Family Suncreams Reviewed

Last summer we went on a camping holiday to France for three weeks, so I was on the hunt for the best family suncreams to take with us!

Here’s what we discovered and my top two that I’ll be buying again and again!

The Family Suncream Contenders

Family Suncreams

These are all trusted big name brands which vary in price (and size) from £4.00 to £14.25

  1. Piz Buin Ultra Light Hydrating Sun Spray, £7.00, SPF 30, 200ml (3.50 per 100ml)
  2. Banana Boat Kids Advance Protection Kids Protective Sun Lotion Tear Free, £12, SPF 50,  354ml (£3.42 per 100ml)
  3. Garnier Ambre Solaire Kids Sensitive Anti-Sand Sun Cream Spray, £7.00, SPF 50, 200ml (£3.50 per 100ml)
  4. Vichy Ideal Soleil Face and Body Sun protection milk, £14.25, SPF 30, 300ml (£4.75 per 100ml)
  5. Hawaiiian Tropic Silk Hydration, £7.50,  SPF 30, 180ml (£4.17 per 100ml)
  6. Nivea Sun Kids Water Resistant Sun Cream, £4.00, SPF 50, 50ml (£8.00 per 100ml)

From Six to Four

So from this six I whittled it down to my top four…

First  struck off the list was the Nivea! What I will say about it is it’s a handy size to pop in your handbag for those unexpected times when you just need some factor 50 on hand, but I think it’s greasy to go on and sticky too. I’m not a fan. And whilst I have like Piz Buin in the past, it seems to be too light in coverage and also a bit greasy once applied so that was my second strike from the six!

Down to the Final Four Family Suncreams

The Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti-Sand Sun Cream, is a light spray and good for quick coverage and great for on the beach. However you do loose a lot of the spray to the air, and I think what it makes up for in speed it lacks in effective application!

Top four family suncreams

I did like the Vichy, it went on well and wasn’t too greasy afterwards it has a great overage which is always reassuring, but didn’t justify the hefty price tag in my opinion.

The Top Two Family Suncreams

So that just leaves my two favourites. It was Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration and Banana Boat Kids all the way for me, who are both made by the same over-arching brand.

Top Two Family suncreams

I’ve always been a fan of Banana Boat since the Big Girls were tiny – it goes on really well with great coverage and then just seems to soak in and disappears, so they never slipped out of my hands whilst I was slathering it on.

The Hawaiian Tropic was so moisturising that I didn’t really want to share it with the Smalls! Ha! It felt like applying a lovely moisturising cream and not tacky or sticky at all like some creams can be.

So there you go! These are the only two suncreams I’ll be buying this year – all be it in bulk as you can never have enough suncream on holiday (and at home at the moment so it would seem!)

On Offer at the Moment

The Banana Boat family pump size is on offer from Amazon at the moment for just £9.15 (£2.58 per 100ml)

And the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration for £7.50 direct from Hawaiian Tropic.

Know your UVA from your UVB

Ruth Watson from Watson Training Services has shared this with me…

Do you know your UVA from UVB☀️☀️keep you children protected this summer.

A) UVB causes the burning, UVA can cause cancer (this was based on what I read but a reader has since sought a correction, see the link https://www.skincancer.org/prevention/uva-and-uvb)

? factor 50 blocks 98% of harmful UVB but factor 30 blocks 97%

C) All good suncream has a UVA star rating from 1-5. The star rating shows you how much UVA it’s blocking relative to how much UVB. So a factor 50 with a two star rating is less effective against the sun’s danger than a factor 20 with 5 stars.

D) Very often its the cheaper own brand creams that have the better star rating. Check out the below examples of Tesco and Ambre Solaire and Soltan. and The Ambre Solaire was £8.00. Tesco £3.00 Aldi are selling there LACURA 5*rating cream for next to nothing and it’s a firm favourite among mums and me!!

Remember it’s not always about buying the best known brand that’s the best option!!

She points out the two suncreams I recomend are three star ratings, not five.

I’m A Mama – not a Suncream Expert

Now seems like a good time to remind everyone I’m obviously not a suncream expert, nor do I profess to be, or a medic or a scientist or in the know about all things parenting! I’m a Mama who uses suncream a lot. These suncreams are easy to to apply, go on well, last a long time (on my Smalls) and work for us. You might need to do your own research too to find out what works for your family.

What’s your Suncream of choice? Have you tried any of these? What would you recommend?

 

 

 

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