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.

My brother ran a sun screen testing laboratory in Australia and he recommended Sunsense for me. Do remember please, it's only a screen (it's illegal to advertise sunblock in Australia) and out there you can only advertise up to x30 because it is not reliable past that point. So you can stay in the sun x30 time longer than you reckon you could without the screen - which is Australia isn't all that long!

Another vote for Ultrasun. It's the only sun cream I've ever used that I forget I'm wearing after a while. And it doesn't make my eyes water, which is a rarity with sun cream. I get it from Feelunique - free delivery and great customer service.

While there are so many of you here can I ask a favour. Ds has an allergy to a specific uv filter. Last year I bought a johnsons kids sunscreen that didn't have the ingredient in it, but this year it's has been "improved" and the formula now includes it.

The chemical is octocrylene I looked at every high SPF sunscreen in boots the other day and every single one had it in it.

If any of you could check the ingredients on your kids sunscreens and if it doesn't have Octocrylene in it let me know. We are in Scotland so it's not an everyday thing needing sunscreen, but I am ever hopeful!

Glakit. Ultrasun factor 30 doesn't appear to.

Fab crutchlow! Thank you!

I agree with the posts about too many chemicals - kids don't get enough vitamin D as it is & especially if they're covered in sun cream.

My 2 DC rarely wear sunscreen for school, but wear hats instead as walking into the direction of sun. Maybe sunscreen on a day out school trip, sports day (even if cloudy due to positioning of stadium). Sounds a bit pompous, but it always catches me!

On holidays the DC wear sun suits - DH always says spot the Brit kids when we're on hols, but I will use sunscreen if unusually hot &/or abroad.

I have sunscreen prescribed to me & the brand is Sunsense SPF50. I use Badger on the DC, which is fab.

I've tried most sunscreens on DD and she seems to react to them all - unless it's the sunlight itself? (eczema)

We're currently on prescribed sunsense toddler milk but the first time we used it her eczema flared right up at the weekend. I'm now wondering about Badger but i saw that the active ingredient is zinc oxide - last summer we tried 'neutrogena's pure & free baby broad spectrum' which has zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as it's active ingredient's and she reacted to that.

Is it worth me trying the badger brand anyway in case it was the titanium dioxide rather than the zinc oxide she reacted to? Or maybe the Boots soltan baby? (can't figure out the active ingredient in that)

I've tried so many others and she just flares up with all of them :-(

It could be a sun allergy. I have one - PMLE - AND I have eczema too. See my earlier post up thread about a new sun lotion specially for PMLE.

I saw this today and it really surprised me - some big name brands getting slated by Which...
www.which.co.uk/news/2014/05/three-big-brand-sun-creams-fail-which-spf-tests-367118/

Can you list top 'better' sunscreen & top 'worst' sunscreens please ?

I'm not a Which member but interested in the result.

Also, artificial fragrances may cause a reaction with any skin - sensitive or not.

I've found Green People sunscreen excellent & use this when I can't get hold of Badger. It rubs in easily. I don't recall the UVA & UVB ratings though.

I'm not a which member either, willow - I was hoping someone would come along who could enlighten us. But the three that failed are on the page - Piz Buin, Hawaiian Tropic and Malibu.

Best buys

Don't buys

If they're not readable let me know

Can't see them when try to enlarge. Can you tell me if the lacura one is in the best buys? I know the Malibu and piz buin is in the Dont buys because I saw it on watchdog or something.

No, lacura isn't. On the list. Avon is top.

Boots soltan

Calypso

Garner ambre solaire

M&s (who knew)

Nivea

Superdrug

But. Can't read anything more

I've always used Calypso Once a Day on my kids. The SPF40 is suitable for kids and keeps them protected all day long so you don't have to worry about interrupting their play time to constantly reapply it. It absorbs quickly and has a coconut smell.