The sun is finally out and it’s time to tango in that delicate parenting dance of slathering sunscreen on your squirming child. When it comes to the best sunscreen for kids, keep in mind that you want a solution that protects their skin without a fuss or meltdown. I’ve had plenty of experience wrangling, cajoling and pleading to make sure everyone can go enjoy the nice weather without coming home with sunburns.
Once you have the basics down, I’ll share tips on how to choose the best kids sunscreen and some of the most popular brands. Of course, I’ll share the best-rated sunscreen for kids and the reasoning behind why I picked my favorite one. Then, I’ll tell you some other things you may want to take on your next sunny day outing and wrap it all up so you can get to playing outside with your kids.
When choosing the best sunscreen for kids, it’s important to find a product formulated for children. This is because our little darlings manage to get everything into their mouths. When reading the reviews, watch out for red flags such as complaints about skin irritation or the product not being easy to put on. The most important ingredients are zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Because you should be using more than one bottle of sunscreen each summer, you can look for savings by buying in bulk. A lot of places will sell packages of two or three bottles. Again, you need to be applying and reapplying sunscreen, which means one bottle is not enough for your family if you plan on being out in the sun often.
For older children, I like using a combination of spray and lotion sunscreens. I use spray for the body and lotion for the face. When I cared for children with sensitive skin, I used a cream sunscreen instead of lotion.
For younger children, I like to use lotion and stick sunscreens. Stick sunscreens help me be more precise in my application, especially around their eyes. The lotion makes it quick and easy to get onto their bodies.
Sunscreen often goes on sale right before Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, so keep your eyes peeled for special deals during those holidays. Check out manufacturer websites for brand coupons, sign up for loyalty cards and consider using a store app for additional savings.
Has been in business for more than 25 years. They offer one kid-specific sunscreen and several spray sunscreens. These products are available at most national drugstores and online. Coupons are offered from the company in the spring and summer months.
Has two popular baby sunscreens, one as a lotion and another formulation as a stick. It uses natural ingredients for healthy skin. The company has been in business since 1945.
Offers an SPF 30 baby sunscreen, an SPF 30 kids’ sunscreen and an SPF 35 kid stick sunscreen. Each of these natural sunscreens uses zinc oxide. As a small, family-run company based in the US, Badger Balm has a focus on natural and organic ingredients to help protect and heal the body.
Offers a whopping 11 options for baby and kids when it comes to sun protection. With lotions, sticks and sprays, there is an option for every preference when it comes to the best sunscreen for children.
A popular company whose organic sunscreen does not contain any parabens, phthalates or petrolatum. With a reputation for excellent customer service, this brand offers many products, such as lip balms with SPF.
Offers 10 baby and kid sunscreens. There are lotions, sprays and stick options for babies and kids. Some formulations are specifically for prolonged use in water.
Offers several kid-friendly sunscreen options. The products best suited for children are Pure and Free, Wet Skin Kids, and Ultra Sheer Dry Touch. The Pure and Free and Wet Skin Kids options come in lotion and stick forms. As a brand known for being the No. 1 dermatologist pick, the company lives up to its reputation for creating reliable and skin-friendly products.
Offers six baby or kid products. Some of the kid-specific line of products can be found under the name Thinksport. Thinkbaby offers lotions and stick options. The company focuses on consumer product safety.
The top five sunscreens for kids on Amazon are based on safety, ingredients, health benefits, ease of application, cost and savings.
Ingredients: Homosalate, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Titanium DioxideInactive: Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Glycerin, Sunflower Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Tea Tree Leaf Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Polyethylene, Polyhydroxystearic acid, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Kakadu Plum Fruit Extract, Cocoa Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acet
Ingredients: Non-Nano, Uncoated Zinc Oxide, Sunflower Seed Oil, Beeswax, Sunflower Vitamin E, Roman Chamomile Flower Oil, Calendula Flower Extract, Seabuckthorn Fruit Extract
Ingredients: Homosalate, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Titanium DioxideInactive: Water, Isohexadecane, Ozokerite, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dibutyl Adipate, PEG-8, C30-38 Olefin/Isopropyl Maleate/MA Copolymer, Glycerin, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Vitamin E, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Alumina
Active Ingredients: Octinoxate, Octisalate, Zinc Oxide. Purpose: Sunscreen.
Inactive Ingredients: Water, Propylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Chloride
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, Oxybenzone
Inactive: Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Ascorbyl Palmitate, Cetyl Dimethicone/Bis-Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Diethylhexyl 2,6-naphthalate, Dimethicone, Dimethyl Ether, Ethyl Methicone, Fragrance, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Wax, Octyldodecyl Citrate Crosspolymer, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate.
The best sunscreen for kids was picked based on ease of application, price and performance. There were a lot of strong contenders for my top pick. But, after learning that Neutrogena tests their products on animals, I had to go with the budget-friendly and cruelty-free Banana Boat Kids.
I love how Banana Boat Kids stays on and lasts. Yes, you still have to do some reapplication, but it’s the best-rated sunscreen for kids and highly recommended by other parents for a reason - it works. Now, it does take some work to rub into your skin, so if your kids look chalky, then you need to keep rubbing in the product. The plus side of the white color is you can tell if you’ve covered every square inch of your squirming darling. Trust me, nothing feels worse than having your child come home with a sunburn because you missed a spot.
Along with the best kid sunscreen, there are some other things you can use on your next summer family outing.
There are a lot of great brands out there to choose from. The most important thing to keep in mind is to protect your kids’ skin from sun damage. You do this by applying sunscreen liberally and often. Find what works for you and keep in mind that you want to pick a product you enjoy wearing. If you don’t like how something feels or what it takes to put on, then you won’t be as likely to use sun protection when you should.
Get everyone ready with sunscreen at least 15 minutes before going outdoors, reapply after 40 to 80 minutes of vigorous activities or swimming, and pick a brand you can trust. As a mom, I’m really happy that I can take my kids outside and not have to worry about them coming back from a day of summer play with bright red sunburns.
Yes, I’ve experienced days where my little terror had a meltdown over putting on sunscreen, but I’ve stood firm and made sure my kids were covered from head to toe. Their skin health and reducing their chances of having melanoma later in life are as important to me as making sure I’ve safely buckled them in the car.
Lastly, check out some of the most frequently asked questions and their answers about kid's sunscreen here.
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