Toddler vs Suncream...we have a winner!

Everything feels so much better when the sun is shining, doesn’t it? Especially after months of hibernating and persistently longing for those summer highs when the sunshine finally makes an appearance the first thing I want to do is bask in its glory. Last weekend feels like the hottest we’ve had this year and I expect suncream lids were equally popping off all over the country. Although I’d love nothing more than to sit and soak up every little moment of it, I am blessed with a lively 3 year old and know that I have to set a good example about being sun safe and will do anything to keep her delicate skin protected. Covering up and providing shade is always going to be the best solution but when you have a child that is mobile, doesn’t like to wear what you’ve put on them or if you just want that extra peace of mind for those exposed areas, then suncream is a hugely important line of defence against the dreaded sunburn. Even as adults, the lobster look is never a good one and in this day and age, we know that now more than ever that we should be taking sun protection seriously, unquestionably when it comes to babies and children. As a mum I have never been more conscious of finding the safest and most effective products to protect both myself and my family, so for those entering their first Summer with new little people I thought it might be worth sharing something I find utterly invaluable.

Over the years I’ve tried a variety of sunscreens including different factors, formulas and brands that range from the cheapest ‘own brand’ end of the spectrum, to my beloved Hawaiian Tropic (which saw me through much of my 20’s), to the overpriced or more expensive options which often left me underwhelmed for the cost…and also very pink!

Of all of the products I’ve used, for me there is a clear winner and that is UltraSun. Their formulas glide on like a dream and sink in quickly without any greasiness (Yay! Although the sports one admittedly is a bit weird). It has award winning protection with my favourite being an ‘Extreme’ 50+ formula, they are also great for sensitive skin but here’s the BEST bit (especially if you are in possession of a small

and often unreasonable human) ….it’s a once a day application! Yes, you heard me correctly, just ONCE. Yippee!! No more having to wrestle your child multiple times a day to get them safely covered and if you have ever experienced your child screaming like a banshee at the mere pop of the cap (which somehow becomes a siren to signal their imminent slathering), then I know you will appreciate this too! As will any sun worshiper that begrudgingly takes time out of valuable loafing time to reapply regularly, parent or not. Now if you’re feeling a little skeptical about this, I felt exactly the same to begin with too. Especially after trying a similar product called P-20 many years back which was just awful (it stained all my clothes and I still ended up red raw) but I can honestly say that for us UltraSun delivers what it promises. It contains no controversial ingredients, it’s hypoallergenic without emulsifiers or perfume making them ideal for babies and most recently won an eco award for being reef and ocean safe (and the ONLY sun care brand to have successfully achieved it) just to add to the list of reasons why it is wonderful (there are many). It has been my suncream of choice for many years now as when used as directed I have never burnt, not once. I trusted it so much that I have been using it on our little Bumble Bee since her first summer on Earth and it has never let either of us down. If anything I’m always so impressed by how effective it is and unless we’ve been in and out of water then it has predominantly been based on the single application alone. The trade off is that you must make sure you apply it 15-30 minutes BEFORE going out in the sun. Admittedly this requires some forward thinking but the easiest way to do it is to make a habit of putting it on all over before you get dressed (remember, no lasting greasiness so your clothes will be safe!) and although I know that developing new habits can be tricky to stick to initially (that’s a whole post for another day) once you get the hang of it, very quickly you will become a sun protected pro! We incorporate it into our morning routine to make sure that we are covered head to toe and nothing gets accidentally missed....no more sore strap lines! The peace of mind I have knowing that no matter what we get up to, worrying about constantly reapplying suncream is not a concern. Even if you feel the need to top up a bit on those more extreme days then you most certainly can, even doing it twice a day it is still miles better than the alternative and great knowing that you can happily go about your day not worrying about keeping track of time or whether you even did the last top up, etc as UltraSun has reliably got you covered.

There’s no denying that these are on the pricier side (around £16 upwards for a full size item) but remember when making a cost comparison that you don’t need to use bottles and bottles like with other brands because instead of having reapply ever few hours you’re generally only making the one full application per day, so a little goes a long way. What’s also brilliant is that unlike most open creams, this one can be safely used for 2 years so no added costs of discarding and replacing your products annually. Moreover, the cost of preventing harmful sun damage is something I am willing to make financial sacrifices in other areas of my life for if needed as for me, investing in protecting my family’s skin long term is worth every penny.

The cheapest place I have historically found them is in store at TK Maxx, although this is not a consistent supply and it can be very hit and miss as to which factor they have available but worth keeping an eye out if you happen to be popping in anyway. Alternatively, you can pick them up from most retailers that stock sun care products and are widely available online with some discounts to be found, so do shop around. I find that www.QVCUK.com regularly offer a Today’s Special Value kit that is usually well discounted and handy to have a range of different products and sizes which I expect will make an appearance soon (watch this space!) but right now, www.FeelUnique.com currently have some sizeable discounts on some of their UltraSun products so may be a good time to grab some if you can.

If you have any other tried and tested highly rated alternatives, or top tips for keeping kids cool in the summer I’d love to hear them so let me know in the comments. Whatever you choose to do, keep yourself and your loved ones safe and enjoy the sunshine!