A Guide to Safe Sunscreens for the Entire Family
Summer weather is here. After Memorial Day, it feels like we are knee deep in all the summer activities!
If you feel the same, that means you are likely also applying sunscreen often on yourself or your kiddo, especially if you spend time outdoors. Sunscreen is important to protect against UV rays and preventing sunburns. But just as important is the type of sunscreen you are applying to yourself and your children! This can be confusing, with so many sunscreens out there on the market and very little regulation and oversight over the ingredients in those sunscreens and their potential health concerns.
In this guide, I want to share my tips as you buy and apply a safe sunscreen.
Why Use a mineral sunscreen.
First, using a mineral sunscreen is my TOP TIP. Make sure that any sunscreen you buy is a mineral one!
What does that mean?
Mineral sunscreens are made with zinc oxide and provide strong sun protection with very few health concerns. They sit on top of your skin and physically block or reflect UV rays away from your skin. And also provide immediate protection upon application. These are also more eco-friendly because they do not contain harmful chemicals that damage coral reefs and marine life.
Avoid using chemical sunscreens which use non-mineral ingredients such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone. These chemicals are absorbed into our skin and bloodstream and have harmful effects such as hormone disruption. Oxybenzone and octinoxate are also harmful to the coral reefs and marine life. Chemical sunscreens also take 15-30 minutes after application to be effective. They are usually lighter in texture, but in my opinion, the harmful ingredients are not worth the lighter texture!
Opt for mineral lotions and sticks over a spray. I know this can be a tough one, as sometimes sprays are easiest, especially when applying on kids. And we do have and use a mineral spray!!! So we are not perfect with this one. But, mineral lotions and sticks are the best option and they are applied directly to the skin. This avoids any inhalation of tiny particles.
Now, once you know that your sunscreen needs to be a mineral one, the next big question is WHAT ONE?! To me, this is the hardest part…
What Mineral Sunscreen Brand to Use?
Here are some resources to easily find a safe sunscreen for your family:
I have an Amazon Sunscreen List.
I have another shoppable list of safe sunscreen options
The Environmental Working Group has a very helpful sunscreen guide.
Here are three sunscreen brands I recommend checking out:
Babo Botanicals. I have been using this sunscreen stick on my kids and I love how sheer it is! You don’t have to rub in very much and that’s key for me. It’s also EWG verified. I think this will be the brand we continue to use every summer. They make a great sheer spray, too.
Think Sun Mineral Sunscreen. We are using Think Sport and Think Kids right now. They also have Think Baby. This is a mineral sunscreen brand and the lotions and sticks are EWG verified, which is a great verification standard for safety and transparency. You can get on their website or at Target. Or also on Amazon. It doesn’t rub in as well as Babo but I love their commitment to safety with this brand.
Attitude Mineral Sunscreen. This is a great brand that has a lot of EWG verified clean product options, including a mineral sunscreen. They have mineral lotions and sticks and you can find on Amazon or on their website. I haven’t personally used this brand yet but keep eyeing it because I have heard great things.
Higher SPF isn’t always betteR.
It’s easy to fall for a high SPF and think it’s better, but that is not always the case. The difference in SPF over 50 is marginal and a high SPF may tempt you to be in the sun too long and not reapply. SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays and SPF 100 blocks 99%. Higher SPF, especially with chemical sunscreens, also means they used more sun-filtering chemicals to make the sunscreen, making them more toxic to your health.
When used properly, SPF between 15 and 50 will provide adequate protection and be sure to reapply often (every 2 hours). You will also want to apply more often if you are swimming or sweating.
Avoid peak dayTIME HOURS when you are outdoors.
My dad is a dermatologist so this piece of advice I always remember the most growing up! He always said to avoid the sun between 10 am and 2 pm. If you are going outdoors, plan it in the morning or late afternoon because the sun is lower. The UV radiation peaks at midday.
And the best sun safety tip for kids is to protect them with shirts, hat and shade. And infants under 6 months should be out of direct sunlight as much as possible. And if you have any specific concerns, always contact a healthcare provider.
Now, once you have the tools in place to navigate safe sunscreen and know what products to get, you are ready to have a happy and healthy summer!
And if you have any questions as you look at sunscreen options, be sure to reach out. Or let’s connect on Instagram!
xx,
Anna
