No one wants to see an infant sporting the raw, tender skin of a sunburn, but the fear of the sun–like many other parental fears–seems to have become maybe a little hysterical?
The overzealous use of sunscreen on kids has resulted in widespread vitamin D deficiencies, which are linked to cancer, depression, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and obesity.
A 2009 study found that a staggering 70 percent of children in the United States have low vitamin D levels. An occasional sunburn might be safer!
Conventional sunscreen is loaded with chemicals, including parabens, well-established carcinogens, and oxybenzone, an endocrine disruptor that may generate free radicals when exposed to ultraviolet light.
Some researchers even suspect oxybenzone to be the hidden cause of the increase in melanoma, although most studies have found no such link. Still, add this potential risk to the risk of vitamin D deficiencies, and standard sun safety doesn’t feel so safe.
Note: These days, almost all sunscreen is free of PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), and so this once ubiquitous—and possibly carcinogenic—sunblock ingredient is no longer a concern.
My Top Pick for Best Natural Sunscreen Babo’s spray sunscreen has been a total game-changer for my family, since my kids hate having creams applied. And it’s in a non-aerosol can, and contains nothing concerning.
$21.99 — or subscribe and save up to 6%Buy Now
Wolfie and me in Aruba in 2014.
It was long believed that the safest way to avoid sunburn was to use a natural sunscreen that contains “barrier” ingredients, such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.
Because the application of such ingredients leaves skin with a telltale white sheen, nanoparticles (teeny microscopic particles) of each are typically used in sunscreen.
Recent research, however, calls into question the safety of these ingredients, as nanoparticles are small enough to penetrate cell membranes (normally, our cells recognize foreign material as an invader and blocks it out).
Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide are linked to DNA changes and nanoparticles of zinc oxide have been shown to generate free radicals.
Instead of nanoparticles, some natural sunscreen producers use “micronized” particles—basically, these are just slightly larger than nanoparticles, but still tiny.
To be exact, a nanoparticle is less than 100 nanometers in diameter, so micronized zinc oxide or titanium dioxide must be larger than this.
A particle must be 50 nanometers or less to penetrate a cell membrane, by the way. Theoretically, micronized particles should be safe, although at this point you’re probably feeling skittish about all sunscreen!
If You Do Get a Burn…
Most “aloe” gels contain very little, if any, actual aloe vera. This one does, and it offers a soothing solution for sun-exposed skin.
Given all the confusing information on sun safety as well as sunscreen safety, the ideal scenario would be something like this:
Take your child outside each day for ten or fifteen minutes, and then seek shade. This way, you’ve prevented vitamin D deficiencies as well as sunburn. Obviously, this isn’t always possible, and fortunately there are several brands of sunscreen that you can feel good about using.
Better Than Sunscreen: Sun-Protective Clothing
From hats to full body suis, I like Imse Vimse’s line of non-toxic SPF 50 clothing.
For what it’s worth, my kids are super pale, go outside daily, never wear sunscreen unless we are at the beach or outside all day, and don’t seem to get sunburns. Their grandfather is black, though, so maybe those genes help even if they didn’t present themselves in any obvious way!
We sell natural sunscreen in our online store, but I still tell my private clients to let their kids get some sun! Of course I’m not a pediatrician, and you should talk to your own about this—but I think it’s unnecessary and potentially harmful to keep children slathered in sunscreen year-round–even if it’s safe, natural sunscreen.
(Read more about natural sunscreen in our blog post on nanoparticles of zinc oxide and melanoma.)
Felix and Wolfie in sun-protective shirts in Costa Rica, 2018.
Okay, I’m done preaching. Here’s some info on the Good Stuff when it comes to natural sunscreen (plus the Bad and the Sneaky Stuff).
I haven’t tried this brand myself, so I cannot speak to how easily it goes on or well it works–but the ingredients are all safe.
If you’re an Acure fan, you’ll love one of the newer baby products in their line-up, this sunscreen stick. It contains no chemical sun-blocking ingredients (instead using non-nano zinc oxide), and it contains no other questionable ingredients, additives, or preservatives.
