Sunscreen for babies of color...

[stjohnjulie]

I've been having some challenges trying to find a good Daily sunscreen for Ilo. Since he is biracial, anything with zinc oxide in it makes him look blotchy and purple (not very cute at all!!). I've found a couple of brands that are pretty good for when we go to the beach, but I was trying to find something that was a lotion with SPF for a baby that we can use daily. Regular sunscreens are just to heavy and oily for non beach days. The little guy has a farmer tan from just the walking around we do. The UV index here is obscene, and he darkens up really easily due to his melanin. I can find plenty of moisturizer for women with SPF in it, but having a hard time finding it for babies. Anyone??

 

[MomoJA]

I used Aveeno sunblock just because someone had given me a gift basket of their baby products. I just checked their website and they don't list zinc as one of the ingredients, but their ingredients list didn't seem comprehensive to me. However, I don't remember the sunblock not blending in on my daughter.

On the other hand, these days I just use the Walmart kids sunscreen and I don't think the sunscreen stands out much, at least no more than on her tanned caucasian cousins, but we get quite brown in my family, so maybe I'm just used to it and don't notice it.

I do remember frustration when I first got back that there wasn't baby moisturizer with spf, but I think that the Aveeno sunblock uses the same oatmeal stuff they use in their moisturizers.

On regular days, I now put adult moisturizer with SPF on my daughter. She needs the moisturizer more than the sunscreen. Very dry skin and hair - total opposite of me. I use the cheapest stuff I can find because I lather her up so that she is white and let the lotion be absorbed. She's not greasy or anything, but silky soft and she's protected as well.

Skin care is not the issue in our house. Now hair . . . that's a big story.

 

[Jeremy+3]

You can get completely clear sun creams that are suitable for babies and children's skin, you can get ones that last all day as well so you don't have to re-apply every two hours. But remember he shouldn't be in the sun between 11 am and 3 pm.

 

[mom2many]

Hmm, I know that my sister just uses the wal-mart brand like I do and her kids are also bi-racial. Half of my kids are darker then sin and the other half are just white (mainly Aiden) and I find that wal-marts works the best for the range of them. I am gonna go out on a limb and say that if you are looking for something a little less lotiony (is that a word lol?) would go with Aveno's adult lotion with sunscreen, it's baby line is almost the same thing.

Or here's a thought take the highest sunscreen SPF and mix it with some baby lotion..I've done that before in a pinch and it kept the little ones from burning.

 

[stjohnjulie]

m2m, that's a good thought! Never really thought of mixing two things together. I don't think lotiony is a word, but that is exactly what I am looking for, something not so heavy and oily. I have some sunscreen that is good, but it's not something I would want to put all over him all of the time. It's very hot and humid here right now and his skin needs to breath. If the lotion is to heavy, he will get heat rash. And it makes a mess out of his clothes and my clothes. I've tried the Aveeno...maybe I need to try a different kind. That's not working so well. Also tried Neutrogena, no go.

MomoJA, yes, dry skin for sure! Ashy is what my husband and other dark skin people call it. My husband looks like someone dusted him in chalk if he doesn't put on coco butter. Ilo isn't as bad, but he does get ashy when it's not as humid as it is right now. I would feel better about putting 'grown up' lotion on him if he didn't put everything in his mouth. He's just at that age. I lucked in the hair department. He has my texture (very fine) but curls like his big brother had. So at least I know what to do with that!!! I have to admit I did a sigh of relief when I saw his hair. And another sigh of relief when all of that fell out and grew back with my texture. I've been trying to figure out how to lock my husband's dreads for years now and it's very very very very time consuming!!! Putting straight oil into hair is against everything I have ever known

Thanks for the tips everyone! I will check out Walmart online. They ship here....well, they ship most things here, so I will give them a shot. It will take 6-8 weeks to get here though. Maybe I can have big bro hunt some down. He's still in the states and will be home at the end of the month.

 

[mom2many]

My darker ones get super ashy, Lupan sitll prefer's baby lotion LOL he is gonna look funny in college rubbing it all over himself!

Hopefully it will work for you, I did the combo a few times when camping and not packing enough sunscreen and having to make it last it a little longer.

 

[lifesfinest11]

my son's biracial my gf's biracial and I'm german/swedish american. We all use similar products. I don't really see why there'd be a difference.

 

[dave]

use neutregena wet skin spray on., and get a roll on based for their face.

the liquid ones will prolly be okay.

I had a close friend in high school who was very dark.

I think if you use the clear neutregena wet skin (85 spf) and shower them after chlorine exposure and lotion up they should have no problems.

this is conjecture.

 

[lifesfinest11]

hope you find a solution though.

 

[cbag]

Say no to sunscreen and keep the kids covered, don't risk skin problem, or over exposure.

 

[IADad]

Say no to sunscreen and keep the kids covered, don't risk skin problem, or over exposure.

???

first of all you['ve bumped a quite old post, which is technically against the rule, but more to the point, just not sucha good idea, in the future if you happen across an old post that you feel needs new comment, just open a new thread.

BUT, since you've brought it forward, I'm wondering how to accomplish what you advocate? How shoudl we cover kids for a day at the beach, or on the soccer feild? I'm not getting how to live practically with the advice you give.

 

[stjohnjulie]

I live in the tropics... so staying out of the sun between 11-3 is not an option, and covering up from head to toe is not really a good option. So sunscreen is a must for us. It only takes about 10 minutes of sun exposure for a fair person to get a burn here. My kiddo has fairly dark skin, which helps protect him, but we put sunscreen on him if we are going to be outside for any length of time. For beach days, Water Babies is doing the trick. For days around town, I found a store brand that is oil free that I mix with lotion (that's M2M!).

 

[Xero]

Ugh I gotta close some old threads. lol

 

[IADad]

I live in the tropics... so staying out of the sun between 11-3 is not an option, and covering up from head to toe is not really a good option. So sunscreen is a must for us. It only takes about 10 minutes of sun exposure for a fair person to get a burn here. My kiddo has fairly dark skin, which helps protect him, but we put sunscreen on him if we are going to be outside for any length of time. For beach days, Water Babies is doing the trick. For days around town, I found a store brand that is oil free that I mix with lotion (that's M2M!).

I'm so light, I'm feeling a little pink just reading your post...

 

[stjohnjulie]

I guess you would be one of those tourists that decide to sit on the top of the ferry boat on the way to St. John and end up with a sun burn on your thighs and back of your neck before your vacation even started.

The WORST burns I see are on the back of the legs. People tend to forget their legs are exposed when they are snorkeling. Sun poisoning really sucks.

 

[IADad]

I'm pretty careful because I KNOW I have no natural defenses to the sun. I do get caught off guard occasionally, and you're right it's usually something like the backs of legs that I don't think about being exposed to the sun's glare.

Maybe that's why I vacation in places like Green Bay...

 

[David126]

Agreed with the cbag we should take care of our child,
covered it with the secure cover...

 

[Incogneato]

I'm pretty careful because I KNOW I have no natural defenses to the sun. I do get caught off guard occasionally, and you're right it's usually something like the backs of legs that I don't think about being exposed to the sun's glare.

Maybe that's why I vacation in places like Green Bay...

Be careful if you ever come to Florida then, because you can get sunburn any time of year here lol It was 84 degrees the other day.. IN FEBRUARY!:wacko:

 

[David126]

Agreed with the cbag we should take care of our child,
covered it with the secure cover...

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