Share Your Go-To Sun Blocker for Keeping the Summer Rays at Bay
Introducing the Best Sunscreens for Babies!
Motherhood Loves Community Awards nominees have been carefully chosen by our team. We may earn a commission if you buy something through links on our site.
When it comes to summer vacays, sun-time is fun-time! To make your fun last, it’s essential to protect your little one's delicate skin with a quality sunscreen. If you’re intimidated by the multitude of sunscreen options on the market, never fear! We’ve created a list of tried-and-true solutions for your days in the sun.
Effective protection (broad spectrum SPF), gentle ingredients, ease of application, eco-friendly practices, and value are hallmarks of the best baby sunscreens. The perfect sunscreen keeps your baby safe and happy during all your outdoor adventures!
Our nominees were researched and selected as the top products in their category. We then turned to the experts—the Motherhood Community—to place their votes and determine the best of the best! The votes are in, and the winners are...
Please note: For babies six months and younger, it’s recommended that you consult your pediatrician on sunscreens, particularly if your little one has sensitive skin.
Best Baby Sunscreen of 2024 Winners
Baby Bum Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50
Fans of Sun Bum products will be happy to know the company offers this lotion-style option for babies. The vegan, cruelty-free formula is fueled by natural zinc oxide and is free of dyes, parabens, sulfates, silicone, and phthalates. Coconut oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter soothe your baby’s skin while a pleasant coconut-beachy scent pleases everyone. The formula does go on with a white cast but quickly blends in. Bonus? A spray pump makes dispensing into hands easier and neater.
Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 50
Another endorsee of the National Eczema Association, Neutrogena’s water-resistant baby sunscreen sets up a protective skin barrier with the company’s Purescreen® naturally-sourced zinc oxide technology. Readily available in drugstores, the hypo-allergenic lotion is tear-free and excludes the reef-damaging chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. Outdoor enthusiasts also give it high marks for absorbing quickly with no greasy residue and no white cast.
Pipette Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 50+
For a sunscreen that works for both baby and you, try this skin-care adjacent version that throws plant-derived squalane oil into the mix to mimic our skin’s natural moisturizing properties. This creamy lotion offers powerful protection (SPF 50+) with non-nano zinc oxide, calms heat-induced skin inflammation with bisabolol, and is also cruelty free and reef friendly. You can also add a highly blendable formulation to this list of pros.
Badger Baby Mineral Sunscreen Cream, SPF 40
Famous for their organic body care, Badger Balm delivers for their audience with this low-ingredient, 98%-organic formula for sensitive skin. Additions like chamomile, calendula, sunflower oil, and vitamin E actively soothe your baby’s skin while zinc oxide fends off harmful rays. The reef-friendly formula is highly rated by EWG and boasts both eco-friendly packaging and solar-powered production.
Earth Mama Baby Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 40
Eco-conscious parents will appreciate the plastic-neutral packaging and organic (NSF/ANSI 305 Certified) ingredients in Earth Mama’s plant-boosted formula. While zinc, red raspberry seed oil, and pomegranate seed oil protect your baby from the sun, shea butter and calendula soothe their skin. This sunscreen is rated highly by the EWG, Leaping Bunny Certified, and water resistant for long days at the beach.
Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sunscreen, SPF 50
Known for its soothing skincare, Aveeno presents a baby sunscreen that makes the most of the brand’s star ingredient—colloidal oatmeal. Combined with feverfew juice, it calms sensitive skin while the formula delivers sun protection with naturally-sourced zinc oxide. This sunscreen is also tear-free and avoids irritants like parabens, phthalates, and fragrances. Parents can find this option easily at a local drugstore and will appreciate the more affordable price point.
Babo Botanicals Baby Skin Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50
Rave reviews by users are not the only thing this Babo Botanicals’ baby sunscreen has going for it. It boasts a cruelty-free, vegan formula that combines 24 plant-based ingredients and naturally-sourced zinc oxide to create powerful yet soothing sun protection. One of the first EWG Verified® sunscreens, it is also reef safe and free of harsh chemicals. Thanks to additions like shea butter, it also nourishes your baby’s skin as it protects.
Thinkbaby Clear Zinc Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30T
Formulated specifically for babies, Thinkbaby’s lotion sunscreen offers broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection with all-natural ingredients and soothing additions like aloe vera and vitamin E. This EWG Verified® mineral-based formula is water resistant, reef safe, and biodegradable—the perfect companion on your beach vacation. It also dries down clear, without the dreaded white cast of many mineral sunscreens.
Babyganics Baby Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50
With a lightweight formula that parents love, this tear-free, cruelty-free option is a bestseller for a reason. The lotion is made without ingredients like parabens, phthalates, PABA, fragrance, or nanoparticles and boasts an affordable price tag. The formula does go on white to help you see where you applied the product and will disappear with blending.
Blue Lizard Baby Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 50+
With some of the planet’s highest UV levels, Australians know a thing or two about sunscreens, as evidenced by this Aussie company’s popular offerings. This water- and sweat-resistant mineral sunscreen comes in SPF 50+, ensuring resilient protection for your baby. The formula is fragrance-free for sensitive noses and skin as well as reef-safe for equally sensitive ecosystems. Another feature parents love is the bottle’s cap, which changes color when harmful UV levels are present.
