Sunscreen/Kids' sunscreen

[shipgeeks]

What would make a "Kids" sunscreen different from any other?  That was the only reef-safe one I could find, and the price and the SPF were good.  Why would adults not use it?

[cb at sea]

Depends on the AGE of the child....babies/infants shouldn't use normal, everyday stuff.....  If your child is over 3, then use what you use.

[crystalspin]

It probably just has more moisturizer. Sure you can use it.

 

Some reef-safe sunblocks do not say "ReefSafe" or not in large letters anyway. Here in So.Cal we do not have reefs (nor in PA). I found something called "Clear Zinc" at Walgreens. BIG tube, cheap! 

 

The ingredients that are reef-safe are ZiO2 and TiO2. ZiO2 is normally the white stuff lifeguards use on their noses; I do not know how they are making it clear! TiO2 is also white in at least one of its forms. (I actually was a mineralogist/crystallographer and I still don't know how they're doing it!) 

 

ZiO2 is also sold as diaper-ointment!

[TwinMamainMN]

I find sunscreen to be so frustrating. So many chemicals, mixed reviews, conflicting information, etc. I bought Alba Botanicals SPF50 for a decent price at Costco recently because it was labelled "reef safe" and we are going to Hawaii. Then I did some reading and not only is it not "reef safe", the term "reef safe" isn't defined. So, we have 2 cans of sunscreen for our kids to use when we are boating this summer, but I am no safer to finding reef safe sunscreen.

[crystalspin]

The active ingredient will be a mineral oxide -- Zinc (Zi) or Titanium (Ti) -O2.

 

Anything with an organic-chemical prefix like Oxy or Methyl-, amino, octo-, and any of the Parabens -- is OUT. They're not all banned (only oxybenzone and octinoxate are banned in Hawaii) but they all have the potential to interact with living creatures. 

 

Another advantage is that ZiO2 and TiO2 do not wear off (they can be sweat off or wiped off of course). Unlike the organic molecules that actually degrade and have to be reapplied every half-hour or hour!

 

I just read that NANO-Particulate zinc and titanium oxides are also harmful -- can't say that I've ever seen these in sunblock -- maybe in cosmetics? And also micro-plastic spheres and beads... again, in sunscreen? I don't know everything of course! 

[TravelinGert]

12 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

What would make a "Kids" sunscreen different from any other?  That was the only reef-safe one I could find, and the price and the SPF were good.  Why would adults not use it?

 

Kids sunscreens are those which are made to sit on top of the skin not soak into it due to their skin being thinner. The best are typically going to be thicker and use minerals rather than chemicals. These sunscreens are also reef safe because the minerals won't harm corals. 

 

Personally I've been using reef safe sunscreen since we visited an ecopark in Mexico that required it. One of our group shared some SPF RX Mineral Sunscreen in SPF 50 and it is the best stuff ever even though I didn't at first think I liked it. It was a bit disconcerting the first time we put it on because it was so thick. It takes a bit of rubbing to apply properly.

 

The reason we like it is we don't burn at all wearing it. Husband is a classic redhead and I am also very pale. Never found any other product no matter the SPF which we didn't have to reapply every hour or so and still ended up a bit pink. We can put this on and be out and about and in and out of the ocean or pool yet never even get the slightest bit pink. 

Edited March 8, 2020 by TravelinGert

[shipgeeks]

Thank you, all.  Yes, the one I bought is all zinc, no oxy/butyl/oct.