Baby Sunscreen

Normally baby and toddler sunscreen is mineral sunscreen as opposed to chemical sunscreen.

Mineral sunscreen is also referred to as physical sunscreen because it uses particles of mineral on the skin to reflect the uv rays instead of chemicals to absorb them.

These ingredients sitting on the skin instead of absorbing into it lowers the likelihood the sunscreens ingredients being absorbed into the blood steam. In addition, generally the chemicals in regular sunscreen are what causes irritation and inflammation in people with sensitive skin. As babies have such sensitive skin, baby sunscreen tends to contain less synthetic ingredients as well.

In keeping with lowering irritation and preventing reactions, most baby suitable sunscreen is fragrance free. While all the Soléo Organics sunscreens that contain fragrance, use naturally derived essences, we still recommend that for babies you use our fragrance free sunscreens. In particular the performance sunscreen for the water and everyday sunscreen for normal use.

Finally the last common element in most infant sunscreens, is the use of micro particles instead of nano particles. There is limited evidence that shows that nano particles (much smaller than micro particles) can potentially be absorbed through the skin. While there is no evidence to suggest this is dangerous, it is deemed safer for babies and toddlers to use micro based sunscreen instead of nano.

While not in common with other baby sunscreens, Soléo Organics sunscreens are edible and don't sting the eyes. Formulated specifically to be suitable for babies and pregnant women, you don't need to concern yourself with the possibility of your children eating some of the sunscreen or getting any in their eyes.

Can babies use regular sunscreen?

Babies have much more sensitive skin, it is therefore not recommended you use anything less than hypoallergenic sunscreen on babies or toddlers.
The normal recommendation is that you always use baby sunscreen for all infants.

Generally it's not recommended for babies under six months old to use sunscreen at all. The Australasian College of Dermatologists indicates that the reason for this is that a young babies skin absorbs more chemicals than an older child or adult.

Soléo Organics sunscreen is completely chemical free, all of our sunscreens are suitable for babies and infants. We do always recommend that you patch test the sunscreen before use though, and that you use the fragrance free versions for all infants.

What ingredients to avoid for babies?

The EWG recommends not using sunscreens containing Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Homosalate, Octocrylene or Avobenzone. This is a general recommendation though that applies to adults as well as infants and children. Generally the recommendation for babies is to use a natural (also known as a mineral or physical) sunscreen that uses zinc oxide as the active ingredient.

When should baby wear sunscreen?

The first line of approval for babies sun protection should always be clothing and shade. Keeping your child well covered in clothing is a better defence than anything else in most cases, however as you can't keep all of your baby covered all of the time, shade becomes a huge asset as well.
You should be aware though that shade is not complete protection as the UVA rays from the sun will often be very present, even when your child is in full shade under a pram.
It is for this reason, along with the fact that you can't forever keep baby in the shade that sunscreen can be so important. Lifestyle of the parents is also an important factor in this regard.
Generally when going into the sun, you should have any exposed areas covered in sunscreen fifteen minutes prior to exposure. Sometimes this can just mean the face and the tops of the feet, if laying in a pram. Other times this can mean something a bit more extensive if baby will be going for a swim with mum or dad.

Top Tips

Here are some of our top 7 tips for using sunscreen on baby or your children.

1) Let your children see you apply it first. It is said that you should lead by example, and we've discovered that by applying this principle with your children you can drastically reduce complaints.
2) Apply in dots and squiggles. There is no reason applying sunscreen with baby can't be fun. Applying in dot's and squiggles before spreading the sunscreen out, can make an otherwise mundane task more enjoyable.
3) Make sure you apply an adequate amount. Far too many people do not apply enough sunscreen, and receive a significantly reduced amount of sun protection.
4) UV Radiation isn't halted by clouds. An overcast day may fool you into thinking you won't be burned the but the danger from the UVA rays is still there, both for you and for your child.
5) Don't forget to reapply, remember the SPF value of the sunscreen is only valid for the period before reapplication, this is usually two hours. Don't forget to reapply after that time period.
6) Store the sunscreen properly. Don't leave your sunscreen out in the sun, being stored in a higher than recommended temperature can make it expire sooner.
7) Don’t miss any areas. Areas like the top of the head or feet, the hands and around the eyes can easily be missed if you are not careful. Keep in mind that while Soléo Organics sunscreen is safe for baby to eat and get in their eyes, not all baby sunscreens are, make sure you check the label.