In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
We buy all the products we test — no freebies from companies. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission, which helps support our testing.
Choosing a sunscreen for babies or kids can be confusing or create anxiety. What products work and are safe? Which ingredients do you need to avoid? Sunscreen is necessary for being outside, and finding a good one for babies doesn't have to be nerve-wracking.
We've purchased and tested over 25 contenders before choosing the top 11 sunscreens available. Our review includes mineral-based sunscreens offering broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, and we evaluated each option for ease of use, consistency, eco-health, and more. Our recommendations will guide you to the perfect product that meets your needs so you can feel good no matter which sunscreen you settle on.
Our favorite sunscreen for babies after testing is the Babo Botanicals Baby Skin. This sunscreen goes on easily with a lightweight and nearly sheer final look and is EWG-verified. It has an easy-to-use bottle and feels good after application. We also love the Badger Baby Mineral Sunscreen Cream for its natural and organic ingredients and eco-friendly manufacturing practices.
If you need a more budget-friendly option, Blue Lizard Baby is an excellent choice. This sunscreen, which is a combination of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, comes in a larger bottle and rubs in well, leaving almost no white haze behind.
A botanical sunscreen with clean ingredients and '1' EWG rating. Glides on smooth with no white residue
Small, compact, no mess sunscreen that glides on smooth and with not white residue
Super easy to spray and rub in, sheer and leaves no white cast
More for your money, non-greasy, easy to apply
Affordable
EWG certified sunscreen that spreads well
Eco-friendly
Fragrance-free and gentle, allergy-friendly, zinc-free
Inexpensive, readily available
Unscented
Cons
Slightly greasy
Very thick, difficult to squeeze out of tube. Has scent of calendula and chamomile, which not everyone may want
Less product, needs to warm up on skin before it will spread on, could be uncomfortable on boney areas of the body
Not travel-friendly
Upfront cost
Not fragrance-free, requires effort to rub in
Not reef friendly and contains potential allergens, thin product that drips out of tube each time you open
Hard to spread and rub in, leaves skin white and greasy
Expensive, thick and takes effort to rub in
Messy bottle cap, low eco-health score
Oil tends to separate, 6 on EWG
Bottom Line
An eco-healthy sunscreen that goes on smoothly and leaves a sheer finish
A really lovely, lightly scented, hydrating sunscreen that glides on well and has no white residue, but is very thick and difficult to squeeze out of the tube
A compact and mess free sunscreen that will go on smooth and clear
While potentially not backpack-friendly, this sunscreen is a stellar option to spray and rub in, leaving no white cast
Great non-greasy, non-sticky formula with a bottle that turns pink to remind you UV rays are present and it's time to apply
A sunscreen that offers a faint fruity scent and leaves a slight white tinge on the skin
A perfectly fine sunscreen that is EWG sunscreen and spreads well but has potential allergens and a tendency to drip out of the tube
Eco-friendly plant-derived sunscreen great for everyday use
Perhaps thick and visible, but this sensitive, skin-friendly sunscreen is a potential match for kids who need to avoid common allergens or zinc
Its messy cap is its greatest downfall, but this mineral-based sunscreen is affordable and readily available
Average, unscented sunscreen, but oil tends to separate from zinc oxide which might be messy in hot temperatures
We want to avoid sunburns, but we also want to feel good about what we're applying to delicate skin, and the Babo Botanicals Baby Skin is an eco-healthy option and is now EWG verified. This mineral-based product is fragrance-free and offers a broad-spectrum formulation with a water resistance of 80 minutes. It is also free of gluten, soy, and dairy for those with allergies. Our tester reports, “I like that it is easy to apply, comes out smoothly, and absorbs into the skin, leaving a nearly sheer appearance on my baby's skin”.
Babo can leave skin feeling sort of greasy, but it's less dramatic than some contenders in our lineup. We think this is a small price, given the trade-off of a healthier option. It is also a little more expensive than some other contenders. If your budget is a concern, you can get a lot of lotion for a smaller price with the Blue Lizard Baby. As a reminder, this product is water-resistant, not waterproof, so if you're planning a pool day, be sure to reapply following the product's directions. Our tester reminds us, “This sunscreen needs frequent applications, especially if playing around water or getting sweaty.” We highly recommend this product as an all-around great sunscreen for babies and kids.
