Those of us in the northern part of the country are rejoicing that the sun is shining on us again.  It’s a good idea to let your baby get some direct sunlight on his or her skin for up to 5 minutes everyday so he can make (very important) vitamin D.  After that, cover him up with light clothing and a sun hat for the best protection against sunburn.  If you must use sun block, it is imperative that you use a chemical free brand.  Research has shown that the nasty chemicals in most all conventional sunscreens turn into cancer causing substances when the sun is baking them into the skin.  Seems counterproductive, no?

Avoid these ingredients: Oxybenzone, DMDM Hydantoin, Triethanolamine, dioxanes, parabens, PEGs, propelene glycol, synthetic fragrances  and petroleum based ingredients.  Instead choose a brand with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, which act as physical barriers to the sun because they don’t penetrate the skin.  Also check the labels for organic skin protecting ingredients.  Look for these brands:

Badger Balm All Natural Sunscreen for Face and Body

Weleda Children’s Sunscreen

Burts Bees Chemical Free Sunscreen

Erbaviva Natural Children’s Sunscreen

California Baby Everyday/Year-Round Sunscreen

Please leave a comment with your sunscreen experiences or other recommendations.