Oh baby! Summer is here and it is hot, hot, hot. With global warming and our swiss cheese ozone layer, it is important to protet your family with high quality sunscreen. It isn’t wise to be careless when it comes to sun protection. Some people avoid wearing sunscreen because they think it is toxic and bad for their skin. The sun is just as bad causing skin cancer if you are over exposed or suffer from bad burns in years past. That is why sun protection has to start young. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel comfortable at 6 months slathering my baby in adult strength Banana Boat. That is why I have been researching into safer alternatives for babies with sensitive skin. My newborns, both my first and second kids, had super sensitive skin. They would get rashes if I used just any detergent and they certainly did not react well to other drug store sunscreens.That is why, this summer I am going to try all the organic baby sunscreens I can get my hands on and let you all know which products were the best!
About California Baby Broad Spectrum SPF 18
The product is an SPF 18 that protects from UVB/UVA rays. It is a mineral-based formula that doesn’t dry the baby’s skin out. It is a water-resistant lotion that can be used all over the body including the face, just be careful not to get it in the eyes. It is organic, all-natural, and chemical free. It can be considered a hypoallergenic product. The product first came out right after the American Academy of Pediatrics starting campaigning to push for more sun protection for babies.
Application: 3/5 stars
The application was a little tough, it really is a thick lotion. It takes a lot of rubbing. Rubbing in lotion all the way on a squirming baby can be tough, but I think this contributes to its full coverage. So on one hand the thick sunscreen will stay on longer and protect the baby fully once applied, but the process was a bit of a pain.
Smell: 5/5
I love the smell of the sunscreen. It has that same beachy smell that any sunscreen does, just dialed way back without any concealing fragrances. The baby wasn’t bothered by the smell at all which is rare.
The Ingredient List: 5/5
If you know anything about buying all natural beauty products, you’ll know that this ingredient list is top notch. NO red flags or suspicious ingredients that sound toxic. Hypoallergenic, mineral-based formula.
Sun Protection: 5/5
After a 90 degree day with not a cloud in the sky on the beach, I was definitely looking more like a tomato than a human. My kids how ever just had really soft skin and jiggly smiles.
My Overall Impressions:
I would buy this formula again. Yes, $19.99 is expensive for mom’s on a budget, but since the formula is so thick it really doesn’t take a lot to give the baby full coverage. I anticipate this one bottle lasting me the whole summer, so that’s less than a dollar a week for summer sun protection. Not bad when you think of it that way. I also think that good quality sun protection that is non-toxic is worth it.
