Find out what MNers of Soltan Kids Once Water Play - £300 to be won for feedback NOW CLOSED

[EmmaMumsnet]

We were asked by the team at Soltan to find 250 MNers with at least one child aged under 10 to try Soltan Kids Once Water Play and to then share feedback on Mumsnet!

Soltan say: "Soltan Kids Once is the only extended wear sun protection range designed especially for kids delicate skin. This product offers up to 6 hours sun protection and 3 hours water resistance, meaning it’s perfect for sunny days out, days by the pool or on the beach”

Here’s their feedback:

Testers please share the below

Who did you try the sun cream on? Where did you go on holiday?
How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?
What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?
Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?

Everyone who takes part and who shares feedback as required will be entered into a prize draw where one person will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Who did you try the sun cream on? Where did you go on holiday?
I used this cream on my 7 year old (the 3 year old has very sensitive skin so I didn't try it on him). Sadly the cream didn't arrive before we went on holiday - it was waiting for us when we got back - which is a shame as we were in and out of the pool all day there and it would have been useful. However we tested the cream over the bank holiday weekend instead and we managed to do some water play in the sunshine both days (the water maze at Hever Castle and the paddling pool on Hampstead Heath!).

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
Well, he didn't burn, and it went on thickly which gave me confidence it would work.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?
That my children's skin will tolerate it. That they won't burn.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?
I found it very sticky to put on and hard to wash off my hands after. I didn't like the fragrance much. My son's skin still felt a bit sticky even after his bath that evening - the cream is obviously very very water resistant!

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?
Probably not. My son (who is normally fine with any sun cream) said it made his legs feel tingly, and I didn't like the stickiness.

Thank you for letting me test this product. My children are dual heritage and the whole family used it when visiting the grandparents and family in Germany. The German summers are very intense, and so sunblock is a must. We try to use it most days, especially from may to October anyway, but religiously in the summer in Germany. Factor 50 was brill! Obviously we don't like the sheen that is left behind but it eventually wears off. Our search has been to find one that doesn't lead to weepy eyes and then tears! This worked!!!! There wasn't the usual fuss and fight with my 3.5yr old. The 13month year old just usually eats any around his mouth, but that's another story. DH and I both used the excess off our hands on our faces and arms too, and naturally I tested it on my face to ensure no stinging. This is, after factor 30minimum, the most important factor to me.

I liked the consistency of the cream, that the bottle lid is easy to open, nice absence of a scent. I did notice that my 2 sons' skin was still covered after playing in the paddling pool, which is great. My only criticism is the sheen. Someone of Caribbean or African heritage, or Indian heritage would leave an obvious sheen on their skin, which is off putting. Is there a way of removing this? The sheen is probably one thing that would stop me from buying it again. There is a great one from DM in Germany (the equivalent to Boots), that has carrot colour to hide the white sheen, and I must say, it probably tops this one by Soltan. The sheen has now become a critical point, especially when it has to be for the whole family, a family of Colour.

Who did you try the sun cream on? My 4 year old daughter and myself as I am very fair skinned. Where did you go on holiday? Crete
How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child? Very confident. Applied in the morning and my daughter spent alot of time in and out of the water. Had no sunburn and I didn't reapply. I kept a close watch the first day. Was very impressed with the product.
What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product? Long lasting on the skin. Sensitive. Easy to apply.
What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion? The lotion was quite thick, but it was easy to apply and absorb. My only negative would be that it did leave marks on my cover-up which I used. So avoid wearing white! However it has washed out.
Would you buy this sun protection again? Yes! Why? Very impressed that I didn't have to reapply. My daughter has sensitive skin but didn't provide any problems with this product.

Who did you try the sun cream on? Where did you go on holiday?
I used the sun cream on my two daughters aged 2 and 5. We holidayed on Zanté.

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
I felt very confident whilst using this product. The cream was lovely and thick and it was easy to see where the cream had been applied. I did, however, reapply the cream more frequently than the bottle suggested, but this was more for my peace of mind rather than any issue with the product.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?
The brand is important to me when selecting a sun cream. I will only use a recognised brand when it comes to something as important as sun protection.
The factor is also a major consideration as I require a high SPF.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?
This has been by far the easiest sun cream to rub into my children's skin. The formula is thick but not greasy, it rubs in easily without turning my children into mini ghosts. The fragrance of this lotion is very appealing and my girls both approve.

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?
Most definitely. This product is one I will buy again and again. It is easy to apply and works exactly as it should. The longer lasting formula means I feel confident that it protects my children's skin without having to constantly reapply.

I used this cream on my sons, aged 6, 3 and 1 and also on myself.

The smell was nice however the cream felt like clay and was really hard to rub in compared with other products. My children don't like to stand still for long so the extra time rubbing made the younger two cross.

