The grand kids remind my golfer dad to apply his sunscreen
Summertime is around the corner, and a couple of unseasonably warm days here in NYC have reminded me to begin planning now for all the time we’ll be spending outdoors. One of my highest priorities for my fair-skinned family is to build up our sunscreen supply. If I begin to stock up now I can have a tubes in the diaper bag, carriage pockets and bathroom cabinet. This way we have no excuses not to apply sunscreen.
I’m a stickler for finding formulas that use as little chemicals as possible so I’m always on the lookout for good sunscreens. My newest find is by MDSolarSciences, a company founded by dermatologists that sells top quality sunscreen products at doctors offices, independent pharmacies, spas and resorts. They are introducing their new Natural Mineral KidCreme this summer. Made without chemicals, KidCreme is free of PABA, parabens, vitamin A, chemical blockers and fragrance. Their water-resistant formula goes on quickly and was designed to not run into children’s eyes making application easier.
KidCreme is gentle and hypoallergenic which is something I seek for both me and my kids. I find that the heat makes our skin more prone to irritation so applying many sunscreens can end up in rashes. I used KidCreme for the past two hot days and it didn’t irritate my skin at all. I’m a big fan their scent free formulation since the last thing I really want is to smell like a coconut.
The creme provides effective broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection and meets FDA, European COLIPA standards and has the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation Requirements. Basically the two most active ingredients in the safest formulations I’ve found on the market – zinc and titanium dioxide – are present here. When it comes to protecting our skin I’ve learned to live with the chalky white residue left by most natural cremes but the MDSolarSciences KidCreme blended well.
The folks at MDSolarSciences have a great informative website at http://mdsolarsciences.com (see their Education tab to learn all about sunscreen ingredients and reminders on proper application) and also sell direct to consumers. Other products include a quick drying body spray with SPF 40 and Kid sunscreen stick to toss a bag on the go.
The suggested retail price for the Natural Mineral Kids Creme SPF 43 (80g/2.82 oz) is $27.95 and can be purchased at retailers as well as direct from their website.
Here are some of their creative tips for applying sunscreen and keeping your kids happy.
1 PLAY MUSIC – The process of applying sunscreen on children is typically 5 to 6 minutes long. This is the average length of about two songs. An educational study shows that instrumental, easy-listening music has a positive effect on a child’s on-task performance (OTP). If a child perceives something as a responsibility, he or she will be less inclined to perform it. However, accompanying the act of putting on sunscreen while playing background music may help motivate your child to complete this task.
2 USE TOYS – Incorporating toys into a child’s daily routines will bring forth enthusiasm. As a motivational exercise, children can roll or toss an inflatable beach ball to one another. This is convenient because it requires kids to stand, making it simpler for you to apply sunscreen on their skin where necessary.
3 TURN IT INTO A GAME – Word association games are ideal. They are easy to learn, exciting, don’t involve a lot of movement and can even prove educational.
4 TURN IT INTO A PARTY – Network with the parents of your child’s peers, teammates and classmates. If it is routine that a group of children will be spending shared time in the sun, it’s good idea to designate a time to apply sunscreen in a group setting. Sunscreen should be applied 15-30 minutes prior to sun exposure.
5 USE A FRAGRANCE-FREE FORMULA – Most sunscreens emit an unpleasant scent. Children may be sensitive to the scent, and may also be deterred by it. To avoid potential problems that may arise due to this, an unscented sunscreen is ideal for use.
– Jill
* We did not receive monetary compensation for this review. Jill received a sample of the MDSolarScience Natural Mineral KidCreme SPF 43 free of charge to facilitate this review. This will in no way sway our opinion of the product or service. The review is in our own words and is our opinion. Your results and opinions may differ.
