General Guidelines:
- Newborns should be kept out of the sun. Sunscreen should be used on babies 6 months and older.
- Stay in the shade as much as possible, especially between the hours of 10am-4pm.
- Dress kids in sun protective clothing and swimwear. Consider long one piece suits, rash guards and long shorts. Don’t forget wide brimmed hats and sunglasses!
- Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher that provides protection against UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen should be applied 30 mins prior to sun exposure. Reapply sunscreen throughout the day, especially after swimming or strenuous exercise.
Best Sunscreens for Kids:
- Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen
- Babyganics Mineral-Based Sunscreen lotion
- Badger Baby/Kids Sunscreen Cream
- Alba Botanical Very Emollient Mineral Sunscreen
- Aubrey Organics Natural Sun for Kids
- California Baby Super Sensitive Sunscreen Lotion
- The Honest Company Sunscreen Lotion
Avoid sunscreens containing the following:
- Oxybenzone, which can disrupt hormones
- Retinyl palmitate, which can cause more skin damage and possibly cancer
- SPF above 50+. SPF tops out at 30-50. Higher SPF won’t give you more protection
- Spray sunscreens, which can be inhaled and aren’t good for kids lungs. They also don’t provide complete coverage
Worst Sunscreens (from EWG.org)
- Banana Boat Clear UltraMist Kids Max Protect & Play Continuous Sunscreen Spray, SPF 110
- Coppertone Kids Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 70
- Coppertone Kids Sunscreen stick, SPF 55
- Coppertone Kids Wacky Foam Foaming Lotion Sunscren, SPF 70+
- Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 70+
- Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen Stick, SPF 55
- Equate Kids Sunscreen Stick, SPF 55
- Kroger Baby Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 70
- Kroger Kids Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 70
- Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Beach and Pool Sunblock Spray, SPG 70+
- Up & Up Kid’s Sunscreen Stick, SPF 55