Is it summer yet?! I swear, in Canada it feels like we’ve been FOREVER waiting for the hot weather to finally hit so we can head to the lake and enjoy it. But regardless of the lack of heat, the sun has been peeking out now and then, and it’s got me thinking about sunscreen! We get lots of questions from moms about what mineral sunscreen we recommend for babes and kids, so we thought we’d break down some of our favourites!
Mineral Sunscreen vs. Chemical Sunscreen
In this house, we tend to opt for mineral sunscreens over their chemical counterparts.
Why? And what makes mineral sunscreens different from chemical sunscreens? The basic difference is that chemical sunscreens get absorbed into your skin in order to protect you from the sun (that’s why you need to wait 20 mins before they start working), while mineral sunscreens sit on top of the skin and provide a physical barrier to the sun (no waiting time required after application!). Mineral sunscreens are typically comprised of zinc oxide and titanium oxide (both safe ingredients) that sit on top of the skin, typically have a bit of a white hue, and block the sun’s rays.
Because mineral sunscreens can have a bit of a white hue and sometimes be trickier to ‘rub in’ (because they’re not really supposed to!), we’ve done some digging to find our favourite brands. We’re breaking them down for you below!
Okay, so now down to business… what brands do we recommend?
Our Favourite Mineral Sunscreen Brands:
Think Baby – this one is great for both you and your kiddos. They have baby, kids, and sport options, and it goes on remarkably smoothly and consistently. It smells great, and this is definitely one of our faves!
Blue Lizard – if you’re looking for a mineral sunscreen that spreads well, works for the whole family and is safe for coral reefs, then check out Blue Lizard! Developed in Australia and safe for people and reefs around the world.
Badger – again, one that we’ve used again and again. They have a great baby format, and have one for kiddos (tangerine vanilla) that smells so good your kiddos will be asking for it!
Green Beaver – a Canadian brand that gets it done. They have a variety of lotion, pump and lip balm options.
Goddess Garden – these gals have a bunch of formats, and have a spray format that most resembles an aerosol spray if that’s your jam!
Live Clean – another great Canadian brand that has baby, sport and lotion options available.
BONUS: if you happen to get a little too sun kissed, check out this Rocky Mountain After Sun Butter. It cools, calms and soothes, and is basically magic to my Irish complexion.
So get out there, enjoy the summer, and bask in the magic of mineral sunscreen protection!
Xo
NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to buy one of our favourite sunscreens through these links, it doesn’t cost you anything, but it helps support the blog!
