Sun creams - Tried and Tested

yellow hen

It's that time of year again and I'm just buying sun creams for holidays. The usual niveas are all half price but I was just wondering what people have used and found good for kids and for adults.
I've already bought La Roche Posay for the kids but have no adults cream yet.

bp

One of mine is allergic to everything but Aldi so try the cream for a few days before you go. The whole family uses the same cream here, just easier and we are all shocking white anyway so factor 30 all round (read an article recently saying the difference between 30 and 50 is minimal -97% v 98% protection but less vitim D). I think that was the % difference you would have to double check

yellow hen

bp wrote: »

One of mine is allergic to everything but Aldi so try the cream for a few days before you go. The whole family uses the same cream here, just easier and we are all shocking white anyway so factor 30 all round (read an article recently saying the difference between 30 and 50 is minimal -97% v 98% protection but less vitim D). I think that was the % difference you would have to double check

I had read that Aldi was really good alright. More than delighted with the price too to be honest! thanks bp.

NIMAN

Also read that about SPF30 v 50.
The article says that 50 is nonsense as it provides not much more protection than 30, and it can be dangerous as parents assume their kids are much more protected when they aren't.

I am going to buy Parasol, Irish made sun cream this summer, I have read great reviews of it.

Call me Al

I have two skintype 1 children. I only choose between nivea factor 30/50, soltan 30/50 or LRP on them. I choose them because of the high UVA ratings.
Also for my husband and I.

Millem

I always buy the boots one for kids. Dont know the name.......last year it was yellow with a blue top. We go to south of Spain every year in July/august and it does the job!
I think there may be mosquito repellent in it too???? But not 100%

Sunny Dayz

Will be looking for sun creams this weekend too (although with that weather outside I want to grab the winter woollies instead!)
We generally go for the Garnier Ambre Solaire or Nivea. We actually used Aldi ones one year and they were grand. I wouldn't be a fan of the Soltan (Boots own brand) ones, we used it years ago when the child was smaller and we found that it stained badly on his clothes.


I would recommend getting sun creams that you can spray, I find them quick and easy to apply to kids. However do make sure to spray them very generously.
One spray I would not recommend is the Garnier Clear sun spray. We used that on a foreign holiday and it smelt very strong of alcohol, you couldn't see where you had sprayed it and we didn't feel like we were adequately protected from the sun.

Moonbeam

Boots kids suncream is great and Caldesun is excellent.

sillysocks

Boots 'one-a-day application' here. Although I have to say I would usually apply at least twice a day cause the kids are fair. Usually buy factor 50 but must look into 30 vs 50, hadn't heard that before.

Neyite

Are there ones that wont damage car paintwork as well as protect the skin?

mordeith

Neyite wrote: »

Are there ones that wont damage car paintwork as well as protect the skin?

Tell me about it. Car is ruined. Anyone know a method to get it off that actually works?

Mink

The Aldi factor 30 one has been great for my son. He was outside all day during a week in Spain, just in swimming trunks. I put it on him 15 mins before going outside and then just followed the instructions, reapply either every couple hours or if swimming a lot, lot of towel drying, excessive sweating etc.

He came back just with a bit of a glow, no sunburn or tanning etc which was great. The 5 star UVA rating on it is reassuring.

I go for 30 over 50 for the reasons other posters mentioned above.

I'd be too nervous to use the once a day application ones.

Neyite

mordeith wrote: »

Tell me about it. Car is ruined. Anyone know a method to get it off that actually works?

Nope I googled it and apparently there are temporary polishes the garage can do but the only way is to respray a car. It's something to do with the paint now being a water based paint which is more eco-friendly than the previous oil or lead based paints. The downside is paw prints everywhere. And you don't even have to have kids to have your car ruined. My mums car got it from presumably kids touching it when it was parked up.

LaurelH

Hi there! I was having this exact dilemma last week and found this article about best kids sunscreen useful.  
I've also read that spray-on creams are really bad as the particles can be inhaled which can aggravate the respiratory system! Seems everything available in the shops these days is really toxic! :O

NIMAN

This stuff gets rave reviews and is Irish afaik.
http://www.irishbodycare.com/Departments/Parasol-Sun-Care.aspx

I was going to buy it before heading to Spain in July, but it is pricey compared to other ones which seem to be permanently on offer in the likes of Superdrug and Boots.

evolving_doors

Ultra Sun (30 for the face and 50 for the bod).
Bulletproof and only once a day application (even with swimming!). Not greasy either.
Expensive enough so we order off the net in bulk every 2 years.

mordeith

Just as a general rule a recent Which? review showed that even cheaper creams like the Lacura SPF30 in Lidl can score better than more expensive ones. A good middle of the road product was a Which? Best Buy is Nivea Sun Protect and Moisture

LaurelH

We use this one. It's natural and has decent ingredients.
CeraVe Baby SPF 45 Sunscreen
 x
PS - Bit gloopy though!

Weyhey

Wonder has anyone tried UltraSun super sensitive and if so where did they get it?

pwurple

On the cars... P20 dries faster than any other I've tried, so seems to be car-proof pretty quickly!