It seems that sunscreen has become a hot topic lately; there are certain brands you must stay away from, some that are ok and some that might just be best. All of the information can be overwhelming and leave many people thinking, am I not doing the right thing by putting sunscreen on them in the first place?
You definitely should continue to put sunscreen on your little ones (and yourself), especially as we are learning more and more about how damaging the sun can be. I share five sunscreens that you should use on your children (and yourself) below!
When purchasing a sunscreen, keep these things in mind:
- Avoid: spray/aerosol sunscreens
- You don’t need a SPF Value over 50 (The most effective SPF value is 30 – 50)
- Read the label! If the majority of ingredients are chemical names or names that you cannot pronounce put it back on the shelf
- If a product contains Oxybenzone leave it at the store; Oxybenzone is a hormone disrupting chemical.
- Avoid: Retinyl palmitate, it has been suggested that Retinyl palmitate may contribute to skin damage.
- Read the label! You are looking for natural ingredients, plant derivatives and/or essential oils are common in chemical free sunscreens.
- You will often find chemical free sunscreens at Health Food Stores & Organic Markets
- Purchase a sunscreen that is only a sunscreen, insect repellent is a separate product
Top 5 Sunscreens to Use
- Badger Natural Sunscreen comes in a variety of spectrum’s and can be purchased online or in local health food/organic market stores. Choose the variety of Badger sunscreen that suits your needs best.
- Green Beaver SPF 30 Body Lotion can be found at Rocky Mountain Soap Company or online.
- Rubber Ducky All Natural SPF 50 Creme can be found at Mountain Equipment Co-op or online.
- Goddess Garden Organics (Lotions) – offer a variety of sunscreens to meet your needs and can be found online or in select health food stores.
Sun Safety Tips
- Limit time spent in direct sunlight
- Seek shade when possible
- Re-apply sunscreen often, especially after getting wet
- Wear Sunglasses with SPF to protect your eyes
- Wear a hat, some children’s hats have SPF formulated fabric to offer extra protection
- If possible, wear clothing that covers exposed skin. A great option for children is a “swim shirt” that is similar to bathing suit material and offers SPF formulated fabric.
- Stay hydrated
- Babies under six months old should not be in the sun at all (if possible) and should be covered with light clothing and a large hat if/when they are. Most sunscreens have a warning on the label, saying that sunscreen should not be applied to babies who are younger than six months old.
Do you have any natural sunscreen option or sun safety tips you would like to share?
Comment below if you do!