The Best Sunscreens to Keep Your Baby Protected All Summer Long

Splashing at a water table, taking a stroll around the neighborhood or running (crawling) wild and free in the grass—no matter how your baby spends their time in the sun, it's really important to keep their delicate skin shielded from UV rays. But babies’ skin is sensitive to certain sun-blocking chemicals, so pediatricians recommend only using mineral-based sunscreen with high SPF and other baby-friendly features.

Our pick for best overall baby sunscreen, Thinkbaby SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen, offers high-SPF, broad-spectrum protection, is free from fragrances and harsh chemicals and is even reef-friendly. Parents love its non-greasy texture, minimal white cast and 80-minute water resistance, making it a great choice for all-day outdoor adventures even if baby gets in the water.

While lots of parents (and babies) like our top pick, it may not be the perfect sunscreen for every baby—so we have a handful of other options to help you find the one. (And a pro tip: sunscreen is one of a few baby products that are HSA/FSA eligible!) Here are all of our top picks for the best baby-friendly sunscreens, plus how to make sure you're choosing the safest sun protection so you and baby can maximize your fun in the sun.

How We Judged the Best Baby Sunscreens

The Best Overall Baby Sunscreen

Honorable Mention

Most Foolproof Sunscreen

Best Sunscreen for Darker Skin

Best Sunscreen Stick

Do Babies Need Sunscreen?

Yes, but only babies six months and older, and only on skin that isn’t covered by clothing or a hat. The FDA and American Academy of Pediatrics don’t recommend putting sunscreen on babies younger than six months old. For babies six months to one year old, try to use as little sunscreen as possible, says Dr. Adena Rosenblatt, a pediatric dermatologist at UChicago Med. Instead, do your best to keep them out of direct sun and stick to the shade.

If shade isn't available, clothing is a preferred option over slathering sunscreen all over your baby. "I recommend using clothing as the primary method of sun protection," Dr. Rosenblatt says, "with coverage for arms and legs, a hat and sunglasses if you can keep them on." If baby is going to be in the water, there are plenty of baby swimsuits with long sleeves to keep little arms covered. And for all those parts that aren't covered—face, neck, hands—then it's fine to put a little bit of sunscreen on (sunscreen sticks are great for that).

The other reason for full-coverage clothing: "You should reapply sunscreen every two hours when you're outside," says Dr. Rosenblatt. "With active children, it's a lot easier to just have that clothing coverage than to have to continuously worry about reapplying sunscreen."

The above guidance also applies to kiddos older than one year—and you, too!—but once they're around that age, it's okay to apply sunscreen to more of their skin. Since a sunburn can happen in as little as 10 minutes—depending on how fair your skin is and the time of day (UV rays are at their most intense from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)—you’ll want to have a baby-friendly sunscreen handy. And remember, it takes time for sunscreen to do its magic, so be sure to apply it 30 minutes before sun exposure.

Another thing to keep in mind: using proper sun protection on your baby and building that habit now will help them in the long run. "I think the most important part for parents to understand is that the majority of sun damage occurs within the first 18 years of life, so what you do early on to protect their skin from the sun is really going to have lifelong effects down the road," Dr. Rosenblatt says.

Do babies need specific “baby” sunscreen?

By now, you’ve got it down that babies should only use mineral sunscreen—but what about all those mineral sunscreens out there that don’t say “baby” on them? “Parents don’t need to worry about exclusively buying ‘for babies’ specific sunscreen,” says Dr. Christina Johns, a pediatrician and pediatric emergency physician at PM Pediatric Care. “More important than the designation of ‘for babies,’ it’s better to focus on the actual ingredients.” She says that parents should look for products with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and avoid extra fragrances and other potential irritants. 

Dr. Johns adds that “baby sunscreens” don’t necessarily have different ingredients than regular mineral sunscreen; there are plenty of unscented, non-irritating mineral sunscreens out there that are marketed toward adults rather than babies.

When choosing a sunscreen to use on your child, look for these five key components:

• Broad-spectrum coverage. Since UVB rays cause sunburns and UVA rays can prematurely age skin and cause melanoma, choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect from both types of rays.

• Mineral/physical blockers. Chemicals like oxybenzone and octisalate are often used in non-mineral sunscreens and work by sinking into the skin and then absorbing and deferring UV rays. Those chemicals can irritate sensitive skin, so it’s best to go with natural blockers like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which are hypoallergenic. These minerals sit on top of the skin and reflect away both UVA and UVB rays (a.k.a. broad-spectrum coverage). While it's fine to use chemical sunscreens on older kids and adults with healthy skin (i.e. skin that's not sensitive or prone to eczema or rashes), dermatologists recommend only using mineral sunscreens on babies and toddlers.

• Water resistant. Sunscreens labeled "water resistant" will stand up to sweat and water for either 40 or 80 minutes (check the label to see what the specific formula provides). You'll need to reapply sunscreen after this time period.

• At least SPF 30. This is the minimum SPF number that's recommended for babies and toddlers. SPF 50 is the most common in baby sunscreen—anything higher than that only provides marginally more protection.

• Non-aerosol. Sunblocks come in sticks, sprays and lotions, but pediatricians recommend using lotions over any other type. "You have to keep in mind that the lotions and creams are going to have much better coverage than the sticks or the sprays," Dr. Rosenblatt says. Sticks are great for small, targeted areas, especially on baby's face, but they're not practical for full-body coverage and should be used alongside a lotion. Additionally, Dr. Johns adds that “while sunscreen sprays seem easier to apply, it’s difficult to guarantee a uniform application on the skin which could result in sunburn, and if inhaled can be a lung irritant.” 

So while lotions may take more time to apply, they’re worth it to make sure your baby is fully covered. Be sure to rub it in well, and make sure all the exposed parts are covered—don't forget tops of feet, backs of knees, ears and neck too. And apply it about an inch or so underneath the hem shirts and shorts, in case they ride up during play.

A quick note about bug sprays: If you're putting both sunscreen and bug spray/insect repellant on your little one, be sure to apply the sunscreen first and allow it to get mostly dry before applying the insect repellant on top. To make sure baby's skin is protected to the max, check out our recommendations for the best baby-friendly bug sprays.

Sunscreen Glossary

Sunscreen bottles tend to have quite a bit of jargon on them, so let's define some key terms you're likely to see.

Is sunscreen HSA/FSA-eligible?

Yes! If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flexible Savings Account (FSA) through your employer or health insurance, you can use those pre-tax dollars on any sunscreen products, including all the picks here. (And be sure to check out our roundup of even more HSA/FSA-eligible baby products.)