Having just come back from a week in the sunshine the whole question of sun protection for the girls is very fresh in my mind. I was hoping to write that it is also lovely weather here in the UK but alas the rain has arrived. Whilst sitting round the pool there was a definite divide in the approach to sun protection for children. Some were covered head to toe in sun suits and hats whilst others ran around in just swimsuits.

I fall in to the second camp. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t let them out in the sun without any protection at all but I am slightly more relaxed in my approach. Charlotte on the other hand has to keep Mabel covered due to her sensitive skin. So today we thought it would be great to discuss the sun protection you use for your little ones and we are also chatting sun protection for us big ones over on Rock My Style.

I am very conscious of making sure the girls have suncream on and aren’t in the full glare of the sun but I don’t cover their bodies completely with sun suits. They both wore swimsuits and factor 50 at all times as well as hats when we were walking around or they were sat on the loungers. They also actively asked to sit in the shade a lot of the time and I made sure they were out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day. I did use a little long sleeved Boden rash vest over their swimming costume if I felt they had been out in the sun too long as their shoulders were quite exposed with all the swimming. I found these great as they were easy to slip on over their costumes.

When it comes to suncream I opt for a factor 50 and I always choose a sensitive kids one. This is mainly as Alice is prone to mild eczema so I try to use more sensitive products where I can. I am not loyal to one specific brand but this year had a mixture of Boots own brand and M&S own brand. My favourite was the M&S roll on suncream, it was genius as it was so easy to apply and the girls thought it was a novelty so didn’t mind be covered in cream. I try to reapply regularly rather than using an all day one.

One thing I wished I had bought for holiday was some sort of hair suncream. Has anyone found a good one? Spritzing normal suncream doesn’t really work but wearing a hat in the pool just wasn’t practical as Molly was diving underwater the whole time.

Back in this country I will pop suncream on them on hot days and we are meant to apply before school as well as sending in hats. I use the same factor 50 suncream on sunny days.

I just find it so difficult to always remember when to put suncream on or realise halfway through a day out that we don’t have hats with us. What can start out as a gloomy grey day can turn in to gorgeous sunshine in no time. Should I be applying suncream every day just in case? I guess my own face cream has SPF in it so I should probably adopt the same approach for the girls.

Charlotte & Mabel

Mabel is a sensitive soul – just like her mother. Suncream inevitably makes her eczema flare up to the point where she’s retuned from nursery having drawn blood from inside her elbows and around her wrists. This obviously makes me feel like crap. Having therefore tried nearly every suncream brand available and spent a small fortune in the meantime, we seem to be having a breakthrough with Bioderma Kids Spray in SPF 50.

It’s pricey but they currently have a 3 for 2 offer on at Boots. We limit Mabel’s time having to wear suncream on holiday (the once-a-day waterproof kind have been the worst in terms of allergic reactions) by always ensuring she wears one of the SPF full coverage swimsuits (thus she only has the cream on small areas) trying as best we can to keep her in the shade and showering her off with warm water and a gentle soap as soon as she is indoors. I have this pretty butterfly print suit for our holiday next week.

 

What sun protection do you use for your little ones? Any favourite items or suncreams that are great for sensitive little ones?

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