The Babo rubs in smoothly with little hue left behind.
If you're looking for a sunscreen that is good for you, baby, and the planet, then we love the Badger Baby Mineral Sunscreen Cream. This made-in-the-US product is made with solar power and recycled packaging and is both a certified B Corporation and NSF certified. It is also made of 98% organic ingredients, and each ingredient is something you'll recognize and be able to pronounce. It goes on smooth, with no white residue, and has a lovely botanical scent. It's also given a '1' rating on EWG, which is one step away from being verified and is gluten, soy, and dairy-free. “I love that the product is made with environmentally sound practices and with ingredients I can pronounce.” said one of our users. The Babo Botanicals and TruKid Sunny Days are also options if organic ingredients are important to you, with both of them containing at least 7.
Because it's made of all-natural ingredients, the Badger Baby sunscreen is very thick, with a consistency similar to a diaper cream, making it somewhat difficult to squeeze out of the tube, which can be irritating. A little goes a long way, but it is also a bit on the greasy side. It's also only water resistant for 40 minutes, which is half of some of its counterparts. If requiring a hefty squeeze to get the product out of a tube is a deal breaker for you, or if you are looking for something unscented, then we recommend a thinner sunscreen, such as the Babo Botanicals Baby Skin. Overall, if you are looking for a natural product with plant-based ingredients that feels and smells delightful, then we can't recommend this sunscreen more.
We love the Badger Baby but it is a bit difficult to squeeze out of the tube.
In addition to its fun trademark bottle that turns color when exposed to UV rays, there is a lot to love about Blue Lizard Baby. It contains a mixture of active mineral ingredients (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) that are excellent for full spectrum UVA/UVB coverage. It is also fragrance-free and contains no gluten, making it a potential fit for those with sensitivities. We appreciate that it rubs in easily (especially for a mineral-based product), and its oil-water emulsion consistency is not greasy or sticky. One parent tester stated, “It is easier to rub in without a white haze than other options.” This brand is also available in a Blue Lizard Sensitive formulation with the same active ingredients, SPF rating, and performance.
Since the formulation can separate, shaking the container well before use is essential. Our tester says, “If you forget to shake, it will be a separated mess.” Also, the Lizard's cap is frequently messy as the formula accumulates. Wiping the top after the application can help, but we wish the extra steps weren't needed. If you don't mind navigating this issue, you may find this option satisfactory for your needs. If you were hoping for some kind of spray that makes bottle top clean-up less of a concern, the Babyganics Sunscreen Spray is a nice option. Unlike traditional sprays, it is not an aerosol, and it sprays primarily on the skin and not in the air. Overall, Blue Lizard offers a bigger bottle than much of the competition and could result in less frequent purchases, waste, and money spent.
Blue Lizard is a budget-friendly option that offers a large bottle for long-term use.
If you are looking for a quality sunscreen that will travel well, take up little space, and not make a mess, then look no further than the Hello Bello SPF 50 Face + Body Sunscreen Stick. One tester commented, “I threw this stick in our luggage for a beach road trip, and it was a relief not to worry about it opening and getting oily sunscreen everywhere.” This sunscreen stick is small but mighty. With an SPF of 50 and water resistance of 80 minutes, it is sure to protect the baby. Not only that, but it is also free of soy, gluten, and peanut allergens, vegan, and hypoallergenic. It also gets a '2' rating on EWG, making it an all-around safe choice.
On the downside, we found that we did need to warm up the product on the skin before it would spread well, but a few swirls on the back of the hand were enough to do this, so this aspect wasn't a deal breaker. Also, because the product was firmer for the stick formulation, sometimes rubbing it over bony areas on the body could potentially be uncomfortable. In addition, its compact nature, while making it great for travel, does mean that it contains less product than other options, but the price is good for the size. If you are in the market for something mess-free but don't find the stick formula to work for you, then the Badger Botanicals and California Baby Super Sensitive sunscreens are more traditional options with lids that click tight and won't open unexpectedly. In general, despite a couple of small drawbacks, we loved this product for its safe ingredients and the ease of throwing it in a purse or suitcase without having to worry about spills.