We holidayed in Spain but unfortunately the cream didn't arrive until we'd gone so we tested it out when we were back in the UK on day trips when lucky with the weather.

Once it had been rubbed in there was no residue and this was good.

I'm confident that the product worked, nobody was sunburnt despite being in the sun all day.

Factor 50 and being water resistant are the selling points for me as my kids love to be in the water all the time.

I think we're likely to buy the cream again however would probably wait until it was on offer.

Thanks for letting us try it out.

Who did you try the sun cream on?
I tried it on my three children aged 3, 6 & 8

Where did you go on holiday?
Cornwall, we had some extremely hot days by the outside pool and on the beach.

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
I felt pretty sure it was providing good protection as it had a good spf and high uv protection.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?
The spf, uv filter and ease of use.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?
Fragrance was fine but the product was far too thick and very unpleasant to apply.

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?
No because it was too difficult to apply because of how thick it was and it was a horrible yellow colour which stained several items of clothing.

Who did you try the sun cream on?
DD(7) and DS(6)

Where did you go on holiday?
It arrived too late for our holiday, so we used it around the UK

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
Fairly confident, these things change so much I'm never sure what to look for.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?
The DC not moaning about the feel of it.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?
No problems from my fussy DC

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?
Yes, because my DC liked it.

Who did you try the sun cream on? Children aged 10, 7, 2.

Where did you go on holiday? Arrived whilst we were already on holiday so used in U.K. on sunny days (which were hotter than France anyway!).

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child? Very as it's a trusted brand.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product? Key for us is that it's a once a day product and 50+.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion? It was very sticky and took quite a lot of rubbing in. We normally use Calypso which is more of a thick liquid and, although Calypso requires a gas mark when applying because of the strong fumes(!), it is easy to apply and quickly absorbed. Soltan's fragrance is very good though - much better than Calypso.

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why? No, because it was very sticky and difficult to rub in. Good to see more 'once a day' options coming on to the market though - hopefully this will lead to a drop in the price!

I used this cream on my Ds aged 9. We were in. The south of France and northern Spain in August - AV temp low 30s. We were on the beach and by the pool all day, and ds's skin was really well protected by Once.

We have used it before - I like the reassurance of knowing you don't have to apply it all the time and that it's good in water.

I love the smell - smells of summer.

Most important to me when choosing sun cream - effectiveness - high spf, hypoallergenic, nice smell, easy to rub in.

I'd choose this again next year.

Nearly missed giving feedback on this as didn't see any email reminder.
Who did you try the sun cream on? Ds who is 7

Where did you go on holiday? UK

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child? 5 star rating gives me confidence

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product? Durability, ease of application

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion? Went on fine, fragrance isn't really important to us

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why? Yes it seemed to provide good coverage with DS being in and out the waves.

Who did you try the sun cream on? Where did you go on holiday?

We were in the Med so 34 degrees most days. I tried it on DS(10)

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?

No issues at all with sun protection, despite DS being in and out of the pool his skin was well protected. I would always buy Factor 50.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?

SPF50, a known brand and easy to apply.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?

It smelt lovely - Soltan does have a distinctive 'holiday' smell. However it was very thick and gloopy and seemed to take ages to cover DS properly. The colour was also a bit off putting.

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?

Afraid not. I know that most suncreams stain clothes but this was the worst I have come across. Beach towels and t-shirts were all really badly stained and I can't see it coming out easily.

Who did you try the sun cream on? Where did you go on holiday?
Used on DD age 4. Went on holiday to Rhodes.

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
Very confident, had been recommended to me by friends and I checked for the 5 star UVB rating.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?
5 star UVB rating
Last long enough to be out and about for a few hours with out needing to reapply.
Not greasy and absorbs into skin well.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?
Very easy. Thick cream so it's easy to see where you've applied. Absorbs nicely, doesn't leave skin sticky.

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?
Yes. Provided excellent protection, a bottle lasted really well and DD didn't mind having it applied.

I tried the suncream on DS (8.5) and myself on holiday in Greece in August.
I was confident that the suncream would give good protection.
High spf, price and easy application are important to me when choosing sun protection.
The suncream was easy to apply, with a texture more akin to foundation make-up. It didn't have a strong smell which was good (and DS said it didn't taste like suncream either!)
I would consider buying the suncream again, depending on price. However I prefer a mousse for ease of application.
DS was well protected - a single application lasted for more than the suggested time, even when he was in and out of the sea. However, I found it clogged my skin and had to stop using it.
It also got very runny in the high temperatures experienced in Greece and I didn't want to risk leaving it standing on it's lid in case it leaked everywhere - for this reason I would prefer the bottle to have a flat bottom and the lid on top.

