How to Apply Natural Sunscreen to babies and children
Making Natural Sunscreen Application to Babies and Children Easy and Painless
Applying sunscreen to wriggling babies and children can be a real nightmare! So it's understandable that you might have some hesitations about making the swap from "conventional" to "natural sunscreen" for your children (see more on these terms below). This user guide will make the transition for you easy and painless (physically and emotionally) and once you have made the swap, you will never look back. First things first...
What is natural sunscreen?
The term 'natural' sunscreen is mostly used to describe sunscreen made with mineral UV filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Chemical sunscreens are made with chemical UV filters such as oxybenzone which have been linked to skin irritations and coral bleaching (DiNardo and Downs 2018). Learn more about our safe sunscreen ingredients here.
The best sunscreen for babies and children is one without chemical UV filters due to the potential for skin irritations.
Three reasons to use natural sunscreen on children
- It feels great
- Our children inherit the Earth
- Protect your children's skin
Our gentle formulations deliver SPF certified broad spectrum protection, leaving the skin feeling hydrated and nurtured. Our formulas are lightweight, suitable for daily use and won’t give you chemical induced irritations or sting your eyes - especially a problem for children with sensitive skin and water babies!
Did you know that making the switch to our sunscreen saves three plastic bottles from being made and disposed of in landfills? Our plastic free sunscreen will help you break up with single-use plastic bottles, protecting the planet for future generations.
Our natural sunscreen is effective and gentle so you can feel relaxed and confident that your children's skin is protected! Melanoma (skin cancer) is the third most common form of cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand (Melanoma NZ 2017) and UV rays are the primary cause of premature ageing. Whilst skin cancer is highly prevalent in NZ it is also preventable. Ensuring your children wear sunscreen on their face, neck and other exposed skin daily from a young age will minimise the risk of skin damage developing later in life.
How to use our natural sunscreen on your children
It takes a bit of getting used to but once you and your kids try our natural sunscreen you will never look back
Here are some tips on how to apply our sunscreen to your little ones:
- Swipe your fingers across the surface of the sunscreen or use the back of a nail to dig a small amount out. Remember, a little goes a long way.
- Warm it up in your palms before applying to a child's arms, legs, face and ay exposed bits of skin. This is a really important step as it will allow you to get great coverage quickly!
- If your kids need distracting, children love playing with the metal tins so give them it to hold on to.
- If it's the first time applying it to them, let them smell the sunscreen first. One of the main reasons kids hate sunscreen is the strong fragrance so showing them that Seasick Sunscreen is fragrance free will help - promise!
Ready to give natural sunscreen a try? Browse our sunscreen
References
DiNardo, J.C. and Downs, C.A., 2018. Dermatological and environmental toxicological impact of the sunscreen ingredient oxybenzone/benzophenone‐3. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 17(1), pp.15-19. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12449.
Melanoma New Zealand, 2017. Melanoma Facts and Risk Factors. Retrieved on 30 September 2022 from https://www.melanoma.org.nz/facts-risk-factors
Discover More:
How to choose the best sunscreen