The Hello Bello stick takes a minute to warm up on the skin, but once done it glides on smooth and clear.
We opted for lotions over sprays due to aerosolization, but we were excited to come across the Babyganics Sunscreen Spray, an air-powered non-aerosol spray. This spray is super easy to apply compared to lotions, and we genuinely enjoy how effortless it is to spread and cover an area. One parent tester said, “I thought this spray made it quicker to get full coverage on a squirmy little one.” Plus, it's practically transparent on the skin, which may matter for those who don't like the white hue look. Older children preferred this option when applying themselves during testing.
One downfall of this product is that the plastic cap can easily fall off in a bag, and since it doesn't take much effort to spray the bottle, a mess can occur. One tester said, “I sent it in a backpack to camp, and the bag came back full of sunscreen spray.” Also, this option includes Octisalate. While the jury is out on this chemical, it could be a no-go for those limiting chemicals near little ones and anyone erring on the side of caution. If this is you, Babo Botanicals Baby Skin might be the better choice as it does not include this chemical and has other fantastic qualities. Since we don't have any information about this ingredient, we don't know if it concerns us. As a reminder, while using this product, be mindful of wind and keep it away from faces. It is helpful to spray the product into your hands before applying it to your child's face or nearby. Nonetheless, if you seek a non-aerosol spray, this option may fit your needs.
The Babyganics spray can be useful for getting lotion on quickly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Aerolized Sunscreen Spray
Aerosolized sunscreen sprays may ease application, but they create a cloud with particles so small you can inhale them. We don't think it is good to inhale aerosolized chemicals, so we didn't include aerosol products in our review. Since products come in non-aerosolized versions, we suggest going that route since there's no need to worry about what you inhale.
Compare Products
The collection of products added to our newest round of testing.
Credit: Katie Brown
How We Test
After multiple kid sunscreen reviews and nearly 100 hours of researching and hands-on testing, we've gained unique insight and information about this category. Our lineup began with over 25 potential contenders. The true colors of any sunscreen begin to emerge once you research ingredients and complete extensive testing, like the differences between chemical and mineral sunscreen products. Side-by-side comparisons help highlight differences among the top contenders. Each product was purchased and tested for ease of use, consistency, and eco-health.
Why Trust GearLab
Our BabyGearLab team includes outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy time in the sun but prefer to avoid all the negative things that can come with it. Leading our review is BabyGearLab founder, Dr. Juliet Spurrier is a board-certified pediatrician, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and a mother of two children. Between motherhood and her pediatrician background, Dr. Spurrier uses her knowledge and experience to guide her product choices, focusing on eco-health and efficacy. Also assisting and contributing to our review are Senior Review Editors, Wendy Schmitz and Molly Bradac. Wendy is a mother of two children and has a degree in biology. She uses her education to help research ingredients from a scientific perspective and a mother's point of view. With a child with Celiac disease, Wendy has a keen eye for selecting products with fewer ingredients and those suitable for sensitive skin or allergies that are also easy to use and budget-friendly. Molly is an experienced childcare provider supporting families over the past 15 years and has created outdoor adventures for kids under her care. Molly has used various kid and baby travel gear, including many UV-protection products. So, whether it's a trip to the swimming pool or a hike, Molly's experience with multiple products brings a unique perspective to our review.Katie Brown rounds out the team. As a mother of one, she uses her eclectic and diverse life experience to test various products with GearLab.
A sunscreen that rubs in easily on a squirmy baby or toddler is a necessity.
The Blue Lizard bottle changes color once exposed to UV rays. This feature is fun for children and acts as a reminder to apply sunscreen.
Analysis and Test Results
We believe safe and effective sunscreen should have an easy-to-use bottle with no mess, a formula consistency that goes on smoothly, feels good to wear, and yet be eco-healthy. These factors drove testing and overall score results.
