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT OIL, HYALUROUNIC ACID (PLANT BASED), CITRUS PARADISI (GRAPEFRUIT)Mineral sunscreen is especially effective on sensitive parts of the body, such as nose, cheeks, tops of the ears and shoulders, the AAP notes, because it acts as a better barrier against the sun. SPF: As mentioned earlier, the AAP and FDA recommend sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher, up to SPF 50. The AAP says more research is needed to determine if sunscreens with an SPF over 50 offer any extra protection. National Eczema Association. 2022. "Yes, Your Sunscreen Might Be Causing Your Eczema to Flare." https://nationaleczema.org/blog/sunscreen-avoid-flaring/ Opens a new window [Accessed December 2022] Chemical absorption is a big concern in sunscreens. But zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are two mineral-based (not chemical-based) physical filters that are normally gentler on the skin because they don’t rely on additional chemicals to provide protection.

After 6 months of age, you can apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of your child's body. You'll still want to keep baby in the shade when possible, however, to avoid sunburn. How to apply baby sunscreen Many parents worry about the ingredients in sunscreen, but experts say the research is clear: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend using sunscreens for babies over 6 months. Whichever option you choose, just make sure that your baby’s sunscreen is meeting the minimum guidelines as recommended by medical experts: a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30. Be sure to reapply every 2 hours, and you’ll be set to have plenty of fun in the sun. Taking your baby outdoors for exercise and fresh air is an important part of parenting, and a joyful one too. But fun in the sun brings the risk of burns and skin damage, so sunscreen is essential for outdoor activities. The best baby sunscreens protect your baby from both visible and invisible UV damage, are easy to apply, stay on well, and don't irritate your baby's skin, eyes, or nose.Sun Bum is my own family's favorite: We're frequent beach-goers, and I prefer mineral products because conventional sunscreens irritate my skin and can make me itchy and rashy. I also burn easily, so I'm careful to apply sunscreen, particularly after swimming. Even so, many sunscreens I've tried don't last through one swim or body surfing session, and I start burning before it's time to reapply. Not Sun Bum, though: Even if I'm out in the water for an hour or more, I don't burn. Sun Bum makes really good zinc-based sunscreen. It spreads nicely and doesn’t have a heavy white cast." If you're looking for a mild sunscreenthat won't irritate baby's skin if she's prone to eczema, look to Aveeno’s Baby Continuous Protection Sunscreen. It boasts a Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association, which, as mentioned before, means it's been evaluated to be free from ingredients that could otherwise aggravate baby's sensitive skin, so you can feel comfortable using it on your little one with eczema. The formula also contains oat extract which is known for being nourishing and relieving for eczema symptoms, plus naturally-sourced zinc oxide to protect her skin against UVA and UVB rays. Like other mineral sunscreens on this list, this one doesn't have parabens, dyes, fragrances or phthalates. While mineral sunscreens are heavier and often leave a chalky appearance, chemical products can irritate the skin, especially if the user has an autoimmune condition.