What sun cream is working well abroad this year for kids? Boots caused burns last year!

[LuannaSue]

As title- last year we used the usual sultan once (applying every 2 hours at least and they burnt on their shoulders and ended up with red cheeks.

Want to avoid this happening- what does everyone recommend?

Badger mineral sunscreen works a treat.

I think the higher factor Soltan is actually quite good but my go-to is generally Nivea.

e don't sit in doors, but will have lunch outside under a parasol or whatever

I find boots soltan once fact 50 excellent OP. I have extremely pale skin that never tans and burns if I look at the sun.

BUT it needs to be liberally and frequently applied and if you’re somewhere very hot with very hot sunshine skin needs to be covered or everyone out of the sun between 11am - 3pm. one large bottle of soltan once lasts our family of 4 about 2 days.

last year I saw aldi sunscreen was well reviewed.

I see other posters have recommended p20. That is very good at bonding to the skin and is a genuinely once a day application if applied correctly. However it is only factor 20, so not strong enough protection for me. Plus I got fed up waiting for it to dry before I could do anything and the stained clothes and bedding it causes.

I use Altruist, it’s made by dermatologists. I got it initially for my eczema but I use it on the kids too.

@LuannaSue Every 2 hours is nowhere near enough! It washes off easily and you need factor 50 sunblock. It’s ludicrous to think anything lasts 2 hours on active dc. Swim in t shirts is much safer.

It isn’t factor 20! The name isn’t an indication of the factor. It comes in 30 or 50. But I do agree about the waiting to dry and the staining!
We use ultrasun all day. But I still reapply it after a long period in the water.

Who awards the 5 stars to sunscreen ?

P20 in the morning and then top up later in the day or after a couple of swims with Garnier Ambre Solaire Kids Sensitive Advanced f50 (the spray/mist) type. Kids have never burned

just checked bottles, the p20 has 4 star rating and the garnier has 5

A lab. Boots just invented/licences the star rating system.
Other countries use the PA + system but sunscreens are still tested by labs.

No one should think once a day is good enough. Frequent and liberal. Wear a t shirt!

Ahh! That must be a change since I last used it. It used to be factor 20 (I believe the name stood for Protection 20). As I say - all the hanging around waiting for it to dry put me off it. Plus if you miss a bit of skin. Ouch.

P20 is the brand name :)

We just used a successful mix of Aldi SPF30 mist and Piz Buin SPF50 lotion when we went away last week in temps of 25+. Usually it’s just the Aldi SPF50 spray and we find that’s been the best for us. As per PP we alternate the use of long sleeved swimming costumes and regular reapplications.

Any recommendations on sunblocks that don’t stain white clothes? Used La Roche for years but they must have changed the formula, last summer ruined loads of clothes and a cute white swimsuit!

Ultrasun works really well for us, long lasting and seems quite water resistant.

The thing to remember about suncream is that the factor level is the amount of time extra that you can spend in the sun without burning compared to not having it on.

If you normally burn in 5mins then factor 50 will allow you 5 x 50minutes or just over 4 hours without burning.

You'd normally burn more quickly in the water and the suncream washes off a bit.

We usually put the kids in rash vests and wear hats when not swimming as that provides a lot more protection

Sorry OP, kids need rash vests all day if they are burning. I would not compromise on that. They can stay out of the pool if they don’t want to comply.

P20 hands down. I use it once a day at about 8am on my neon glow in the dark, v white children. Then all day in and out of the sea/ pool until about 7pm. Not one burn or pink ever. And no reapplication. Amazing stufd. Let it dry on them first before clothes on as can stain.

Ha ha I was thinking this!

We can afford 1 holiday a year and want to make the most of it but of course not at the expense of burning kids!

As some have mentioned I think soltan must have changed an ingredient as previous years in the same place at the same time have never been an issue. It’s the ‘once’ I use - both the 8 hour (lasts 3 in water) and the 3 hour water play and I trust them for 90 minutes before reapplying and I really do over use- it’s 3 or 4 bottles per person on a 12 day holiday - it’s one thing I never scrimp on.

Thank you for so many useful replies, I plan to get the P20 (never used before as I’d heard people say it’s no good) and I think this time the rash vests need to come out more (it’s limited usually to avoid the ND overload) but I do appreciate it’s the one thing that works the best (hence using it at the time I did last year).

Thanks everyone 👍🏼

I’m allergic to Boots Soltan. As I am aware that I’m allergic to a lot of sunscreens over factor 15 I washed my hands after applying factor 30 to DH’s back.
15 min later I had the most horrendous burning sensation. You could literally see blisters forming on my wrists, from where I’d missed washing it off. Luckily I ran to a bar to get ice, but took ages to heal and was so itchy.
I have olive skin so never burn.
it was the one with the insect repellent in it. I haven’t seen it in store this year.

P20 originally only had SPF20 but it now has SPF50 @FlowerSticker

I find P20 works fine. I had a Morrison's own brand once a day one a couple of years ago and had to go and buy some bar soap and a loofah because after a couple of days it built up on my skin and wouldn't wash off with shower gel. It was a very unpleasant experience.

I use Calypso once a day but still re apply after having a good swim. My 9rd old uses it and is pale and pretty much lives in the pool while away and she hasn’t burned yet while using it. I buy it from home bargains.

We always use Aldi sunscreen. It’s been a Which best buy for years.