So maybe it’s just me, but ever since hearing about how benzone-containing sunscreens are basically the root of all evil, I’ve been devoting entirely too much of my life to finding affordable sunscreens that won’t cause my son to grow breasts or whatever. Ahem.
Here’s the Cliff Notes version: You want a product where titanium dioxide or zinc is the active ingredient. That means it’s a physical barrier sunscreen rather than a chemical barrier sunscreen. Healthier for the kids, but much harder to find. (And here’s a pro tip: There’s no such thing as a physical barrier spray. So that super-convenient spray mist? Yeah, that’s no good.)
You want something like this Banana Boat SPF50 lotion—benzone-free (titanium dioxide is the active ingredient), not to mention that it’s tear-free and “very water resistant.” Even better, Amazon’s price right now $14.84 for two, but drops to $14.10 if you buy via Subscribe & Save (which also gives you free shipping), and if you’re eligible for Amazon coupons there’s also a $2 off coupon to clip on the page. You get two tubes delivered to your door for just over $6/each, when the retail price is $10/each.
Nice, and no hormone disrupting worries, either.
Thanks for this one, Mir! I needed something a little safer for my babies without having to pay the full price of California Baby this year!
This is NOT a good sunscreen for kids/babies according to ewg.com’s skin deep database. Please read this link before purchasing this sunscreen for your little one:
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/product/384852/Banana_Boat_Kids_Sunscreen_Lotion%2C_SPF_50/
Awesome, Mir! I’ve been using California Baby and Burn Out! on my daughter, who has super-sensitive, eczema-riddled skin, and this is cheaper than what I’ve been paying for a single (tiny) tube of either of those.
Also note that some sunscreens are now FSA-eligible so save and submit your receipts!
We use the EWG database for sunscreen too. Blue Lizard (either baby or sensitive) is well rated and has been our go-to that isn’t as pricey as California Baby, and also findable in-stores (our CVSs usually carry it) for last minute needs.
Weirdly, my kid can only use regular yellow bottle Banana Boat. I’ve spent many $$ trying out Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby (active ingredient – Titanium Dioxide), etc. He had a rash covering his entire body within 30 minutes. So we’ll stick with our Benzone, unfortunately!
Uh, Cat, thank you for the database link, but that is NOT the same formulation as the sunscreen I linked in this post (though their rating is about the same for the current formulation).
Obviously I encourage everyone to do their own research. This is not the safest sunscreen available, but it is one I use in my family as having a decent balance of safe ingredients and affordable price.
LALALALALA. i can’t HEAR you when you say that my beloved “spray on a wet body” suncreen is baaaaad stuff. It’s the only stuff I can convince my kiddos to use, and having melanoma, it’s pretty important to us.
Obviously, hand in hand with not breastfeeding them until kindergarten, I fail AGAIN as a mom.
Does this mean I win?
(Just a little Friday humor. Ok. I’ll stop now.)
I love you, Mir! 🙂
hahah, just saw that on the Today’ show – the cover of Time magazine,
yowza!
Thanks for the info, all!!!!
Hmmm. . . spf 50? You know, a little sun is actually good for you! Everyone needs some Vitamin D! 🙂 Dont think we can handle the 50- no one would ever use it at our house.
On another note- bought some of this titanium sunscreen to use in the Caribbean last fall bc the oxybenzone kills the coral reefs (hmm, not a good sign) & it was ok- hard to rub in, leaves skin a pasty white. But, that was Caribbean Solutions brand spf 15. I felt like I was wearing long pants and a shirt! 🙂 May as well, that might be easier than searching for sunscreen now!
I came to post what cat posted. Of the sunscreens ranked by EWG and given a 2 (pretty safe), the Alba Botanica Mineral Sunscreen seems to be the best priced at $2.09/oz with S&S. It’s not as good a deal as Banana Boat, but if a safer sunscreen is what you want, this is hard to beat.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00142DXVG
http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/about-the-sunscreens/317765
I THINK I’m in the clear on the benzone issue with Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple–ONLY the Pure & Simple formulation–with active ingredient zinc oxide. I wanted to write to recommend this one, anyway, because it’s the only easily available and reasonably priced sunscreen I’ve found that doesn’t leave yellow stains post-wash on white clothing. I have tried MANY types, and thrown out MANY pairs of my sons’ white socks, as well as t-shirts with white appearing anywhere near the sleeve or neck holes (where sunscreen tends to transfer to clothing). This is likely not an issue for many; we don’t have a water softener, and I believe the stains are related to minerals in the water interacting with chemicals in some sunscreens. But I thought I’d mention it for others who may have a similar problem.
There is actually a sunscreen spray coming soon to the market made by EltaMD that will contain only titanium and zinc (not the current pump bottle UV Spray SPF 46). It will be pricey compared to these other brands, but just FYI… 🙂
Wow, I must be out of the loop on the whole sunscreen safety issue…have never heard of benzone. I guess I need to do a little research on this.