Who did you try the sun cream on? My two year old daughter and 5 year old son
Where did you go on holiday? We had a mini break staycation camping in cornwall
How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child? Very confident, I used this at the beach on both my children and I even used on my own skin, we were in and out of the sea and I followed instructions for application and there was no burning at all, really impressed
What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product? I didn't realise that regardless of spf number it also had to have a decent rating of UVA and UVB stars until recently, I had been looking around and was really impressed that boots soltan had a high rating in both, that's important to me that the suncream is guaranteeing the protection I expect it too.
What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion? I loved the fragrance of it, not too chemically or overpowering at all and reminded me of holidays, I thought it was quite thick to apply but found that it spread easily, it was a little sticky sometimes but I also used the same suncream that I purchased myself in spray form and find this a little better
Would you buy this sun protection again? Why? Yes definitely because I feel it gave great protection, it didn't leave white marks all over the skin so wasn't really obvious you were wearing sun cream, love that it lasts so long even in water and we were in and out of the sea a lot with no burning at all, overall really impressed with the sun cream 👌

Who did you try the sun cream on? Where did you go on holiday?

My son and myself both on holiday in England and on a particularly sunny day here when we were gong to be in the garden all day for a BBQ.

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?

In all honesty my child goes quickly brown and never seems to burn but it is still good to know he is protected but hard to motivate him to get regularly covered in suncream. Plus he is a water baby so regular applying means having to try and keep him out of the water a while whilst it dries so for us once a day stuff is ideal and this one was a lot easier to use and apply than previous ones we've tried that are a thin liquid that you have to wipe all over and let dry without touching any fabrics or accidentally wiping it off. So while he may not need factor 50 the format and durability of the product made it the best for me that i've tried so far.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?

That it protects against both UVA and UVB, that it is genuinely able to cope with regular swimming and that it does the job. For me particularly my skin has become more sensitive to the sun (used to be fine) and supposed good brands have let me down so I am definitely getting more selective now and particularly when it comes to my face and chest I want factor 50+

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?

It was very thick and very clear as to where you had covered which i liked. Yes it was a bit sticky at first but i felt confident it was on in place and staying on! I liked it.

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?

Yes i would buy this product again for myself and my son because i was in and out of the sea and going for walks on the beach without my face or chest even getting red and despite the fact we were in the uk there were plenty of people getting burnt. I was using factor 30 pizz buin face suncream on my last holiday and using it really regularly but still got bits of burn and uneven and too much tanning on my face. I would use this instead in future despite it being a bit heavy and risking spots.

Thanks for letting me test this. I've tried a few different products this summer and this one is likely the one i will stick with for us for now.

We returned from our holiday to find this waiting in our letterbox. Such a shame it didn't arrive before we left for our holiday as it would have been perfect for us to trial.

Who did you try this suncream on? Where did you go on holiday?
Unfortunately the suncream didn't arrive in time for me to trial on my 5 year old during our summer holiday to Bali.

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
I would have loved to have tried it, my son is very fair skinned and never tans. He is always in and out of the pool. I believe that I would have been confident in using this product.

What is important to you when using a sun protection product?
UVA and UVB Protection, and water resistance.

What did you think of the ease of application and fragrance of the lotion?
Although unable to try on holiday, I have applied the lotion to see what it was like. The cream went on easily. I loved the fragrance, it smelt fresh, more of a shower gel smell than a suncream I thought.

Would you buy this product again? Why?
Although I didn't get to try it on holiday, I would buy the product. It has all of the key items I look for when buying suncream for my son and I love the fact it provides extended wear, with protection for up to 6 hours (my son hates applying suncream).

Testers please share the below

Who did you try the sun cream on? Where did you go on holiday?
My two boys on our holiday to Centre Parcs! We went swimming twice a day, and to the beach. It was a busy holiday, and I didn't want to have to worry about reapplying suncream and stopping their fun!

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
Absolutely confident, I'm good at applying the sun cream on a wriggly child, and it felt like it had covered well.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?
Price, protection, how long it lasts.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?
Easy to apply, not overly sticky or thick. It smelt nice!

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?
Yes, but only if it was on offer. I'd expect to pay around £5 for a bottle of suncream. I often see offers on Soltan at Boots, so it would be likely.

I used this on a 3.5 year old, me and DP and once on the baby (3months).
We ended up staying at home but have some great splash parks nearby and so were in water any day the weather allowed it.

I tend to use soltan so was confident in the brand. We had no sunburn on anyone even with one application all day. We were out in the sun a fair bit and I got burnt on the back of my hand where I forget to apply so knew the cream was working effectively.

When buying suncream I look for a good brand, suitable for children, a high SPF and to a lesser extent price is a factor. I always try to get waterproof stuff as I think it stays on better.

