Children's sunscreens

We've sampled a selection of children's sunscreen products in preparation for the sunny days ahead.

Babies and small children have tender, delicate skin, and can burn easily in New Zealand's summer sunshine. Even if you're only going to the local playground for an hour, your child needs sunscreen and a hat, and you should be careful to protect them from too much sun. The Cancer Society of New Zealand has the following recommendations:

• Keep infants and small children out of the sun as much as possible between September and March, especially between 11am and 4pm.
• Provide adequate shade and regularly check positioning of infants' clothing to ensure adequate protection from the sun. 
• Be cautious using sunscreen on babies under one year of age. Where possible, use clothing to cover their skin.
• Patch-test sunscreen first. 
• Sunscreen should be applied at least 15 to 20 minutes before going outside (check individual packaging) and reapplied at least every two hours, unless a product suggests more frequent reapplication.
• Whatever sunscreen you choose, ideally it should comply with the voluntary standard for sunscreens AS/NZS 2604:1998 (to find out more visit www.nicnas.gov.au). We found these standards only apply to products from Australia and New Zealand labelled up to SPF 30, so
  if you are purchasing sunscreen that is manufactured further abroad or has an SPF higher than 30, you may need to do further research regarding the standards to which it was tested. Remember, the SunSmart rules - "slip, slop, slap, and wrap" - apply to all ages. Extra diligence is needed with babies and young children, due to their especially sensitive skin
  and the fact that episodes of sunburn in children and adolescence increase the risk of melanoma in adulthood. For more information, visit www.sunsmart.org.nz.

Banana Boat Baby Roll On Sunscreen SPF30+
75ml RRP$11.50
Really easy to apply, and sheen-free. Fragrance free, so smells like typical sunscreen. The roll-on feature would be great for wriggly kids, and the lid screws on nice and tight so safe in the handbag. Mild and gentle and formulated to not run into eyes. Four hours water resistance. Compliance with AS/NZS 2604:1998.

Invisible Zinc Junior Clip-On Sunscreen SPF30+
60g RRP$24.95
"Product might leave slight caste on skin" - at least they're honest! Brilliant packaging, comes complete with a carabiner clip so you can always have it handy, either on your belt loop or around the handle of your beach bag (or your child's backpack for easy preschool reapplication throughout the day). Quite strong-smelling, but cruelty-free and free from chemical sun filters. Low irritant and naturally derived. Apply 20 minutes before sun exposure. Compliance with AS/NZS 2604:1998.

Babu Sunscreen SPF30+
150ml $28 from www.babu.co.nz
Smells amazing - good enough to eat, and you almost could judging by the ingredients list: Coconut, noni and red raspberry oils sourced from organic plantations in Samoa. Rubs in really well and leaves skin soft and soothed. Apply liberally every two hours, especially after exercise or swimming. Minimalist packaging in an elegant bottle that wouldn't look amiss on your dressing table. Compliance with AS/NZS 2604:1998. 

Cancer Society Ultra Children's SPF30+
150ml RRP$15.99
Low irritant and fragrance-free. Especially formulated for children, having undergone extensive allergy testing. Smells like sunscreen, rubs in well but leaves that typical sunscreen-kissed iridescent glow. Recommendation is to liberally apply 15 minutes before exposure to sun, and to reapply frequently to dry skin after exercise, towel drying, or swimming. Compliance with AS/NZS 2604:1998.

Aveeno Baby, Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF55
112g RRP$24.95
A bit thick but rubs in really well, and feels like body lotion. Contains soothing oatmeal, helps prevent moisture loss, and is waterproof. It says it's fragrance-free, but to us it smells beachy. Even though it is SPF55, be aware that even higher-rating SPF products need to be reapplied regularly as research suggests they do not provide much more protection than an SPF30. This product recommends reapplication after 80 minutes of activity in water or sweating. Conforms to USA FDA Monograph.

UV Natural Sunscreen Baby SPF30+
50g RRP$18.90 from www.made4baby.co.nz
Similar to tinted moisturiser in colour, and fragrance-free - consequently quite natural-smelling (more Rotorua than rose garden). Rubs in easily and absorbs well, but leaves a sheen and is a little sticky. Needs to be applied every two hours. Water resistant, but reapply after swimming. Recyclable packaging and biodegradable. Comes in a convenient 50g tube for your purse, or a 150g tube for your beach bag. Preservative free. ARTG/FDA Listed, meets AU/USA standards. 

Le Tan Toddler Milk Spray SPF30+
125ml RRP$15.99
A thinner consistency, and rubs in really easily. We assume its spray applicator would make sunscreening your wriggly little person fast and fuss-free. No artificial colours or fragrance, smells kind of neutral. Le Tan is the official sunscreen of Surf Life Saving NZ, so that should give us confidence on the beach! Compliance with AS/NZS 2604:1998. 

Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunblock Lotion SPF60+
88ml RRP$22.95
Another with a thicker consistency and requires some effort to rub in. Leaves a sheen, but also skin feeling soft. Waterproof, won't run into eyes or sting. The name "pure and free" refers to the inclusion of some of its "naturally sourced" sunscreen ingredients, but we noticed it does contain a fairly long list of chemical ingredients. Conforms to USA FDA Monograph. 

 
Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen SPF30+
75g RRP$29.95 from www.naturebaby.co.nz
A nice natural option featuring no chemical UV absorbers, no titanium dioxide, no synthetic preservatives, colours or fragrances. Thicker in consistency (the only product with instructions to "knead before use"), this one takes a bit of rubbing in and leaves you with the "glow". Provides three hours of water resistance. Apply liberally 20 minutes before sun exposure. Soleo has its name behind a pro surfng team and pro kite surfng team, who have surely put the product through its paces. Compliance with AS/NZS 2604:1998.

As seen in OHbaby! magazine Issue 12: 2011
 
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