We all know the importance of protecting our skin, especially the delicate skin of a baby, from the sun every day, but what sunscreen is best for a baby? Ideally, a baby less than 6 months old should be kept out of the sun completely or covered with sun protective clothing and a hat, but if sunscreen is necessary for a young baby then a chemical-free one is the best choice.
Chemical-free sunscreens form a physical barrier against the sun’s rays on your baby as opposed to a typical sunscreen which has chemicals that can be absorbed into the baby’s system. In addition, physical sunscreens begin to work to protect your baby immediately after application whereas chemical sunscreens need 30 minutes to start working. After a baby reaches 6 months of age chemical sunscreens are ok, but you still need to be careful with what sunscreen you put on your baby’s sensitive skin. Fortunately, today, there are many choices for chemical-free sunscreen for a baby. Here are six recommendations for some of the best chemical-free sunscreens for your baby.
1) California Baby No Fragrance SPF30+ Sunscreen Lotion California Baby sunscreen uses micronized titanium dioxide to block both UVA and UVB rays. It is also unscented, PABA-free, and water resistant for at least 80 minutes. The non-greasy lotion is safe for use on baby’s whole body including the face, but also can be bought in a convenient stick for even easier application to the face. California Baby sunscreen can also be bought in an Everyday/Year-round form in both the lotion and the stick. The Everyday/Year-Round version has a lemongrass scent. The third version of the California Baby sunscreen is their Citronella formula. This version includes citronella, lemongrass, and cedar essential oils to help repel bugs from your baby.
2) Burt’s Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen This sunscreen is available in both SPF30 and SPF 15. It also uses titanium dioxide. It is available only as a lotion.
3) Avalon Organics Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18 Avalon Organics sunscreen also uses titanium dioxide and comes in a non-greasy lotion. It is only available in an SPF 18 formula, however, so it will likely need to be re-applied more often.
4) Badger SPF 30 for Face & Body Badger is a zinc oxide sunscreen. Zinc oxide is another physical barrier sunscreen like titanium dioxide that is safe for a young baby. It blocks both UVA and UVB rays. This sunscreen is water resistant for up to 40 minutes and is also available in an SPF 15 formula.
5) Keys Soap Solar Rx Broad Spectrum SPF 30+ Sunblock Keys Soap Solar Rx sunscreen also contains zinc oxide to protect your baby from both UVA and UVB rays. It also contains a large amount of moisturizers to help rehydrate skin in the sun and is 100% vegan.
6) Trukid Sunny Days SPF 30+ Natural Mineral Sunscreen. This chemical-free sunscreen comes in a lotion and is a titanium dioxide sunscreen. Trukid also carries a convenient stick sunscreen that has both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide for easier application to your baby.
With these 6 great choices you can easily find a chemical-free sunscreen to protect your baby from the sun’s harmful rays.