It smells nice. Its quite thick compared with spray but rubs in really easily and didn't feel greasy.

I would definitely buy this as I was impressed and it worked really well for my family.

Who did you try the sun cream on?

We all used it at first (Hubbie, myself & 2 kids). We are all very fair skinned.

Where did you go on holiday?
Corfu

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?

Really liked the sun cream. I felt quite confident that my kids were well protected from the sun particularly as they spend all their time in the pool (only being dragged out for drinks or a sun cream application!)

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?

The spf factor, the uv ratings etc. I need really high spfs for us all. This sun cream I was actually more interested in when I applied for this because i tend to get a load of aggro off my kids when I want to reapply sun cream so as this lasts that much longer it means less aggro for me!

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?

Very easy to apply. Fragrance great. Would just like to be able to have got the last bits out easily without feeling that we have wasted any!

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?

Yes I would definately buy this again (as long as it is not a silly price). Firstly because my water babies didn't burn or get red skin at all. Secondly due to the length of protection time,

Thanks. What a help & what a find!

I used Soltan Kids Once Waterplay on my son aged 4 and also on myself. We used the sun cream while at the seaside, pool and on days out.
The previous (leading) brand that I had been using was a bit hit and miss especially around the pool. This one, the lotion went on evenly, I could see where I had applied it and it worked perfectly. My son is incredibly fair skinned and burns so easily. I used the cream as instructed and it did what it said on the tin. The sun cream went on evenly and wasn't greasy, the smell was gorgeous and sand didn't stick to the skin after application. My favourite part of the cream after it's sun protection was that it doesn't stain the clothes like a lot of others. I was very impressed and haven't got any negative feedback.
I will defiantly be buying it again and have already recommended it to friends and family.

Who did you try the sun cream on?
Two children under the age of 10 who spent a lot of time in the pool.

Where did you go on holiday?
Italy with temperatures in the high 30s

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?
The protection was excellent, despite an enormous amount of time in the pool neither child burnt or was even slightly pink.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?
Low irritability as both myself and my son get rashes with sun exposure and he reacts to lots of creams.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?
The fragrance was mild and pleasant. The cream was thick and quite hard to apply but the slight colour made it easy to see where it had been for coverage.

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?
Yes, no-one complained, it protected their skin even in the pool. Thank you for letting us try it.

Who did you try the sun cream on?

My fair skinned 7 and 10 year olds.

Where did you go on holiday?

We went to Crete, it was very hot and above 27 degrees most days.

How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child?

I trust the Boots soltan brand and used to buy it each year until recently. So I was happy to apply and send the children out into the sun to play in the pool. We reapplied after 3 hours and the cover was successful except for a place where I had missed on my sons back but it was just slightly pink. So I am confident the product worked well.

However the next day when we went to reapply for another day of fun both children had dry skin on their face and the cream stung and they became upset. We ended up washing the soltan off and re-applying a Nivea product which was also for water play. Because of this we only used the soltan on their bodies for the rest of the holiday and different products on their face.

What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product?

Realiability, clear indication of how the product should be applied. Clear indication of when the product expires.

What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion?

The cream had a very gritty texture when I first applied that I found offputting. I felt as if it was sitting on the surface of the skin for longer than other suncreams but this is also helpful as it shows where it has been applied. The colour isn't that attractive and I did not notice the fragrance. I do like a nice fragrance but not if that then stops a product being sensitive.

Would you buy this sun protection again? Why?

I probably would not buy as the product caused the children's faces to become sore whereas the Nivea cream did not do this. But I would recommend as a reliable product as the children did burn at all.

Who did you try the sun cream on? My daughters 2 & 1
Where did you go on holiday? South of France
How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child? Very, it applied well and seemed thick though well absorbed
What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product? The star rating and factor
What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion? really liked both
Would you buy this sun protection again? Why? Yes, it was gentle on skin but very effective. I wouldn't only apply it once if they were swimming etc but I'd definitely use it.

Who did you try the sun cream on? My son, 3 and my daughter, 7m
Where did you go on holiday? UK but a very hot and sunny bank holiday weekend.
How confident were you that this product provided the best sun protection for your child? I'm confident that it was very good sun protection, their skin was very well protected.
What is important to you when choosing a sun protection product? Lack of chemicals, 5 star rating.
What did you think of the ease of application and the fragrance of the lotion? It was thicker than other creams I've used but the fragrance was innofensive.
Would you buy this sun protection again? Why? No, I found it far too staining compared to other creams that have been just as effective, it stains upon application.

The cream did not arrive in time for our holiday but we had a surprise sunny weekend for my 50th and my children aged 10 and 6 used it- they are both pale so need strong sun cream. We found that the cream went on well and was non-sticky. we were camping so they were outside all the time. They did not burn at all.