AIBU re suncream

[iamdivergent]

Talking with fellow school mum today. I mentioned about how x shop had own brand suncream 50+ kids stuff for less than half price of nivea. She said that own brand isn't as effective but i argued that it's all the same provided the factor is same as they have to conform to EU standards etc. who IBU?

Some own brand products are better than branded. Which did a survey a few years ago- have a Google.

You are right - it has to meet the standards laid down. The only issue with any suncream is that it loses its efficacy over time so factor 50 you've had for 2 years will no longer be factor 50. I can't remember the way to calculate it, but beware keeping it for years.

The other mum IBU: she's seduced by the marketing.

thanks made me feel a bit better, was doubting myself!

i think it loses 50% a year

Aldi have got sunscreen at the moment :)

morrisons 50+ swim stuff is £3.50

I gave just ordered superdrug stuff for my holiday. Has 5 star protectiin which is more than nivea normally offers. I have also used asda, tesco and boots own make in the past.

Just read the bottles carefully, as well as a high factor, so yes 50 for children, check the star rating which is often found as a circle with the stars in. You want four stars for children as this means the sunscreen performs well at blocking out UVA.
I buy Nivea as I love the smell and always keep my eye open as any day now the cheap shops will start stocking it at half the price of Boots etc..
I have bought cheaper before now but dislike the texture of the product, so just check the packaging carefully and buy one you like.

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/travelhealth/Pages/SunsafetyQA.aspx

This explains about star ratings...

I'm sure I read something a couple of years ago that said some brands were better than others.

Boots did well I think.

I'm happy with anything that's about factor 25+. Wwe just reapply quite often.

We only use it abroad though, or in the height of summer, so it doesn't break the bank and the children have some chance of warding off rickets

I would say you want at least 4 stars if not 5 and most of nivea has only 3 stars so I tend to avoid it.

The cheaper brands will provide the same amount of protection from the sun- for the extra money you get better smelling/less sticky/less greasy suncream.

Nivea 50 has four stars...

Branded suncream is a RIDICULOUS price, and so it's Boots own Soltan brand. £14.99 for 300ml or something obscene.

Tesco's do perfectly good stuff for £5.

And it's 5 star UVA rating.

Asda suncream came out on top of which tests a few years back.

Its also one of the few that work on ds' eczema.

Thanks I have to send some in to school and holiday club too so good way to save a little but of £ but still getting the protection will have a look at the star rating on morrisons stuff when I go later on

I think morrisons is 5 star rated too

I think that they can vary. Even between their own ranges.

Apparently we don't use suncream in the correct way to get the factor protection.

Normal size bottle of suncream should last one person. 1 1/2 days, slathered on thickly top to toe, 3 x per day.

Can you imagine family of 4 summer holiday, trying to get your suncream suitcase through customs

You want to make sure it protects from UVA and UVB rays.

I brought some fancy organic stuff on offer once and it didn't have UVA protection

Part of me does cynically wonder whether that kind of advice is put out there by the suncream companies. Oh look! You have to use litres and litres of it! Oh dear! That will be expensive!

Morrisons has Nivea at half price, most brands can be had on a BOGOF at some point. so why the feck dont they make it cheaper all round

I tend to use Boots Soltan range as I like the one that lasts up to 8 hours (useful for school where the teachers can't apply it).
I would happily use cheaper brands for me and DD as long as they are high protection. I have never been a fan of Nivea etc.

I have used Tesco's baby sun protection before (which was good and did the job perfectly), but had to swap to Sunsense as DS has eczema, and the GP recommended we try it.
Sunsense is good, but very expensive to buy, luckily we get it on prescription.