Unfortunately, Acure discontinued its entire baby line, including sunscreen!
I’m partial to All Good’s spray version, but their sport sunscreen is great because it offers 80 minutes of water resitance. Both versions use non-nano zinc oxide to block the sun, and contain no other ingredients of concern. Many of the ingredients are organic in All Good, so bonus points for that!
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Babo’s SPF 30 Clear Zinc Sunscreen Lotion uses non-nano, non-micronized, and more or less clear zinc oxide (meaning less white sheen).
NEW for Spring 2016: Babo now also makes a spray-on, 100% zinc sunscreen, which does not contain sodium benzoate.
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Unlike their lotion, Babo’s SPF 30 Sportstick does NOT contain sodium benzoate. It also utilizes non-nano, non-micronized, clear zinc, and is perfect for lips, ears, faces, and babies. I find myself using it on arms and legs, too, as it is the least white off all the Good Stuff.
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California Baby sunscreens contain more synthetic ingredients than most of the other Good Stuff on our list. Still, CA Baby contains just titanium dioxide rather than chemical sunscreen ingredients, and overall I consider it a safe option.
Made Of’s Broad Spectrum Sunscreen uses non-nano zinc oxide instead of chemical sunscreen ingredients. What sets this brand apart is that Made Of tests their products for contamination with heavy metals, parabens, microbes, and more.
Soleo makes a line of baby-safe sunscreen, consisting of organic ingredients and free of fragrance and parabens. While the label claims that the zinc oxide it contains is “non-nano,” it doesn’t specify the size of the particles, so it’s probably micronized.
Soleo sunscreen doesn’t go on completely clear, but is less pasty than Badger or Honest.
You can buy Soleo sunscreen on Amazon for $24.
For those of you who LOVE Green Goo (formerly Sierra Sage) like I do, here’s another product from the one of the country’s oldest herbalists. Solar Goo’s simple recipe includes just seven organic ingredients–including soothing calendula flowers to condition the skin.
Solar Goo goes on relatively clear thanks to a generous infusion of coconut oil. I use this on my face, and it’s also great for small babies.
$9.99 — or subscribe and save up to 5%Buy Now
Badger makes a range of sunscreens, all of which are mineral-based and without any Bad Stuff.
-The Baby Sunscreen offers a great non-nano zinc cream.
-For the face, we love the Damascus Rose formula, which has a subtle, pleasant scent.
-For a sunscreen that doubles as insect repellent, Badger makes an SPF 34, DEET-free formula.
-Badger’s sport formula resists water and sweat for 80 minutes.
$15.99Buy Now
This is definitely the very best stuff, from a safety perspective.
Kabana’s Green Screen uses non-nano, non-micronized zinc oxide (so yes, it goes on a bit white). While the sunscreen itself may not be totally transparent, Kabana certainly is–they list the actual size of their zinc oxide particles right on their website, and I’ve had a number of great conversations with Kabana’s founder, Erik (he’s surprisingly accessible and obviously sincerely devoted to his mission of producing safe, green skincare).
Kabana Green Screen is available in SPF 20 or SPF 35, and the latter even contains vitamin D to combat what you’ll lose by using sunscreen. I sort of like using a sunscreen that goes on white, too. I wrote about why in a blog post last summer. You’ll pay around $19 for a four-ounce tube of Green Screen.
$19.79 — or subscribe and save up to 5%Buy Now
From a non-toxic perspective, some of Honest’s products are better than others, and this is one of the very safe ones. The zinc oxide used as a barrier ingredient may be micronized, but it is non-nano, and none of the other ingredients in Honest’s formula are concerning.
The downside? This sunscreen is extremely thick, pasty, and white. I don’t mind it too much, but my husband likens these sorts of sunscreens to applying toothpaste to the kids’ skin.
I was sent a sample of this sunscreen years ago, and I gave it to my friend, Elleni, who was a new mom. She loved it and has remained loyal to the brand. While it’s very greasy, she said she prefers that over a sticky, chalky zinc-based formula (such as Honest or Badger).
