Suncreams - what do you recommend?

[jodee]

After 2 glorious days in London I thought I'd better start thinking about getting some more suncream for my toddler. Last year in France I was using Ambre Solaire Kids factor 35 sunblock milk, but found it took ages to rub in and the sand stuck to it like glue which was a real pain to get off without dunking ds in the sea. What can you recommend?

PS, I'm sure it will be sheeting with rain and blowing a gale next week, but I'm for ever the optimist!

[Twink]

Thanks CER, I'll head off to Boots asap.

[CER]

Twink, my ds has severe eczema which we can't get under control and I was absolutely paranoid about putting any suncream on him for fear that it would make things even worse. I phoned the eczema society who said to use a hyposallergenic one with titanium dioxide in as this stops the ingreedients being absorbed into the skin.

I use the boots soltan baby factor 50 and it doesn't seem to have made things any worse. I've also heard that the MAWs one is good but I can't find it anywhere. Hope this helps.

[Twink]

Can anyone advise me of something I can use for Dd; she gets fairly bad excema which can just about be kept under control by Diprobase, bath emolients and hydrcortisone for the worst bits but when I put Ambre Solaire kids 'sensitive' skin cream on this year it flared up big time (sleep affected, tears etc) we'd used it last year with no obvious worsening but this time it was almost immediate.

I read about P20 so bought some (is it liquid gold ?£?) but when I got it home and read the instructions it can't be applied after her normal creams and doesn't protect against UVA either (visions of being sued by thirtysomething daughter who blames her sunscreen for wrinkles..)

Have any of you advice or other recommendations ??

[jodee]

I decided to go for a Johnson's suncream called Suncare Baby factor 40 hydrating sun protection lotion, which is fairly new I think.

Going back to when suncreams should be used by, the one above has no use by date, nor did anything else I looked at on the shelves. Shampoos, shower gels, etc. don't have use by dates either and we use them indefinitely, so does it follow that the same applies to suncreams? It would be nice for these suncream manufacturers to shed some light on the subject; it seems to me that they are happy to sit on their laurels and watch us shell out on new creams every summer when the ones we already have in our cupboards are absolutely fine (or are they?)

[Paula1]

janh, they have a whole range of 'Skin (or sun I can't remember) Allergy' creams, I think I use the factor 15 one on my body and a special f 20 one on my face - they are absolutely brilliant, you must apply it before any sun gets on you, and again if any gets rubbed off. I'm the same, as soon as it's sunny I'm the one sitting under the tree!!

[janh]

Paula1, which Piz Buin do you use, and when, and how well does it work? (Prickly heat ruins most sunny days for me.)

[Paula1]

Maryz, I get prickly heat really badly, have you tried Piz Buin range of sun allergy sun creams, they are absolutely brilliant.

[janh]

Thanks, maryz, I will give P20 another try - some of my children get rashy bits too so I'll try it on them as well. I can see it'll be making sure to put it on in plenty of time that will be the hardest thing.

[Cazhass]

Yesterday I bought, what I hope will be a really convenient effective suncream for all the family from Superdrug (must be available elsewhere) it has a dial on the bottle and you set it to the required factor from 2 to 30 it comes with 2 cartridges and you can buy the refils, saves all those bottles of 8, 15, 25 ... It's called Variosun.

[janh]

Willow2, thanks for that although since they all seem to be waterproof now it's going to be hard to avoid...
Some of them say "water resistant". I wonder what the difference is.
But in any case, since I get it worse if I use nothing, I'll have to try something!

[Willow2]

janh - both my dh and I find that if we use waterproof lotion we get prickly heat. Basically, as well as keeping water off, it stops it getting out as it stops you sweating properly. Your skin can't breathe and so you get a rash. Don't know if it will work for you, but it has definitely made a diference in our cases. Only problem is finding the stuff, nearly all the brands are waterproof now, although I think Boots soltan might be ok.

[Tillysmummy]

Has anyone used the Boots own factor 40 cream ?

[janh]

Does anybody know if P20 prevents prickly heat as well as sunburn? I was given it in a pharmacy in Geneva 10 years ago - I went in and waved my red lumpy arms at them and they gave me P20 and an antihistamine cream (well, when I say "gave"...!) but I definitely didn't use it properly - ie putting it on an hour before going out - and it didn't help.
Would it help if I did do it right?

[leese]

Jodee - the wipes are available anywhere - Sainsburys etc do them!

[SueDonim]

I've read that the Cancer Research shops sell suncreams at a reasonable price.

[jinna]

I went to buy sun cream this week(in the hope for more sun!) and I couldn't believe how expensive it was. I ended buying nivea sun cream - protection 30 and a spray version - at a reduced and reasonable price at Sainsbury. My son liked it aswell as it comes out a green colour.

[AliH]

I discovered Proderm in Boots last Summer, and would definately not use anything else. Its quite pricey, but lasted all summer with lots of use. Its a mousse, and really easy to apply. I'm pretty sure its water resistant too.

[syd]

Last summer you could get P20 in Superdrug too.

[Snugs]

Anoushka - use of old cream depends on how it has been stored.

If cream is kept in cool conditions (fridge is great) and NOT left out in the sun (lol) then it can used upto the manufacturers expiry date with no problem. When taking to the beach etc try to keep it in a coolbag if possible, or at the very least in the shade.

The main thing is to ensure that you apply it a good 15-30 minutes BEFORE going in to the sun and reapply regularly regardless of if it is supposed to be water-resistant or not.

[honeybunny]

You can buy it in John Lewis's. Its about £20 for a reasonably sized pot. We used it on us (ie me and dh) and as long as you don't put it on over any other moisturisers it works a treat. Definitely needed reapplying though, IMO, once a day wasn't enough for caribbean sunshine. Made the mistake of moisturising the night before with Body shop body butter (olive-divine!) which contains silicone, a no-no for P20 and did fortunately notice that I was beginning to burn. So watch out for this, especially if like me you have to slap on the Epaderm for eczema preventon on ds. Not sure how it would work on more sensitive skin, but I guess do as they suggest, a test patch!

[Enid]

the stains wash out and I've only ever bought it at duty free, its German I think.