Suncreening your child – don’t use that brand!

Yesterday, we took the boys to Lac Philippe for some much-needed relief from the weather, where the humidex was bordering 40 degrees.

We found a spot in the shade and set up our beach blanket (a table cloth). It’s incredible how much STUFF you need to bring with two kids in tow. Swimsuits, towels, a change of clothes, hats and of course diapers … regular and swimmer ones. Not to mention a cooler packed with sandwiches, watermelon, grapes, yogurt cups and tubes (yes, they come in tube form). Oh, and drink cups, serviettes, lawn chairs and most importantly children’s beach toys and sunscreen! I sometimes wonder how parents manage with three or more children.

Anyway, once we were changed and settled in Angie and I began applying sunscreen to the boys and each other.

We are very pro sunscreen. After all who wants to see a little one suffer with sunburn! However, I recently learned that not all sunscreens protect you as they should and most contain harmful chemicals.

Angie and I used to purchase a children’s brand by Banana Boat which proclaimed a 100 Sun Factor Protection (SPF). And why wouldn’t we or anyone else for that matter? As a consumer, I would expect that the sunscreen products available to us meet specified regulations that protect us against the sun and are safe to use.

And then I was sent the following link: http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/9-surprising-facts-about-sunscreen/

So, I immediately looked up the sunscreen we use and found it to be Number 1 on the “Hall of Shame” link.  Not only that, but its overall score was 7/10 for a result of “AVOID.” http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/finding-the-best-sunscreens/320752/Banana-Boat-Baby-Max-Protect-and-Play-Broad-Spectrum-Sunscreen-SPF/

Turns out that sunscreens might as well be manufactured in China and loaded with cadmium, too.

However, all was not lost as the website provided enough information for me to find a product that prevents both UVA and UVB exposure and is safe to use. http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/

So Angie and I did our research and decided on a product to buy. The biggest challenge for us was finding the products! I couldn’t find any in the big box stores or Shopper’s Drug Mart. They should be more accessible.

Despite this setback, I ended up ordering Badger sunscreen.

Here are some products that were rated best, a website and cost.

Badger SPF 30 with a rating of 1 can be ordered through www.well.ca for $20.45

Badger and ThinkBaby at www.bynature.ca for 21.98 and 21.98 each. Both Badger and ThinkBaby scored a 1 rating.

Badger and Soleo (both scored 1 rating) can also be purchased at www.Lavishandlime.com for 22.25 and 31.50 respectively.

The boys enjoying a hot sunny day,

Can I see, Mummy?

How's this for a pose, Mummy?