
What’s more important are the ingredients (as outlined above) and consistent reapplication (every two hours if you or your kid is outdoors). In both cases, they can be chemical or physical.
#CVS THINKBABY SUNSCREEN SKIN#
Engelman (and many of her peers) recommends a physical formula (which sits on top of skin to deflect UV rays) over a chemical one (which is absorbed into the skin) to be extra safe.īottom line: There is no real difference between kid and adult sunscreen. Kids have thinner, more absorbent skin, which is why Dr. What might happen if a child used a chemical sunscreen? Their skin might get irritated. Some solid kid-marketed suggestions: Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen SPF 50+ ($13) and All Good Kid’s Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 ($16). And though the FDA is still in the process of updating its regulations for sunscreen safety, for now, the only two ingredients that have been deemed safe are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. There are children’s sunscreens out there that contain chemical blockers like avobenzone, oxybenzone and octinoxate.
#CVS THINKBABY SUNSCREEN FREE#
Some of our favorite adult brands that are totally safe to use on children include Alba Botanica Sensitive Fragrance Free Mineral Sunscreen ($8) and Australian Gold Botanical SPF 30 Lotion ($14).ĭo all “children’s” sunscreens adhere to these recommendations? Unfortunately, no. So, look for those two ingredients and make sure that it offers broad spectrum (or UVA/UVB) protection of at least 30. “You want something that’s formulated with either zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or a combination of the two,” she explains. So, can a child use “adult” sunscreen? Yes, but only if it’s a mineral or physical formula, says Engelman. Though many “kids’” sunscreens tend to be mineral-based because they’re less likely to cause irritation. Tell it to me straight: Is there even a difference between “kid” and “adult” sunscreen? In a nutshell: No. In fact, I often tell my patients to buy the baby versions for their personal use.” Pack sunscreen with you to save on cost, or find Thinksport and Thinkbaby Sunscreen at Target, Whole Foods, and CVS while youre there. You should ideally be using a hat, sunglasses, AND sunscreen all together.Sunscreen is a must, but is having a separate sunscreen for kids really necessary? We asked Dendy Engelman, MD, of Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in New York, for some clarification.įirst of all, does everybody need to be wearing different sunscreen? “You absolutely do not need to buy separate formulas for different members of the family. UV rays DO reflect off of a variety of surfaces and can be redirected to your face from the ground. It’s just another tool in the grand scheme of things. Formulated with SPF 50, this broad-spectrum sunscreen provides UVA and UVB protection, is water resistant up to 80 minutes and applies easily without leaving babies skin oily. Like I mentioned: sunscreen is not a perfect science. Free of biologically harmful chemicals, this top-rated, highly effective sunscreen is powerful, yet gentle enough for pregnant moms and baby. To answer your side question: YES!! You NEED to use multiple forms of protection against the sun. As at as options in the US go, I think zinc oxide is your best bet. Note that I removed it thoroughly every night.įrom what I understand, zinc oxide does provide adequate broad spectrum protection, but a search on this sub might yield better knowledge on the subject. It didn’t break me out, clog my pores, or irritate my eczema on my neck. But in a pinch I wouldn’t hesitate to use it again. I wouldn’t repurchase it again, however, just because ie recently discovered Asian sunscreens and they’re WORLDS better. It’s also fits in the TSA oz policy, IIRC. kind of creamsicle-ey(?) and the texture wasn’t bad at all when used on its own. I still freckled on my face, but nowhere near what it could have been (sunscreen isn’t a perfect science, after all). It held on at the beach and through the sweat really well!! I was pleasantly surprised. Anyway, it had a white cast, but on my pretty light skin it wasn’t THAT big of an inconvenience. Fragrance free, though I think it might have had a fragrant plant oil somewhere in the list, IIRC. It had a 20% zinc oxide (non-nano) content. I’m pretty sure it’s made from the same parent company, but I recently went to Maui and used the ThinkSport SPF 50.
