Suggestions for Alternative to Sunscreen

I have been using the swim wear with spf 50 in them...can get them almost anywhere..got a cute pair of spongebob shorts at walmart for 5 bucks...my daughter is so fair with red hair...faithful about hats too...however, I do believe that the benefits of sunscreen protecting their skin far outweighs the other concerns. If you use protective clothing you won't have to you use as much. Maybe also straight up zinc oxide might be a better choice? Good luck!

Not totally an alternative, but I did just buy some Sun brand sunscreen at Whole Foods on sale yesterday - $4 off.

Yes! you have to be careful with sunscreen - even if they say its "natural". Based on my research there are 3 main ingredients that you should absolutely stay away from and they are Octinoxate, Oxbenzone and Homosalate and pretty much there are in all the ones I have been using for years! Now that I have children, I have become much more aware of the products I am using. After lots of searching, I found a natural, biodegradable, mineral blend sunscreen call Sol Kid Kare (spf 25) at Vitamin Cottage. It smells great. Since it uses zinc oxide - its leaves a while film but that is just fine with me!

Hi M.,
You're correct; sunscreen has a lot of chemicals in it! Truthfully, there isn't a completely "safe" sunscreen. I have found 2 that have a zinc instead of titanium base.

Soleo Organics. (great stuff, but hard to find)
www.soleousa.com

Badger Sunbalm
http://www.badgerbalm.com/pc-372-6-spf-30-for-face-body.aspx

Protective clothing is a great choice. There's a couple of websites that I like
www.onestepahead.com
and
http://www.alexandme.com/ (this can be a little pricey, but I’ve had really good luck finding their stuff on ebay for way less $)

There are a bunch of different options with the clothing. I also saw some UV clothing at Target the other day.

You can also try to make your own, but you have to reapply it all of the time, and it’s not the easiest product to make.

Good luck and it’s awesome that you are looking for other options.

Burt's Bees has a natural sunscreen . . . we buy ours at Target, it seems to be cheaper there than at the health food store.

Hi M.,
As far as I know, the only alternative to sunblock/sunscreen is staying out of the sun or covering exposed skin when you are outside.
If you are concerned about the chemicals in sunblocks, try to find a physical sunblock, one that contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Try Physical UV Defense SPF 30 by SkinCeuticals (www.skinceuticals.com) or Jane Iredale's dry sunscreen (http://www.janeiredale.com/bases_pmspf.html). They are going to cost a bit more than you may be used to spending on sunscreen, but neither uses chemical sunblocks, which means that they are safe for sensitive skin, and are effective immediately, as opposed to chemical sunblocks, which need to be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure. If you are looking for something a bit less expensive, I like Aveeno's line of baby sun products.
Hope that helps!

I don't know of an alternative to sunscreen, but Arbonne has a GREAT natural base sunscreen that works very well. If you want ingredient info on it I can get the info for you.

Make it a GREAT day!

S.

Vanicream is zinc based and works great!

You can find natural ones at sunflower market and whole foods. They are more expensive. Also, as someone else mentioned they now make sunblock clothing for kids.

You are a smart woman!! The sunscreen has a lot of hormones that little kids soak up and has been shown to cause them to grow breasts. I could go on about how much I hate sunscreen!! :)
Anyways...
A great alternative that I use on my kids and me is coconut oil! You can get it at any grocery store. I would suggest before you go anywhere like the beach or somewhere where you are going to be in the sun all day, is to rub coconut oil on your skin for at least 3-5 days before. It doesn't take too much and you can put it on your face. This works for kids/adults who burn very easily, and it also gives you the best tan. No more burning.
Coconut oil also has a lot of anti-viral properties to it. It is also yummy to mix with equal-parts honey and cocoa powder. Put it in the fridge and enjoy it once or twice daily.
Good luck! I know you will be pleased with the results!
Take care!

Hi M....I found a hat, swim shirt, and swim trunks that are SPF 50 in the infant department at Target a few weeks ago for my 7-month-old. Not sure what sizes you are looking for but I'm sure you could find similar things on the web.

I found a store online that sells things that are safer for cleaning and for sunscreens, for body wash, bubble bath, vitamins, no harsh chemicals.

www.ChangingStores.info

Good luck finding what you want.
S.
mother to Kai
www.HomeWithKai.com

I agree that many store bought sunscreens have a lot of chemicals! However, there are natural sunscreens on the market that are safer (but harder to rub in). We also use long sleeved swim suits, hats, sunglasses, long pants, and shade to keep our DD safe. I love the long sleeved swim suits in particular because I don't like having to worry about her shoulders. We got ours at Lands End, but I've seen them in stores as well.

Good luck!

I started using the Burt's Bees sunscreen on my daughter who has excema. It is completely natural and this is the only thing she isn't allergic to. It is titanium dioxide. A lot of people who are allergic to the sun use this. It is quite expensive ($15) for one bottle but it was SSSOOOO worth it. GL

One thing that will help is to remember that the sun is at its zenith between 10 and 2. If you can stay out of the sun or cover up as completely as possible during that time, you can stay out in the sun longer in the morning and afternoon.

I'm allergic to most sunscreens I've tried and get hives from the sun. So I carry an umbrella in the summer, and if I'm going to be out for more time than just travel, I also wear a wide brimmed hat, long sleeves, and long pants.

That said, a few minutes exposure to the sun without sunblocks is good for your vitamin D levels, so you don't have to avoid the sun completely.

I highly recommend Arbonne's sunscreens. All of Arbonne's products are botanically-based and have a 45-day money back guarantee on the products. There is a sunscreen for baby/sensitive adult skin, and an SPF 15 and 30 sunscreen. For more information, please either call me at ###-###-####, or contact me through www.feelpure.myarbonne.com. Thanks!

Hi M. - one of my sons is allergic to sunscreen - even many of the "natural" and "baby safe" ones. Vanicream was recommended by our skin doc but I can't find it at our grocery or even Walgreens. We have had good success with avoiding rashes with Burt's Bees titanium dioxide based sunscreen. I mix it with a tiny dab of shea butter lotion we have on hand so that it is easier to apply and rub in.

Be sure to read the labels - the sunscreens all had chemicals, even the ones at the organic grocery.

Otherwise, the kids wear hats as much as they agree to. We also wear those SPF 50 shirts in the pool.

Hope you have a great summer!