10 Best Sunscreens for Kids & Babies in 2024

Protection

Unlike many other natural lotions, this sunscreen won’t get stuck and refuse to rub in. Kids love it, parents love it, and it keeps everyone safe while they lounge about, swim, play, and enjoy the sun! Alba Botanica is dedicated to providing body-nourishing products, and this kids’ sunscreen is no exception.

Effectiveness

The sun is fun and often feels great but it can be dangerous to spend too much time outdoors without protection. UV rays, especially UVB rays, cause skin damage and have been linked to cancer. Sunscreen helps to block out some of these rays during your family’s time in the sun, saving them from pesky sunburns.

Brand

It’s nice to put on a sunscreen that doesn’t feel too oily or so thick that it won’t rub in. This is a great consistency, feels nice, nourishes the skin, and also protects it. Plus, it smells pretty good!

Materials

Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation, this formula is free of octinoxate, oxybenzone, and gluten. It’s biodegradable and has not been tested on any animals.

Protection

With an SPF of 30, your child will be fully protected from UVA and UVB rays while wearing this sunscreen. The Zinc Oxide that is found in the formula sits on top of the skin to form a protective layer.

Effectiveness

Kids can play for an hour at a time before they need to reapply as this sunscreen is water and sweat resistant for at least 40 minutes.

Brand

Badger is a family owned business that has been operating since 1995. They are dedicated to creating organic products and manufacturer them in the USA.

Materials

Composed of organic and non-GMO ingredients, this sunscreen is safe for your child as well as the environment. Your child is free to swim in the lake, ocean, etc while wearing this product as it will not hurt the wildlife.

Protection

This broad spectrum SPF 50 is designed to protect your child from UVA and UVB rays. Protecting your child from these harmful rays will prevent sunburn and skin cancer.

Effectiveness

Both you and your child can enjoy not having to constantly reapply as it is designed to be water and sweat resistant for up to 80 minutes. If needed, the easy to understand directions on the bottle will instruct you how to apply the sunscreen.

Brand

Since 2010, Sun Bum has been making products that will protect people from the sun. They sell sunscreen in a variety of different SPF’s, which you can choose from at check out.

Materials

Composed of vegan ingredients this sunscreen is formulated to be safe for people with sensitive skin as well as the wildlife. Vitamin E will keep your child’s skin moisturized.

Protection

With an SPF of 50, it’s one of the highest coverages and is also water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.

Effectiveness

It has more awards than any sunscreen line, including appearing on Allure’s “Best of” list and being the highest-rated SPF as per the FDA’s 2012 rules. It’s natural, it’s effective, and it makes beach days with baby fun and hassle-free, at least insofar as sunscreen goes.

Brand

It’s a top-notch environmental pick. If you’re looking for something natural, this is a certified winner. It goes on smooth and cool, and apparently stays on pretty well too, as plenty of users said they had to wash it off with soap, water, and a little elbow grease. Vitamin D is a necessary element of healthy, developing bodies. But too much sun can be just as dangerous as not enough. This sunscreen protects baby from harmful UV rays while still staying natural and free from nasty, unsafe chemicals.

Materials

The formula is not animal-tested, so you can feel good about your safety and the safety of our fuzzy little friends. A non-nano zinc oxide formula helps protect baby’s soft skin from the sun, without being too oily or difficult to apply.

Protection

It’s tear-free, made to be mild and gentle so in case it gets in your kids’ eyes, not to worry. It lathers on quickly and easily so everyone can spend less time fussing and more time having fun

Effectiveness

It can survive time in the sun, pool, ocean, wind, sand, high heat, and it even withstands under sweat. It’s recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation and is a great all-day lotion. Just remember to apply it roughly every hour!

Brand

It’s nice to see sunscreens trying to produce formulas that rely most heavily on simple, mineral-based and natural ingredients. This sunscreen will stay put once applied, doesn’t require much to get good coverage, and comes in a tough, durable casing so you can tote it around with you and not worry about it exploding in your bag.

Materials

Its ingredient list is simple and features 25% fewer ingredients than some sports sunscreens. This broad spectrum protection has no oxybenzone, octinoxate, parabens, or added oils and fragrances.

