NOW CLOSED: Share your top stories and tips for applying sun lotion to yourself and your children with Garnier Ambre Solaire. You could win £100 worth of free Garnier products.

[KatieBMumsnet]

You may recall we recently recruited three mumsnetters to to be filmed and learn all about applying the correct amount of sun lotion, on themselves and on their children . The video will be coming soon as well as a giveaway and lots of advice (including a Q&A with Ambre Solaire's expert) so please do keep your eyes peeled for this.

Garnier say "we are really excited to be working with MN to to take part in our sun care challenge to help mums enjoy their summer safely with their families."

In the meantime everyone is invited to share their tips for getting suncream on their children as well as their stories about how easy or difficult you find this...do you worry about your children being exposed to the sun at home or abroad or you confident you know how much cream to apply and how often?

Everyone who adds a tips, story or comment to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one person will win a Garnier goody bag worth up to £100.

If you were one of the MNers who attended the day with your child, please share with the rest of the community your experiences of the day, what you learnt and if you were surprised by anything.

Please note comments added to this thread may be used on the forthcoming Ambre Solaire pages on MN.

Thanks MNHQ

[QueenOfAllBiscuitsandMuffins]

I am about to dock in Madeira and have slathered my 2 in the Ambre Solaire suntan lotion for an afternoon in the sun!!!

Congratulations Kveta.

[Pinot]

Congrats Kveta!

[AnnMumsnet]

Thanks for all your comments. Am pleased to say Kveta wins the Garnier goodies...well done!

[vixo]

From what I'm reading here I definitely don't think I apply enough, but my daughter has never burnt. We never go on holidays to sunny places so maybe that helps, as the summers here haven't been all that hot here. I just hold on to her and put it on, and she knows that we don't go out until it's done no matter how much she yells. The baby is too little to have an opinion, and easier to hold on to - and she just didn't go in the sun last summer!

[escape]

What Frank & Queenof said :)
But seriously - I was the 3rd MN'er on the day along with my 5 year old son. As described the team were lovely, the food was lovely, the rain was diabolical and Lorraine Kelly is a genuinely nice woman - the kids loved her and she is a really 'magnetic' lady - smily, friendly and very very nice.

Right, Sun Tan lotion - I lathered and lathered DS , and probably used more lotion than I normally would if I am really honest before he went into the UV tent, even though, with 3 kids and having lived abroad I am quite aware of the suns evils and my kid propensity to burning etc..

But, it wasn't enough.. in admittedly those 'harder to reach' places , but malignly on his face, as I am always conscious of poking them in the eye, or getting the lotion in places it shouldn't be.. The UV tent taught me to be really careful around the face/neck and ears...

The dermatologists reckoning of the amount that should be used was enlightening too - when measuring out the recommended usage - more is more it seems !

As a parent, I think the 'do it before you go out' is the most practical way to ensure it can be applied properly and without added struggle or distraction of pools etc..
It's the re-application part that can get forgotten but mustn't.

[ilovecats]

We all put suncream on first thing in the morning before getting dressed. DD who is 3 sees it as part of our morning routine and will remind me (not that I forget). I'm so pale I burn easily, so wouldn't want to put DDs through it.
I also have mini bottles in the car, my hand bag, changing bag etc for top ups. I always buy new bottles every year because I am not really sure how long its effectiveness lasts, so want to make sure.

[VikingVagine]

If my two are reluctant I let them dab some on our cats' ears and noses in exchange!

[jennywren123]

Don't forget the tips of your ears!

[VikingVagine]

In the summer it's a daily routine before the kids get dressed, they get slathered in cream, then topped up during the day on the bits that are exposed.

[RichTeaAreCrap]

Always done while naked. It is too much of a faff to try and do it around clothes. The spray is so much easier than the lotion I think. I also used to rub it into their scalp, especially the parting as they can burn easily there, and around the ears (especially the edge of the ears). Unfortuantely due to some mistakes when I was younger I know all the areas that seem to get missed with cream!

[cakeismysaviour]

Oh and what I have said above about me also applies to my baby (also v.pale-skinned). He is too young to struggle too much when I apply sun cream to him , but as I said above - nothing less than factor 50 and re-applying every 1-2 hours is key.

I don't tend to let him catch the sun too much though. He has a nice hat collection and a parasol on the pushchair. :)

[cakeismysaviour]

As a pale redhead, with a pale redhead baby, this is v.important to me! I find that nothing under factor 50 is adequate. It must be reapplied every 1-2 hours if outdoors on sunny days and the sprays are much easier to work with (not as messy/greasy).

Also if I get wet/clammy I have to reapply straight away to avoid burning.

I would also love to know if there are sun lotions available that are above factor 50, because even that is only just adequate if constantly reapplied. I burn very easily!

[LovelyJubilee]

*coloured not allured!

[LovelyJubilee]

We use a spray aerosol which I find gives a nice quick even coverage which doesn't need too much rubbing in (the bit my kids hate).

We do it before swimsuits go on so all covered then quick top ups throughout the day.

I did have a allured spray which the kids loved when they were smaller, and we'd spray a little face on their tummies before rubbing in.

[lorisparkle]

I find that speed is the important thing. I use sprays then quickly do arms, legs, neck, etc then spray my own hand, put dots on their faces then quickly rub it in.

Two tips - firstly don't forget the feet if they take their shoes/socks off mid way through the day

secondly avoid putting cream on near the car because if anyone touches the cars paintwork with sun cream on their hands the marks are a nightmare to remove.

[katiesobol]

I tend to use the sprays, as these are so much easier on wriggly children. I encourage them to get involved in rubbing the suncream in. We always leave the spray under the chin till a wonderful tickly treat at the end!

[WhoremoaneeGrainger]

When DD was smaller i used the liquid sun creams, then we moved on to one in a roller bottle (think MUM roll-on), which was fab as we used to make her all stripey and then rub it in, now we use a colored spray one. Have never had a problem getting it on her as we used to say no cream = no playing outside. She was always in and out of her paddling pool, so we used to reapply every hour or so, and come in for lunch when it got really hot. She is 10 now, and carries a handbag sized sun lotion in her school bag all the time. She is the most popular girl on impromptu walks to the field.

[Puppypoppet]

I love the clear spray ones - not keen on the thick white cream types as no matter how much you rub them in they never seem to absorb and they leave a greasy top layer (yuck). When DD was a toddler used to sing Head, Shoulders, Knees and toes whilst applying.

[Mondaybaby]

For applying suncream to my dd's face I rub it into my palms and then pat it onto her face rather than rubbing it with my fingers, if you see what I mean! It is quicker and I can apply it even before she has seen me coming! And also it is really important to put the sun cream on 30 mins or so before you go out and then reapply it as you are in the sun.

[SuziP]

We call it magic fairy cream in our house!! With two girls, adding magic and fairy to anything seems to help!! :)

[telsa]

Coloured sunsticks that look like war paint go on very easily!

And I too like the sprays.

Always worried about the ingredients though - and am still seeking the perfect non-carcinogenic one.

[RainQueen]

I hate putting suncream on but I have found that it is easiest to do in the morning when they are naked so you can cover everywhere and you don't ruin clothes.

[QOD]

Always have a mirror to hand, small compact sized. Put blobs on the child's face, hand them the mirror and do their trunk and legs whilst they are distracted!
Factor 50 stick to swipe across cheek bones and nose, tops of ears and parting.

[Kristina2]

LOL at JS. We use a similar anti smoking message for DD, as she can see that of all her aunts, the ones who smoke look much older