Best sunscreen for kids?

[frankietwospots]

Right, so I bought factor 50 Soltan sunscreen for DS at the weekend and the spray nozzle is doing my nut as I end up with more on the floor than I do on him. What sunscreen do you use for your (wriggly) kids? I want factor 50, easily absorbed, built-in insect repellent if poss, but doesn't need to be water resistant as he's only playing outdoors at nursery.

Ultrasun for us too, for the whole family. We spent 5 weeks in Spain last year, everyday on the beach and we didnt burn once

Ocado had a really good discount on it last summer but not at the moment but worth keeping an eye out.
Jojomamanbebe if you have a discount code and only want a small bottle. But we like the pump action of the large one and don't need to carry it anywhere as just apply in the morning.
I've also bought from ifsogo before.

I have recently discovered the sun mousse which I think is pretty bloomin' good. Because its a mousse it goes on really easily and not at all sticky or greasy ... which is always a plus with little ones. My DS and DH both suffer with prickly heat etc and the sun mousse works really well for both of them as its suitable for people with sensitive skin and parabens free which I know a lot of other sun creams are not.
Oh and it lasts up to 6 hours so a good thorough application in the morning pretty much last all day. Not cheap but worth every penny IMHO!

I've tried loads of different ones for my blond, sensitive skinned daughter, inc ultrasun, weleda and many more. I've found the best by far to be banana boat's baby tear free factor 50, in the pink plastic bottle with a simple spray top. Its £5 at asda, (though over a tenner at boots) has fewer nasties in than many of the others, and keeps her safe all day with reapplication every 3 hours or so. Even better, once soaked in it doesn't seem sticky like many of the others, and will also go onto wet skin. I use it on my face, because it doesn't sting my eyes like many others.

I just got some ultrasun from ocado (I had a 20% off voucher) Decent texture for applying to kids. Both have excema in their inner elbows and this is worse this week - although I think this is probably due to the weather rather than the suncream because I'm fairly sure DS1 was scratching before I used it.
I did reapply after they'd been in the paddling pool for a while but I'm happy with it (mostly its for DS1 who can't have suncream at school and wouldnt put it on even if he did - DS2 has it applied at nursery)

We use Ultrasun 30 both sports gel and normal... Really brilliant for all day protection even on really sensitive post chemotherapy skin for 11 year old... Not even pink after a week in Florida !

I use the Australian brand called sunsense as it's the only brand that "agrees" with my little ones eczema. I buy the roll on toddler milk as easy to apply as a roll on on wriggly babie, toddlers and my boys can easily apply it them selves too, it's pricey but I do find deals on Amazon sometimes.

I'm a redhead and swear by Forever Aloe Sunscreen. It's factor 30, and is great for the whole family. My adult son used it whilst working in Abu Dhabi and was the only 1 in his workteam NOT to get burned - others were not using same sunscreen. It's not oily so the little ones don't slither out of your hands!

Thanks for the no sting banana boat tip asarah!
Any other tear free products out there?
I second what a PP said about 4 or 5 star UVA rating too, I. addition to a high SPF for UVB, especially for sensitive skin as many sun sensitivities are actually true
sun allergies e.g. PMLE and UVA is the trigger for these. Eucerin have a new sunscreen product out for PMLE and other sun allergies. I've bought some to try before our holiday
later this summer.

NUMUM2B - I also find sunsense v good and get it on prescription due to a skin condition.

We use soltan once for school days and soltan kids rapid for out of school. Factor 30 for DS unless we are in US or Greece then factor 50. Never needed anything fancier but will buy Nivea sometimes if it's all that's available.

Another vote for sunsense. The roll ins are really easy for the kids to apply themselves. We stated using it when lived in Australia and it is really good. There is a toddler roll in and milk and also a nice tinted face sun screen which us great for mums. The roll on is currently on offer on ocado .

Sun Sense is really well marketed, but the problem is there's no way of telling how good UVA protection is as they don't tell you. This worries me, frankly, as UVB is what makes you "burn" but UVA gives you cancer. If you don't feel the sun's rays because a lotion protects you, but you're still getting the carcinogenic variety... then you and your kids may stay out longer, as you don't burn. This means your skin cancer risk is higher than someone not using cream at all. A sunscreen is pretty useless unless it's broad spectrum.

The EWG in the States recently released guidance on this, and also on their concerns regarding carcinogens in sunscreen - they even named and shamed some brands. Obviously the EU may be more on the case and those ingredients may be banned here, but the EWG also released a list of approved sunscreens, that are low-irritatant yet high, broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) protection. Badger is sold on Amazon. Badger is an eco hippy label, but it works, and doesn't trigger eczema. And it protects against UVA as well as UVB.

Sorry, Ultra Sun not Sun Sense. I'd imagine Australian brands are really clear on UVA/UVB cover because of their skin cancer risks.

Another vote for Ultrasun here. We use the sports version in the large pump bottle. It truly is a once a day application. Lasts all day regardless of how often we're all in and out the pool etc. I can send the kids out for the day without worrying about topping them up etc. Expensive but worth it.

For ease of application I love the M&S SPF 50 sun sticks. (Yellow packaging) They come like a giant lipstick type dispenser so are really good for putting on faces, which I always find the hardest part and are great for putting in book bags for them to put on at school. Usually they are £5 but currently 50% off so I've stocked up. Not great for whole body as relatively small but great for school.

Another vote for SunSense if the dcs have sensitive skin. Absolutely nothing else has worked. From age 2, they love using the roll on to help apply it.

I'm in the Ultrasun camp, the big branches of M&S now sell it, got myself a very nice free gift with two purchases recently so now have handbag sized tubes too!

I haven't bought it yet but Aldi is selling Calypso with 4*UVA rating at a really good price (can't remember exactly what but maybe £6). Think I will get Ultrasun for the kids because the ingredients are probably gentler but Calypso for me and DH.

I love banana boat's powder dri - it doesn't leave any stickiness and feels lovely to use.

It's only factor 30 but I also use their tear free spray which is factor 50.

Does everyone here buy brand-new sunscreen every year? My ds' s nursery insists, and the bottles do have the "12M" date thing on the back, but tbh if it was just for me I would use last year's. Not sure if its effectiveness is affected over time?

I use Soltan 50 Once on me and ds and I'm the sort who burns very easily, and it really works for me.

But I did get some free samples of P20 recently, and it seemed to work well for ds, and I was impressed at how easily it went on

Sun mousse for kids is fabulous and the only thing that doesn't irritate my ds skin. As it is a mousse it goes on really easily and is not too sticky. Saying that I might try the banana boat one as that is considerably cheaper.

Piz Buin allergy is the only sun cream my very allergic son can use. Never burnt.

Aveeno aerosol one is the best we have ever used.