Protection

Sunology calls their sunscreen “low hazard” in regards to the environment because one of their missions is to create quality products that also reduce harmful environmental effects. That means that when you’re using this sunscreen not only are you protecting your kids, but also the environment.

Effectiveness

What really puts this sunscreen a step above the rest, however, is its exclusion of oxybenzone and avobenzone, which are harsh chemicals that are used in some other lesser sunscreen.

Brand

Excluding the use of two major chemicals that are relatively harsh for kid’s skin is one thing that we love to see. This sunscreen does the job naturally without the use of chemicals that shouldn’t be in contact with children, and that’s something we support fully.

Materials

In addition to being free of those, Sunology has created this without parabens and it’s also PABA-free. To add to this gentle formula, the addition of natural moringa oil was also added to keep skin feeling moisturized and fresh with hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C.

Protection

This broad Spectrum SPF 60 sunscreen is designed to protect your child from UVA and UVB rays. Applying the sunscreen fifteen minutes before playing in the sun will give it enough time to set.

Effectiveness

This gentle lotion is easy to apply and will provide a lightweight feel on your child’s skin. Furthermore, it is water resistant for up to eighty minutes.

Brand

For over 15 years, dermatologists have been recommending La Roche-Posay skin care products due to their advanced formula. The company is dedicated to developing products that are both safe and effective, thus improving the quality of life for its customers.

Materials

The formula is free of parabens, fragrance, and oxybenzone. It is also non-comedogenic. Vitamin E will keep your child’s skin moisturized. In fact, a variety of antioxidants are included in the formula to help the Vitamin E moisturize your child’s skin.

Protection

Mineral-based sunscreens work well for some skin types, while other users feel that they don’t do quite as thorough a job of guarding against burns. This gentle Australian Gold mixture is guaranteed to keep skin safe, while still being pretty natural and non-greasy.

Effectiveness

The acacia extract utilized means your skin reaps antioxidant benefits in addition to this formula’s protective powers. It’s water-resistant for 80 minutes and features the signature light scent of Australian Gold.

Brand

Mineral-based lotions block sun rays, but this traditional formula absorbs UVA and UVB rays to keep your skin, young, fresh, healthy, and free from nasty burns.

Materials

Oil-free and full of vitamin C (via the Kakadu plum fruit mixed into every batch), this sunscreen smells fantastic, feels fantastic, and keeps your family safe from harmful rays. It’s cruelty-free and hypoallergenic, so all kinds of kids and their parents can enjoy.

Protection

The addition of Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide really help to block and deflect harmful sun which is exactly what you want for your baby on sweltering hot days outside.

Effectiveness

What’s even cooler is the bottle it comes in -- In the presence of potentially harmful UV sunlight, the bottle actually changes color. It’s what Blue Lizard calls “smart bottle technology” and it’s something that really comes in handy on a cloud or overcast day when you might think there’s no need for sunscreen.

Brand

While this sunscreen does need to be reapplied more often than others, the fact that it has all-natural minerals included in the formula really put it a step above.

Materials

Blue Lizard sunscreen is mineral-heavy which makes it more natural than some others, including Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide that is both gentle and safe for your baby’s skin. It’s dermatologist-tested and has a reputation for having over 20 years of trusted products, and that’s something we can definitely get behind.

Protection

At any rate, your child will get the right amounts of the unique formulation to compete with Neutrogena’s patented Helioplex technology with each application. Now, don’t ever think that just because it’s labeled “wet” your child can no longer use it dry.

Effectiveness

The Neutrogena Wet Skin Stick can be applied onto the skin regardless of moisture conditions. The effectiveness of its active ingredients lasts 2 hours so it is important to reapply as soon as possible.

Brand

The wonderful Wet Skin Stick for kids has several benefits because of the design of the product. Because it is in a stick form, kids can easily apply it themselves and it is not messy. It can be applied to the face more easily than other sunscreens, especially around the eyes because it can be put precisely where you want it. The Wet Skin Stick does not sting eyes either and there is no trace of a white film afterward. Although its best feature is that it can be applied to wet skin, it must be applied often. Every two hours is best.

Materials

Unlike lotions or creams where you have to actually hold and apply the product with your hands, the Wet Skin Stick easily glides over wet skin, penetrating through the layer of moisture, and giving your child superb broad spectrum UV radiation protection.