With the sunshine finally beaming down in all its glory, we want to share with you some of our favorite sunscreens for kids (and adults too!). We’ll also take a moment to point out some sunscreens you should simply walk on by. Although the labelling and words might sound enticing, some sunscreens simply aren’t the best for rubbing into the skin.

Buyer Beware

There are tons of brands on the market, but not all are created equal. When you’re shopping for a sunscreen, you might want to think twice about these ones:

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Banana Boat

Don’t get on the boat, not the Banana Boat. With almost all of the Banana Boat sunscreens earning hazard scores of 8 out of 10 from Cosmetic Safety Database, there simply are better options out there.

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Hawaiian Tropics

Ahhhhh, the gentle tradewinds, palm trees and aloha spirit. We all love Hawaii. Just don’t transfer that love to your bottle of sunscreen. Much like Banana Boat, the Hawaiian Tropics line earns high hazard scores, even in the ‘kids’ versions.

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Coppertone Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 70+

With an SPF 70, a ‘Kids’ label and a familiar brand name, it must be a great choice, right? Not so much. The Coppertone family of sunscreens varies significantly in hazard scores. This is one to avoid, but below, we’ll share one that is good to pick up.

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Good Bets

If you’re looking for a mainstream sunscreen that won’t cost you a bundle and is readily found in drug or health food stores, consider one of these following sunscreens. Although these contain chemicals, if you’re going to purchase typical brands, these are good bets:
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Kinesys Kids Spray on Sunscreen, SPF 30+

Kinesys is an all-around great brand and the sunscreen formulations for kids are particularly great. It offers low hazard ratings and a reasonable price point – Costco often has double packs for a steal. You can always find a bottle of Kinesys in our house.
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Coppertone Kids / Coppertone Water Babies Pure and Simple Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50.

If you love Coppertone products, then we suggest you reach for either the Kids or Water Babies Pure and Simple Lotion. It’s well-ranked by the Cosmetic Safety Database and won’t cost you a bundle..

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Alba Botanica Mineral Sunscreen

Another good option, Alba Botanica sunscreens rank well, particular for the ‘Kids’ and ‘Fragrance Free’ versions.

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The Best of the Best

Truly the best sunscreens you can purchase contain zinc and/or titanium as the sole active ingredients. Although they don’t come cheap, you can rest assured you’re putting a very safe product on your little ones. Remember, this will be thicker and go on a bit white. Rub them in though and your lil one won’t look ghostly

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Badger Sunscreen

With a cute little name and SPF of 30, this zinc-based sunscreen is much beloved by moms and dads. Contains 20% microionized zinc oxide which acts as a barrier to UVA and UVB rays.
Where to get it: EcoMama

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Matter Co. Sunscreen

The natural bases, herbs, and essential oils nourish the skin. It’s pure and gently for baby. Contains 20% microionized zinc oxide which acts as a barrier to UVA and UVB rays.
Where to get it: The Little Dipper

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ThinkBaby Sport

thinkbaby’s SPF 30 sunscreen is one of the safest sunscreens on the market today for many reasons. Made from high quality safe ingredients, thinkbaby sunscreen contains no nano-particles, does not contain PABA or parabens and does not contain any hormone disrupting chemicals. Where to get it: Nayla Naturals

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Remember, UV clothing is another great option to keep your kiddies covered. It also minimizes the amount of sunscreen you’ll need to use. If you’re looking for a great summary on the lingo and options for various sunscreens, check out this great piece on the Nayla Naturals Blog. Enjoy the sunshine!

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