Sunscreen

You should avoid chemical sunscreens because they can be toxic. Instead try physical blockers and mineral based sunscreen such as zinc.

Hi A.! I have two girls 12 and 2. I use the ABC sucreen from Arbonne it is SPF 30 and is broad spectrum it is also water proof! My youngest has eczema and it is the only kind that she has been able to use! I am a consultant with Arbonne if you would like a sample please feel free to call me! Thanks W. ###-###-####

I am very fair and so are both of my babies. I always use a baby formula sunscreen with at least SPF 50. My favorite is Panama Jack...the only place I've been able to find it is the Dollar General, but I'll make a special trip for that brand anytime. I've had problems with some other "baby formulas" giving me a rash around my eye area. With any brand, reapply, reapply, reapply!

I have two very fair-skinned little ones and I've had great success with the natural sunscreens I purchased from Akin's Natural Foods and the Health Food Center.
They seem to be better for sensitive skin.
I'm sorry I cant remember the brand name I purchased last year, but I'm sure if you ask the staff they will be glad to point you to a good one!

The brand isn't the most important factor. I always use AT LEAST SPF50, gentle for sensitive skin. Water babies is what I used with my first son, but this time I bought Ocean Potion SPF 50 for babies and children and it has worked great, for half the price of the Coppertone Water Babies. My Pedi said it really didn't matter what brand, as long as it has SPF 50 or higher if you can find it, and is formulated for sensitive baby skin. And apply it 15 minutes before you go outside and every few hours after that.

Best stuff I have found is Banana Boat Babies SPF 50. We can spend all day in the sun and not have to worry about our kids getting burned. I love it!

The 4th of July is a big holiday with our family. Last year my son was 5 months old that month. I asked his pediatrician and she said that getting them started on a hat and sunglasses now is the best thing. They have infant sunglasses that velcro around the head at Target. She said that clothing coverage is also really good...tank tops instead of shirtless, etc. But Aveeno Baby Sunscreen SPF 50 is what she said to use on top of all of the other measures.

A.,
Have you ever heard of or tried Arbonne baby products? They are pediatrician tested, not just recommended and are pure, safe & beneficial, meaning they work! The sunscreen is waterproof & very gentle for babies. Please let me know if I can help you further at ____@____.com or ###-###-####. Thank you! A.

I use Banana Boat for Babies SPF 50. We just came back from a trip to the MS Gulf Coast and spent all day Saturday at the zoo in OKC and she hasn't got burned yet. Just make sure you keep re-applying it.

I am the mother of a 15 year old very fair skinned girl. I have ALWAYS used Water Babies 50 as recommended by her pediatrician and she has never burned. Hope it works as well for you as it did for me!

Hello, I would suggest you look into Arbonne products. I sell Arbonne and have learned so much about skin care products. We have a wonderful baby care line that includes a sunscreen in it. It is so gentle with no chemical dyes or chemical fragrances. It is made especially for babies and young children. We also have a great sun care line for moms. Let me know if I can help you out but please don't take my word for it, check out www.arbonne.com or e-mail me at ____@____.com Sincerely, Lori

Our dr. suggested Aveeno bay sunscreen. My child has very sensitive skin and this works very well.

Hi A.!
Congrats on your little bundle-they area so much more fun in the next few months! My little girl is 14 mos now & last year we tried several different brands-the one I found worked the best, didn't break her skin out, & was very easy to apply was WATER BABIES. Also it's so easy to be out in the sun w/o knowing if your little one is ok they now have these AWESOME little stickers you can get that you put on their little back or shoulder that will let you know when it's time to get your little one in some shade, they are made by Coppertone and can be found in the same areas as sunscreen! Have lots of fun this year and be very careful w/ your precious cargo!
Julie Spear-NWA

Not sure how young its recommended for but I got Badger sunblock for my girls because it was deemed #1 by Environmental working group - ewg.org They did a study on hundreds of sunscreens, so look it up and see what they had to say about the brand names...

I use either the coppertone babies or hawaiian tropic for myself. I am an extremely fair skinned person, even with SPF 60 I still burn. waterproof is great but also reapply after coming out of the water is great. The ones with the spray on are great because they are easier to reapply especially with an active little one.

Also make an investment in a cabana type tent or umbrella and keep that fair skin out of the sun.

Hello A. -
I would highly recommend Arbonne. It is dermatologist tested and botanically-based (derived from plant abstracts and herbs). I use it on both of my children. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience if you would like some more information.
Thank you -
A.

A.,
It was summer when my daughter was just 3 mos old and I did a lot of research on what was safe to put on her. I learned that most pediatricians recommend Blue Lizard Sunscreen. And Mom's seem to like it too. We went with California Baby brand based on lots of positive Mom reviews and they use natural products for more sensitive skin (which I think is good for babies) - I buy at www.babycenter.com but I think Target has started carrying California Baby products too. And as my daughter has gotten older I've used both California Baby sunscreen and bug repellent products along with Arbonne ABC Sunscreen. All these are lotions, so they're not as convenient as sprays, but much safer. Hope that helps. Good luck.
~ J. J.