At $25 for 4 ounces, Adorable Baby Sunscreen is expensive, but it’s easy to apply and contains no concerning ingredients.
Buy Adorable Baby Sunscreen on Amazon.
While normally I am not a fan of anything you spray on (because of course then you’re inhaling the ingredients), the contents of Goddess Garden are safe enough that I feel comfortable recommending this sunscreen. However, it gets a 3 on Skin Deep, which is higher than most of the products I recommend. Goddess Garden uses micronized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide in its formulas. Update: Now Babo makes safe spray sunscreens, I would choose those over Goddess Garden.
The spray bottle is $20 on Amazon.
Beautycounter’s Protect All Over Sunscreen includes a lot of ingredients, including phenoxyethanol (the Protect Stick Sunscreen does not contain phenoxyethanol). Overall, as is the case with many Beautycounter products, these sunscreens seem safe to me, but they do contain more ingredients than some of the other brands recommended here.
Poofy makes a cream as well as a stick sunscreen. Both have entirely safe ingredients in them, including jojoba oil, shea butter, and only non-micronized zinc oxide as a sun barrier ingredient.
This isn’t the very top of my list because it does contain more synthetic ingredients than some of the other natural sunscreens in this list–and nothing is organic. That said, it doesn’t contain synthetic sun-blocking ingredients, parabens, phthalates, or anything else toxic.
Note: Choosing a lower SPF sunscreen, while increasing the risk of sunburn, may combat vitamin D deficiencies, as will delaying application for ten minutes or so after going outside.
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Almost all conventional baby sunscreens should be avoided, but below are some of the very worst.
Even the fragrance-free version of Huggies Little Swimmers is toxic, containing a host of parabens; the ones with the higher SPFs are especially bad (and are more likely to contribute to vitamin D deficiencies if overused).
Stay away from all varieties of Coppertone Water Babies–it’s also packed with parabens.
Baby Blanket makes a bunch of different types of sunscreen for kids; all should be avoided (some even contain BHA).
The generic baby sunblocks by Walgreens and CVS also contain parabens, as do those made by No-Ad.
La Roche-Posay sunscreen has a lot of fans–so many of you have asked about this one. Unfortunately, I’m not a fan of the ingredients–lots of synthetics, including PEG chemicals and four kinds of chemical sunscreens.
Rite Aid’s private label sunscreen has retinyl palmitate (linked to cancer) and the aforementioned endocrine disruptor oxybenzone.
Retinyl palmitate is also found in most of Neutrogena’s sunscreen formulations (which also contain synthetic fragrance—AKA phthalates—and oxybenzone). In addition, Neutrogena’s sunscreen was recalled after it was found to be contaminated with carcinogenic benzene.
Alba Botanica’s spray sunscreen smells so good, but contains chemical sunblock ingredients, including avobenzone.
Panama Jack Naturals Baby Sunblock does skip the fragrance, but it can hardly be considered natural, considering it’s full of oxybenzone and numerous parabens.
Blue Lizard contains chemical sunscreen ingredients in addition to zinc oxide. It also contains PEG chemicals, among other ingredients I don’t love.
Avalon Organics Baby was the first brand of sunscreen I used on Felix (we went to Mexico when he was six months old, and I was definitely worried about sunburn there). Now that I’ve exhaustively researched all sunscreen ingredients, I know that while “no parabens” is great, nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and neurotoxic benzyl alcohol are not.
EWG gives BabyGanics Cover-Up Baby Sunscreen the low score of a 2. This is shocking since the product is loaded with bad ingredients such as octinoxate (a chemical–not mineral–sunscreen ingredient!), phenoxyethanol, polysorbate-60, and lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 methicone. BabyGanics Mineral Sunscreen Stick is a good bet, although it still contains a few ingredients of low concern, and probably utilizes micronized particles of zinc oxide and titanium oxide since it only specifies that it’s non-nano.
Aveeno has done a brilliant job marketing itself as natural. Unfortunately, most of their sunscreens contain oxybenzone, retinyl palmitate, and synthetic fragrance blends (often made up of dozens of chemicals). Aveeno sunscreen was also recalled after it was found to be contaminated with carcinogenic benzene in this study.