What's the Best Value?
Most people think sunscreen is for summertime; however, that's not the case. It's vital to apply rain or shine whenever you spend time outdoors. Plus, you'll need to frequently reapply sunscreen according to a product's directions to maintain sun protection. So, a product's price tag could be a driving factor in the decision-making process if your budget is tighter. Among the competition, the Blue Lizard Baby may appear costly, but given its quantity and price per ounce, this option is one of the most budget-friendly. You're getting the most for your money, which will likely last longer than some contenders. It also reduces waste as you will use one bottle instead of 2 or 3 of the competition. The Hello Bello SPF 50 Face + Body Sunscreen Stick is a travel-size product that won't cause any messes in your bag and is comparatively less expensive.
Remember to Reapply
It's easy for time to fly while you're having fun in the sun, which can result in missed reapplications. We recommend setting a timer on your phone as a reminder to reapply sunscreen to help avoid burns and unprotected overexposure. Swimming, sweating, and rubbing on things like backpacks, lifevests, and floaties can increase how often you need to reapply. Better more often than less.
Not all sunscreens are created equal, including a product's bottle. Some bottles are easy to use and transport worry-free in a diaper bag or a kids' backpack, whereas others can cause issues.
Credit: Katie Brown
Ease of Use
While evaluating the lineup, we asked two critical questions: Is the bottle easy to use? Will it accidentally pop open in our favorite diaper bag or beach bag? Because let's face it, mineral-based products can stain, which is far from ideal. After hands-on testing and repetitious use, we experienced details that make some products more accessible to use than others.
We did not have one outstanding performer in this metric, but a group of products held the highest-scoring spot, sharing similar scores. This group includes Babo Botanicals Baby Skin, California Baby Super Sensitive, Thinkbaby SPF 50, and TruKid Sunny Days Sport. These products have similar containers that feel sturdy, have secure lids, and are easy to use.
The plastic cover of the Babyganics can pop off while toting around in a bag, which increases the likelihood of mess. This flaw reduced the product's ease of use score.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The lowest-scoring product is the Babyganics Sunscreen Spray. This product has a plastic top that can easily pop off, and since it doesn't take much pressure to spray this bottle, we experienced repeated backpack messes throughout a two-week summer camp. These messes mean a waste of product and time spent in cleanup mode.
We frequently dealt with a mess underneath the Aveeno's lid between the Aveeno's formula consistency and its lid design.
The Blue Lizard Baby's lid also created a mess, causing us to wipe the top after each use.
The Aveeno Kids Continuous Protection, Attitude Sunly Mineral Sunscreen, and Blue Lizard Baby also rank lower because thinner formulas can run and leave lids messy, causing splatters when closing the top - an issue we did not experience with other contenders. The Attitude, in particular, seemed to squirt a small blob of sunscreen automatically each time we opened it in a downward position. Lastly, the Sun Bum Baby Bum SPF 50 Sunscreen fell a bit short due to a lid latch that seemed a bit looser than its counterparts, and since this particular product had a tendency to separate, we worried about the potential for an oily mess in a diaper bag.
Each sunscreen differs, and while testing the competition, we completed side-by-side comparisons to evaluate factors regarding a formula's consistency.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Consistency
Not all sunscreen formulas are created equal. Some are easy and quick to apply, while others require effort and lots of excessive rubbing. Adding a wiggly worm child to the mix can be even more challenging. Lucky for you, we did the applying and comparing, so you know the insider details. To score this metric, we considered how easy the sunscreen is to rub in, whether it spreads where you want it to, leaves behind a white cast, and creates a greasy or sticky feeling.
The Babyganics Sunscreen Spray is a top performer in this metric. Honestly, this option is a super-star. It performs the way you hope an effective sunscreen lotion would. It is easy to spray, spread, and cover with less of a white hue than the competition. And, unlike aerosol sprays, it is not airborne and won't be a nuisance to others nearby or to the sensitive respiratory tracks of little ones. Conversely, the TruKid Sunny Days Sport and California Baby Super Sensitive score the lowest for consistency. With thick formula consistencies, they require more elbow grease to spread and rub in, plus they leave a more noticeable white hue on the skin.