I am a redhead, I can sunburn in the shade of an umbrella and through my clothes. No babies on the beach! I have pre-cancerous cells all over my legs because my parents had me at the beach and the lake when I was little and there was no sunscreen back then. I am truly paying for that now.
B.

AVEENO BABY SPF 55 - my youngest has ecsama (sp?) and this is the best sunscreen!

Hi -

I totally recommend ABC (Arbonne Baby Care). It is good/safe on young babies!! I've used it on all of my kids!! We are constantly on the lake!!

Formulated with SPF 30+, this lotion provides maximum protection for sensitive skin, when applied liberally and often. 6 fl. oz./170 g #849 $22

I can order it for you, or if you know a consultant in your area. The website is www.arbonne.com.

Good Luck!!

To ensure you get the most out of your sunscreen it applying it at least 20-30 minutes before you are out in the sun and then reaplying it after about 2 hours or sooner if baby gets wet.

I just read an article on babycenter.com that had some great advise. http://www.babycenter.com/404_what-kind-of-sunscreen-is-b...

Also they have one for what to do with sunburns.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_sunburn_11277.bc?scid=momstod...

in addition to sunscreen - a swim top (rash guard style) works great for a day at the beach. It seems no matter how often you reapply sunscreen when you are out all day it is hard not to burn. These tops are available everywhere not (old navy, target...) and have been a life saver to us as we go to the lake most weekends. That and a sunhat with a chin strap.

Hi A.,

I too have a very fair skinned little girl. We have used water babies SPF 50 since she was 6 months old and have no problems at all. We took her to the beach last year and it worked great.

J.

Hello,

My little girl's pediatrician recommends aveeno baby sunscreen. It works great I used it on my little girl last year she's also fair skinned. The year before that I used something else and it didn't work that good she still got a little red and she didn't with the aveeno baby.

Heahter C.

My dermatologist recommends Blue Lizard suncreens - she says they are the very best available and uses it for her family. They do have a baby formula that is chemical-free and fragrance-free. http://www.crownlaboratories.com/bluelizard/

I have just bought some from ebay for about half the price of retailers.

Hi! My husband & younger 2 daughters are VERY fair skinned! We have always used water babies or any other reputable name brand sunscreen with the highest spf available. They work very well. You can find spf of up to 70 i think. Also, wide brimmed hats...cute on lil' girls & great protection. If you can get her to keep it on, of course. :) Also, I know the lil' bathing suits are adorable on our girls, but the more skin that is covered, the better! When applying the sunscreen, be careful to remember the head(including in the hair for the scalp), and ears!!! Hope yoiu have a wonderful summer!

My name is K. S and am from Alabama. I have been working with a company for over 5 years and the products that we are have are all natural. We have a fabulous suncreen for babies/ children that is spf30. We use ingredients that are Pure, safe and beneficial. Also, it doesn't burn if gets in their eyes from sweating. We use ingredients such as oat, aloe and shea butter. If you want more info. call ###-###-#### or ____@____.com.

My pediatrician strongly recommended NOT to use sunscreen until infants are a year old. I think your best bet is to go with some of the other suggestions, baby glasses, hats and the sunscreen "suits". You can google "infant sun protection clothing" There are TONS of places to buy it. You can also use an umbrella or "sun tent". I now understand the dangers of sunscreen, as some of their chemicals can be so hazardous. I recommend all moms to check out ewg.org and search sunscreen: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens/summa...
They have a list of the best and worst also: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?sunscreens=1&...
The information may shock you!

Shaklee offers an all natural, dermatologist tested sunscreen for all ages. It is a little pricy, but worth the money for keeping your little one safe from sunburn and skin damage. You can read all about it at malonebiz.com.
J.

I just bought Aveeno Baby for my little girl. It says 6 months and up, so you should be fine.

Hi A.-

My sister is in Dermatology and she basically insists that we use Neutrogena UltraSheer SPF 55 with HELIOPLEX. It's lightweight, oil-free, PABA free, UVA/UVB protection, etc. We use this day to day.

We also have a boat and are very active in the summertime, sometimes going out several times a week. For water play, we use a product line called Blue Lizard. It's an Australian sunscreen that comes in many different formulations- regular, sensitive, face, baby. You can now find it at some drugstores or dermatology offices. This has the same protection as the Neutrogena, but it stays on much better. My sister says that Australian sunscreens have to pass much stricter guidelines than American sunscreens. These sunscreens are more expensive, but they're worth it for our family. Both of our kids have fair complexions, and even by the end of the summer, they have hardly any suntans.

You have to reapply ALL sunscreens, especially if the kids are sweating or swimming.

Good luck!
J.