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10 Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies and Kids With Sensitive Skin

You’ll want to use these too (especially when they’re as cheap as $5).

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Natural Baby Sunscreen - Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies and Kidspinterest
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Bringing a baby to the beach is a joyous, relaxing experience for any parent. KIDDING! Within seconds, there’s sand everywhere and usually tears. Practically speaking, your goal is just to smear some sunscreen on your kid before a total meltdown ensues. But if you've heard "natural" sunscreen is the best way to go, you may be wondering what that means exactly. In most cases, it translates to mineral-based sunscreens or non-mineral sunscreens that don't include oxybenzone. (Oxybenzone is a common sunscreen ingredient that can affect hormones and allergies in humans and is believed to be bad for the environment, as it's been found to cause coral bleaching and coral death.) Every year, the Environmental Working Group comes out with a list of sunscreens that fall into one of these two "safe" categories. Here, we've narrowed down that list based on availability and affordability. Make it to the end, and you'll find more details on the whole selection process. Good luck out there!

Equate Baby Zinc Sunscreen Mineral Lotion

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - Equate Baby Zinc Sunscreen Mineral Lotion
Equate

$5

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This broad-spectrum SPF 50 formula costs a little over $1 per ounce, making it the cheapest of the EWG’s list. Reviewers like that it doesn’t leave their kids feeling sticky, unlike other much pricier formulas.

Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen
Thinkbaby

$8

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The EWG has stood behind this SPF 50+ formula since 2010, and it was the first sunscreen to pass Whole Foods’ Premium Care requirements.

Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Lotion

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
Bare Republic

$13

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This extra-sensitive SPF 50 formula is made with soothing ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and chamomile extract. You might like using it too!

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Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen
Blue Lizard

$15

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The bottle of Blue Lizard’s SPF 30+ baby formula turns pink when it’s hit by harmful UV rays, so you’ll know when it’s time for another layer. Genius.

TruBaby Water and Play Sunscreen Lotion

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - TruBaby Water and Play Sunscreen Lotion
TruBaby Water

$14

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TruBaby’s SPF 30 formula is one of the few that is water-resistant. Plus, parents love that the organic aloe and jojoba oils help to soothe their babies’ eczema

Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection
Aveeno

$19

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As a parent, there’s always concern about how your baby will react to a new product. Aveeno says its SPF 50 formula is as mild as water on babies’ skin, so it shouldn’t cause irritation.

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Waxhead Zinc Oxide Sunscreen

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - Waxhead Zinc Oxide Sunscreen
Waxhead

$22

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A team of biochemists and dermatologists worked together to create this zinc-oxide-based SPF 35+ formula that’s also biodegradable and won’t harm ocean life.

California Baby Sunscreen Lotion

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - California Baby Sunscreen Lotion
California Baby

$23

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Amazon reviewers say this SPF 30+ formula is a little tough to rub in, but the results are worth it. One says it’s the only formula she’s tried that doesn’t leave her son with hives. Another’s kids love that it doesn’t sting or cause watery eyes.

Coola Mineral Baby Organic Sunscreen Stick

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - Coola Mineral Baby Organic Sunscreen Stick
Coola

$26

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This SPF 50 formula is a little more expensive than others on this list, but keep in mind that it comes in stick form so it’s extra easy to apply to anxious little ones who just want to splash around in the water.

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Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Mineral Sunscreen

Best Natural Sunscreens for Babies - Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Mineral Sunscreen
Neutrogena

$33

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Along with the EWG, pediatricians, dermatologists, and the National Eczema Association also stand behind this popular brand’s SPF 50 formula.

BEHIND THE LIST

Pink, Red, Magenta, Material property, Peach,
.

The EWG recommends staying away from sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate. The issue, they say, is that the former can cause allergic reactions as well as lower birth rates in girls and other health disorders like endometriosis, according to some non-conclusive studies. As for retinyl palmitate, the EWG believes the form of Vitamin A can heighten skin’s sun sensitivity.

The Good Housekeeping Institute agrees that some of these active ingredients raise concerns, but they say that when it comes down to it, using any type of sunscreen on your child is better than no sunscreen at all.

“Skin cancer experts we've consulted state that the benefits of using a sunscreen, including those formulated with oxybenzone and/or octinoxate, outweigh any direct risks to humans,” explains Birnur Aral, Ph.D. and Director of the Health, Beauty and Environmental Sciences Lab in the GH Institute.

The bottom line: Following a complete sun-protection plan is the best thing you can do for your child's health.

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Lindsey Murray
Commerce Director

Lindsey works with the Good Housekeeping Institute to test and review products including appliances, bedding, baby items, pet products and more.

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