I have had a lot of people ask me (and no, I’m not just saying that) in recent months what our favourite mineral sunscreens are for baby (6+ months, however read my post on sun safety to learn more – under 6 months and unable to avoid the sun is an American Academy of Pediatrics recommended time for mineral sunscreen as well however the recommendation advises to discuss any use with your pediatrician or provider which should be done) and toddlers. So, to make my life easier and because it truly is a common concern for parents, I decided to list our faves in this post.
I highly recommend reviewing this post on other ways to protect your children from the sun in addition to sunscreen. It’s important that we apply different methods for the best protection.
Disclaimer: this is not medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Please see your healthcare provider for medical questions. Please also note that affiliate links are used in this post and I may earn (very little) from your purchases. No matter how little, every link click and purchase helps to support my family so I thank you sincerely!
Our 3 Favourite Mineral Sunscreens
Blue Lizard Sunscreen
Yes – I have been generously gifted many Blue Lizard products over the past two years, however that doesn’t impact my opinion of them. It just gave me an opportunity to 1) be introduced to them – when I was first gifted their products back in 2021, I actually didn’t know much about them; and 2) try everything out. I can say very easily they are my favourite.
Online, Blue Lizard is available on Well.ca here (stack them on your Voila order!) or Amazon.ca here
Perks of this brand:
- The lid changes colour in harmful UV light to pink! It’s so cool + lets you know its time to put on your sunscreen (if you forgot)
- Easy to rub in – I find this one blends well for a mineral sunscreen, which tend to apply thicker than chemical sunscreens.
- Comes in baby, sensitive and other formulations + now in a stick formulation! All handy to have for different reasons.
- Blue Lizard is paediatrician recommended
- It is a broad spectrum sunscreen – which is really the only type of sunscreen you should be buying!
- It is water resistant (in line with the FDA standards) for 80 minutes (Kids 30+ SPF) and 40 minutes (Babies and Sensitive 30+ SPF)
It is a mineral sunscreen made with zinc oxide and you can read more about their ingredients here.
Thinkbaby Sunscreen
This is another brand we have used a few times that makes a great + safe mineral sunscreen. The only negative I will mention about this one is it is a bit more pricy – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but makes it inaccessible for some people.
You can find it on Amazon.ca here or at Shoppers Drug Mart in stores!
Thinkbaby prides itself on using only safe ingredients in its sunscreens, including its Thinksport line. They also aim to reduce the environmental impact of their products and be sustainable – I like when brands make an open effort to do this.
They are very anti-chemical sunscreens – so you will see that in the Learn section of their website. While mineral sunscreens are often safer (as in, they contain less potentially harmful ingredients), I would say that chemical sunscreen is not necessarily all bad and any concerns should be discussed with a healthcare provider (especially if you have any risk factors for skin cancer, etc). As I mentioned in my previous post on sunscreens linked above, Canadian Cancer Society has made a statement regarding chemical sunscreens and their risks (hint: several ones you may hear being ‘name called’ have NOT been associated with causing cancer thus far). If you have concerns – talk to your provider to determine what might be best for you.
Anyways – the Environmental Working Group has a great site to look up sunscreens and/or ingredients for a variety of skincare products as well here.
Thinkbaby is non-toxic and has a variety of SPF options. As I mentioned, they also have a sports line for adults (and athletes). It is marketed as reef friendly (meaning it doesn’t contain any of the chemicals listed here). Notably – Blue Lizard states that there is no nationally recognized definition of “reef friendly” or “reef safe” products at this time (in reference to the USA), so that it something to keep in mind. Some areas will have this criteria while others will not – so depending on where you are, it might not mean the same thing necessarily. I personally couldn’t find specific information on this for Canada – but if you know a good resource, please share.
Thinkbaby is also:
- Broad spectrum
- Water Resistant up to 80 minutes
- Paraben free
- And it doesn’t feel oily!
Eau Thermale Avène Sunscreen
Again – I was gifted products from Avéne twice now, but it has just given me an opportunity to try them! Again – this is a bit more of a pricy option, but good quality and I love the variety of products they offer for not only children but also adults! Most of their products can be used for both.
My favourite sunscreen product from them is the High Sun Protection Spray which is SPF 50+ (they also make a children’s one!). It does not come out like an aerosol and applies like sunscreen in a tube! Many of their products are available on Amazon.ca
Perks to this one is that the products are made by a skincare company that makes a ton of other products that are high quality. They know skin and that is why they also make a variety of different products with SPF protection (such as a tinted compact which I used in this reel!).
Their children’s and babies sunscreens are:
- Broad spectrum
- Fragrance-free
- Water resistant for up to 40 minutes
- Great for sensitive skin
Check out their whole baby care line here.
As a reminder:
- Use a mineral sunscreen on your children at least up to 2 years old. Please read my previous post for more information on the types of sunscreens and current recommendations.
- Avoid peak UV hours when possible (generally between 10 am and 2 pm)
- Use other methods of sun protection in addition to sunscreen – I discussed some options for babies and children here
- Broad spectrum + water resistant options are best – but you still need to reapply frequently(at least every 2 hours and after swimming)
- SPF should be at least 15, but 30-50 may be better if you have fair skin
- Store sunscreen in a shady spot to avoid damage of the product
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