The Summer sun has arrived, and I am sure you have already been through the stresses of trying to buy a suncream for your babies and children that don’t have any nasty chemicals in them. Perhaps you are trying to find a sunscreen that won’t cause any allergic reaction.
The two main ingredients in suncreams are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, and either can cause allergic reactions. However there are roughly 30 other ingredients added to suncreams, so if your child is having a reaction to a suncream, it may be difficult to pinpoint which chemical they are reacting to. My best advice would be to buy one of my recommended suncreams listed below.
The chemical that you really need to avoid is called monosodium glutamate (MSG). This chemical alone has more than 40 different ingredients. Â The ingredient carrageenan is also linked to MSG, as is Maltodextrin. So as you can see the chemicals the industry use are cleverly hidden, and thats why it’s so difficult finding a sun lotion that you fell safe using.
Another chemical called oxybenzone can disrupt the hormone system and retinyl palmitate may trigger damage, possibly cancer. I would also avoid suncreams with a high SPF and aerosol sprays. My top advice on buying a suncream is to avoid off the shelf sun lotions and look for a more organic and natural sunblock. They are more expensive but they are so much safer. Failing this pick from some of the safe suncreams I recommend below
With the vitamin deficiency on the increase, some parents are moving towards allowing little ones sun in order to get their vitamin D and then moving them in the shade under a parasol or covering them up in hats and long sleeves after a short while. We still need to have a responsible attitude towards the sun and need to be careful and stay out of it while the sun is at it’s strongest, and although I don’t agree that this is wrong, it’s not for everyone. But is probably safer than applying some of the suncreams supermarkets sell.
So here is my list of safe suncreams:
If you are looking for a totally natural sunscreen that are totally natural and organic and chemical free try red raspberry seed oil, which has a natural SPF of 28-50, Carrot seed oil which has an natural SPF of 38-40 or wheattgerm oil which has a natural SPF of 20. The are also much cheeper than the sun creams listed below.
Caribbean Blue Sunshield Sunscreen  (£16.95) is made by a natural skincare company based in the UK. It is a brilliant product for your garden loving children. 100% natural. No synthetic chemicals are used in this product. They have a whole range to chose from, one specifically for baby called Natural Baby Sunshield.
Lavera suncream (£11.99) is very good, smells really lovely. However the wording on the sun bottle is a little misleading. you have to apply the suncream 15 minutes before letting your little ones in the sun. The factor is also relatively high, a SPF of 50.
Not so safe suncreams:
Lots of my birth doula clients use Green People, however I find this product thick and junky and often makes little ones eyes stream. Green People unscented suncream has sodium stearoyl glutamate (SSL). green people also use nanoparticle zinc oxide another nasty chemical. I would advice to avoid Green Peoples suncreams.
Neals Yard lemongrass moisturing sun lotion SPF30 contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
Ultra Bee sun block contains zinc oxide so not one that I would recommend using this Summer.
Aloe Pura Organic Aloe Vera Sun Lotion uses  phenoxyethanol and nano technology.
Yaoh Organic Hemp based sunblock. Says it’s organic however the ingredients listed confirms that it’s not organic or natural at all.
Jason says that there suncream is natural, however again this is not true. If you are using Jason’s have a little look on the back of the bottle and read through the list of ingredient. =
For more information on suncream safety please take view the following link. http://www.ewg.org/2015sunscreen/