Raw Elements sunscreen is contaminated with carcinogenic benzene, per a 2021 study.
Seventh Generation Wee Baby Sunscreen contains nonparticles of zinc oxide.
Sun Bum was found to be contaminated with benzene, an established carcinogen.
Kiss My Face makes a range of sunscreens, and some are better than others. The worst of them (such as the aerosol versions) contain chemical sunblockers like endocrine-disrupting octinoxate. Even their mineral formulas contain phenoxyethanol.
Not only does Supergoop! sunscreen contain chemical sunblocking agents–even in their “mineral” formulas–but it also contains sketchy preservatives like BHT.
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View Comments
What are your thoughts on Blue Lizard? Thanks
That's what we use I was t sure if she was saying it was sneaky and didn't give a reason way so I looked it up on reg: http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2016/05/22-best-scoring-sunscreens-kids
Hi there-
They are Sneaky Stuff, unfortunately.
I recently saw a new sunscreen (to me at least it is new lol) named thinkbaby. It was rated a 0 on the think dirty app, but I wanted to see your thoughts. We currently use badger, but I like that I can find this in the grocery store.
Thanks in advance!
Ps I couldn't find where to comment, hence the "reply" ?
It's fine, but I do think Badger has an even cleaner ingredients list. Also anything I've listed under The Good Stuff:)
I’m on vacay in Mexico using thinkbaby. No sunburns but i won’t be applying it to my baby’s cheeks again. He rubbed it in his eyes and he cried for a minute. Using it on my skin though, dries clear ish!
My baby has very sensitive skin and we use Vanicream products to soothe eczema. Any thoughts on their sunscreen?
I consider Vanicream to be Sneaky Stuff:(
What would you suggest for sensitive skin 6 months old and ezema prone?
I'd try the Solar Goo: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/store/sierra-sage-solar-goo-sun-protection-stick/
Maia, which brand do you use for yourself and your husband?
What about beautycounter products that are rated well from EWG (http://www.beautycounter.com/body-hair/sunscreen/protect-stick-sunscreen-spf-30-sweet-tooth.html)?
Yes, Beautycounter is Good Stuff! In particular we love their makeup. We are now Beautycounter consultants, in fact:) http://www.beautycounter.com/suzanneweaver-goss/
what about California baby
It's pretty good although it contains a longer list of ingredients than some of the other options.
What about Thinkbaby?
It's Okay, with dimethicone being the only ingredient I don't love.
Thank you for the info!
I love your website!!! What do you think can i use for my seven month baby?
Hi there! I would go for one of the Babo sunscreens--even the stick would work for a baby that small. Or the spray option is great: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/store/babo-botanicals-sheer-zinc-continuous-spray-spf-30/
What do you think about sunscreen for scalps??? Can the tv good spray sunscreens be used for that??
the good stuff* Idk how "tv" got in there lol
Yes, any of the Good Stuff would be fine on scalps.
Love your website!!
My baby will be 4 months at the beginning of summer here. What sunscreen do you recommend for a baby that young?
Thanks!
Hi there-
You should definitely check with your doctor in terms of sunsreen on a baby that young, but in my opinion the very gentlest brand is this one: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/store/sierra-sage-solar-goo-sun-protection-stick/
I love your website it makes my life of research so much easier.
I had ordered the solar goo for my 9 month old. But the several call outs about contacting poison control if ingested kind of freaks me out. What ingredient would this be fore? All my baby does is stick her hands, arms, feed etch in her mouth.
Thanks
Niki
I reached out to the woman who makes Solar Goo and here is what she had to say: "Great question. It is standard on the Drug Fact Panel to state this on all packaging. From our research all of our ingredients if rubbed into the babies skin and if absorbed it is okay if her/him hands and feet are in their mouth off and on. If the child were to eat the whole stick or tin then that is where it would be appropriate to call regarding the ingredients due to the amount."
Hi what do you think of lush products?
Don't know that brand, but will look into it!
Lush is not marketed for babies but it is our fave for bath time.