Although also a bit thicker, the Badger Baby Mineral Sunscreen performed well in this category. It warmed up and spread quickly and easily, with zero white residue. It was one of the more oily products in our lineup, however, but not sticky or tacky.
We found the ATTITUDE Sunly Mineral Sunscreen, Babo Botanical Baby, and Sun Bum Baby Bum to all spread fairly similarly, leaving a slight white hue and a slightly tacky feel and falling somewhere in the middle of the pack, score-wise.
Our review only includes mineral sunscreens, but they each differ in ingredients.
Simple, natural ingredients can be important.
Eco-Health
A lot goes into learning about sunscreens and assessing a product's eco-health, particularly its earth-friendly and health-conscious qualities. Lucky for you, we dove in and closely looked at each product's label and ingredients. To score the competition, we researched and compared the lineup for multiple factors, such as whether or not it is USA-made, reef-friendly, fragrance-free, uses organic ingredients, free of common allergens, and its rating on the Environmental Working Group (EWG). This non-profit corporation is committed to healthier living.
The Babo Botanicals Baby Skin is our highest-scoring product. It is made in the USA, is fragrance-free, and avoids gluten, soy, and dairy. The manufacturer's website also includes a long list of excluded ingredients; we appreciate this transparency. According to the EWG, this product has a rating of 2 (they use a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst). This option has one of the best EWG results in the competition. The Attitude Sunly is also EWG verified, but we found other issues with this product, such as the tendency to drip when opened, that kept us from giving it an award.
The Attitude sunscreen is EWG verified but it's tendency to drip when opening wasn't ideal.
Credit: Katie Brown
The lowest-scoring product in our lineup is the Aveeno Kids. Compared to the others we tested, the Aveeno lacks information. Although this product is fragrance-free, which is a positive thing, we couldn't locate any information (on the bottle or manufacturer's website) to determine if it is reef-friendly or free of common allergens. Also, to our knowledge, it doesn't use any organic ingredients.
The Thinkbaby is not fragrance-free. Although the scent is very light, consider a different product if you're sensitive to fragrance.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Make Sunscreen Use a Habit
Sun damage can occur any time of the year, and it's cumulative, meaning it can build up as time passes. Therefore, avoiding sun damage may decrease your child's risk of developing skin issues later. Talk to your child's pediatrician about sun protection and sunscreen, and make sun protection a habit.
How to Pick the Best Sunscreen
Finding the best sunscreen does not need to be a challenge. With more ingredient transparency and options available, finding the right option for your child and needs is easier than ever.
Consider Sunscreen Ingredients
When it comes to ingredients, we generally think less is more, and you should review any label for ingredients that might irritate sensitive skin or that your child might be allergic to. Whether you choose a mineral or chemical-based sunscreen will largely be a personal choice, but we recommend making yourself aware of what is inside whatever bottle you choose.
What Activity?
We think the activity your little one is participating in is a good way to narrow the field on what protection is best for them. If your little one is swimming or biking, a sports-style product might be more appropriate, as they have formulations for sweating and water. If your baby is largely sitting in a stroller, then a mineral-based option could be the perfect choice. Something else to consider is if your child will be applying sunscreen by themselves or packing in a backpack for school or camp. Finding an easy-to-use bottle with an easy-to-apply lotion might increase compliance.
Sun protection is essential, and with multiple options on the market, it's hard to select a product that works for you and your family. Lucky for you, our review includes the details you need.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Conclusion
Using an effective sunscreen is a necessity for avoiding exposure to the sun's determinantal effects. However, finding a suitable option for a baby's and children's delicate skin can be challenging. Things can become even more complicated if you want unscented or mineral-based lotions. You may not have given it much thought before having a baby, but now that you have a little one to protect, it is even more critical to be prepared before heading to play outside. This review of potential competitors is a great place to find the right sunscreen for your goals and budget. We believe this review has something for everyone, including chemical-free products and formulations for babies and sensitive skin.
