Sun Screens

[cherryapple]

I'm just wondering which sun protections other mums use.Im concerned about the amount of different chemicals that are used in making them and am considering buying organic
After doing a lot of research I found there are some nasty chemicals in sunscreens, even the baby ones. Parabens, SLS, octocrylene. There's lists of them. You can look at the ingredients of sunscreen on
www.cosmeticdatabase.com/

I was thinking of getting this
Has anyone else tried it?

I just spoke to a lady at Green People and your right Sooty7 there isnt much difference between a factor 25 and 50 its about 3% she said, I never knew this. The reason they dont make kids sun screens a higher factor is because of the ingredients it cant be done, apparently if it was made it would be like thick white paint.
I think I will be going with their product for my lo. Do you know anything about the stars on the bottle Sooty7 the Nivea one I have is a 5 the Green people one is only a 3+ do you think this makes a difference on protection?

wasbe, i think it depends. we never go out in the sun if it can be helped. and particularly so when they were babies. i would use a cloth to cover the m completely from the hood down in the pushchair for example. although it was a challenge ensuring there was enough movement ofair so they didnt get too hot and stuffy etc.
i think the asian skin also helps. i was not worried about them burning as such. more of a skin cancer issue. iyswim.

Hi Sooty, the lady at Green people said that their products dont have stars on but they are 3+. I found this (However, a (4 star) UVA star rating was created by Boots the Chemist in 1992 for use in the UK, which has since been adopted by most leading sunscreen manufacturers to become the basic industry standard recognised worldwide. This current system for rating UVA protection was updated in February 2004 and goes from 1 star to 5 stars, representing a ratio of UVA protection relative to UVB protection, the SPF. It is recommended that you always look for a sunscreen with the maximum star rating
I am more confused now lol. I did ask why green people didnt have stars on their products but she couldnt answer my question but said they are about 3+.

A round of applause to you Sooty7 I totally agree with everything you have said and no your not ranting on atall you have some valid points.I have done so much research now on sun screen that I have just made an order with Green People and hope that I am doing the best thing for my lo. I have enjoyed talking to you Sooty7.

The problem is in Australia a sun screen with SPF 30+ probably has an SPF of much higher than 30 but due to laws in Australia 30+ is the highest rating sun screen manufacturers are allowed to put on the label.

I've found the pages where I read SPF higher than 30 is unnecessary.

here

and here

oh and here

The thing I'm always confused about is that SPF 15 means if you burn in 10 minutes normally then with SPF 15 you get 150 minutes of exposure before you burn. If you then reapply sun cream do you get another 150 minutes or is it just 150 minutes in one day iyswim?

sooty, i agree about the problem of lack of vitamin d. but sadly, idont see how that can be a problem in the uk. life here makes it impossible to stay out of the sun. for example, the kids have to be picked up from school at 3pm. a time that no sane person living in a hot country would choose to go out in (okie, maybe i am exagerating abit, but, if possible, we would avoid that time of day) but, i always had to take my babies out then.

i use sunscreen alot on myself as i dont want the chicken neck look, but, no matter howmuch i try, i still end upwith an amazing tan on my arm and that is only from driving and walking around doing dayto day stuff, not gardening at all.

V interesting thread. When DD was little we used a welleda sunscreen, which was part block and part chemical - can't remember what it was though - it was part of their kids range though and cost a fortune - does anyone know of it?. We have used the boots ones since and actually never more than 25 - just apply more often - am suspicious that with 50 its too chemically and people just neglect to re-apply. Kids skin is so much more absorbent than ours.

Stitch - I go so dark and freckly from April onwards now despite being covered in body/face creams supposedly with SPF - its a bit scary.

We use Badger suncream - spf 30. Its active ingredient is zinc oxide and it acts as a barrier to the sun rather than allowing it to pass into the skin and be absorbed by the chemical absorbers that most suncreams have. It contains NO chemical nasties whatsoever and it smells lovely

I've just bought Simple childrens sun block for my 4 year old.
It's like tar though, very sticky and hard to apply. I'll be looking out for the badger one too.