18 best sunscreens for kids to protect their sensitive skin

We’re firm fans of La Roche-Posay’s anthelios sunscreen. Not only has it been formulated to spread easily across the skin in an even layer, but it also offers protection for those who are affected by sun intolerances. It’s a broad-spectrum sun cream, protecting from both UVB+ and UVA rays, and has been developed especially for kids’ sensitive skin. It’s also sweat-, water- and sand-resistant. Basically, this is a belts and braces sunscreen for kids, though, we actually found it’s great for the whole family.

The spray bottle makes it quick to use, dosing out a thin splodge that can then be rubbed in. We found it went on incredibly well, wasn’t greasy and sank in very quickly with no ghostly white faces. The sunscreen was tolerated well by all our children and their sensitive skin. We reapplied many times throughout the day, and a 200ml bottle lasted a good month across three children. It’s incredibly gentle on all skin, and we found it came off cleanly after a good dunk in the bath.

With a five-star rating on UVA and a high SPF rating, this purse-friendly sunscreen offers a great degree of protection.

This sunscreen for kids reminded us of more premium sunscreens when it came to the applicator, consistency and smell. The scent is best described as “suncream”, but it’s subtle and wears off fairly quickly. It’s quite a milky consistency, which fires out of the bottle in a jet for you to then spread around. It rubs in well and it was easy to slick onto wriggling preschoolers. Once on, it wasn’t at all tacky on the skin, and it sank in rapidly. Perhaps because of this, we did find ourselves reapplying it a bit more often – especially after water play.

Our child tester really liked this sunscreen, as it’s small enough to put in their school bag, and they could apply it themselves without mess or leakages, as it comes in a solid stick form. It applied really well, leaving a ghostly white trail wherever the stick had been. It then rubbed in quickly and has no fragrance. It wasn’t at all sticky, and it washed off well. 

It’s SPF 30 and UVB and UVA protection here – you’ll need to be hot on reapplication. This is a mineral sunscreen, so it’s reef-safe, too. It also comes in a FSC-certified biodegradable cardboard tube, so there’s absolutely no plastic in the packaging. 

Asda has knocked it out of the park with this budget-friendly sunscreen. It offers SPF 50+, carries a five-star UVA rating, and is UVB-tested.

Our kid testers liked the spray function, as even little hands can pull the trigger. However, we found it shot out more of a jet than a fine mist, which made for a slightly messy application. It rubs in quickly, though, and smells of that delicious holiday/sunscreen scent.

We liked that this sunscreen includes vitamin E, to help protect skin cells, but our testers reported it is quite sticky while on – skin felt clammy where it had been applied.

We are loyal fans of the adult version of this facial SPF, so we were delighted when we happened upon the kids’ version. The bottle is teeny – about the size of a credit card – so you can slip it into your change bag or small handbag and take it with you on the go. The fluid is milky and lightweight, sinking into the skin quickly and not leaving a trace of tackiness.

This facial formula offers SPF 50+, UVA and UVB protection. It left no hint of white marks and lifted off well in the bath when using soap and warm water. It’s been formulated for children with sensitive skin, and we found it didn’t irritate at all. It’s also formulated to be used right around the eyes without stinging. We found it easy to get on our kids, and they didn’t whinge about wearing it once.

This E45 kids’ sunscreen smells delicious – even though it says no added fragrance. It’s packed with ingredients to nourish and soothe skin prone to eczema, just like the traditional E45 cream we all know and love. The gentle formulation includes avocado oil to soothe and calm skin, and vitamin E as an antioxidant.

The sunscreen applies really easily, splurging out of the spray cap to create a milky liquid that we found sunk into the skin nicely and didn’t leave it feeling sticky. There is a gentle sheen where the sun cream has been applied, but we quite liked that, as we could see where it’s covered. It offers UVB and UVA protection as well as SPF 50+.

If only all sunscreens for kids were as easy to apply as this one. It comes out in a fine, cool mist and is super quick to apply and sink in. It leaves a shimmer on the skin, so you can see where you’ve been, without any white traces. Our kids enjoyed wearing this cream, and we found the protection good. It was used on a very hot day in full sun, and, with applications every two hours, not even a hint of a freckle emerged.

Formulated for sensitive skin, it’s non-tacky, and Garnier claims it’s anti-sand. Well played, Garnier. The only thing is it runs out quickly, so stock up.

This sunscreen is made from 100 per cent natural ingredients, using non-nano mineral UV filters. It’s reef-friendly and cruelty-free to boot.

Eco-credentials aside, however, getting the stuff out of the tube wasn’t easy – it’s thick and took some muscle to get it going. Despite this, we were still impressed with how well it spread across the skin, melting in and leaving no sticky residue. We found it didn’t attract sand, and it felt really rich on the skin – almost like a moisturiser, which is probably thanks to the coconut oil and cocoa butter. There’s also vitamin E in there, which locks in moisture.

The one thing we weren’t crazy about was the “vanilla” scent, which is bland yet definitely there – we didn’t think it needed this. It felt light and easy to wear, and we felt we’d actually done our kids’ skin some good.

We liked that this sunscreen didn’t come with a lid – instead, you twist the spray applicator open and close. This meant we weren’t constantly losing a lid in our bag, and our younger, peskier kids couldn’t spray it at will all around the house.

This broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against UVB, UVA and long UVA, which is what we need to protect our skin from year-round, as it’s ever-present and can cause pigmentation, photoaging and allergies. We found that, although the spray isn’t precise, splurging out uneven dollops, the cream was thin and easily spread across the skin, sinking in immediately.

We appreciated that it was fragrance-free and it doesn’t feel greasy. It is quite hard to spot where you’ve put cream already, so, you have to be extra vigilant with little kids when you’re applying. However, it doesn’t leave any white residue. This hypoallergenic sunscreen is resistant to water, salt, chlorine, sand and sweat. We found that, unless you’re really soaking the skin in warm soapy water, it ain’t going anywhere.

Containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, this qualifies as a mineral sunscreen, which reflects the sunlight. Zinka says these sunscreens are non-nano, so it should be reef-safe, too. The formula is thick and coloured, which not only makes it a lot of fun for kids to wear but is also visible on the skin, so you don’t miss any spots.

However, this is a small tube and you might not want your child completely covered in coloured sunscreen. It’s definitely best used on the nose and across the cheeks, as the name suggests. Obviously, this sunscreen was our kids’ favourite, thanks to it being super fun. It also smells of coconut, which we’re not against.

Boots has smashed it when it comes to easy application. This sunscreen for kids rolls on, like a deodorant, depositing a thin trail of suncream across the skin. You can then rub in the product, which sinks into the skin beautifully.

This is also a lightweight formula – in fact, it’s almost imperceptible once on. This meant it passed the sand test well, as nothing stuck to it. Compared with most other sunscreens for kids we tried, it’s probably the least sticky and thick. It is also lightly fragranced with an inoffensive suncream scent.

The main selling point, though, is it only needs to be applied once every eight hours, or every three hours, if kids are in the water. This gave us great peace of mind and didn’t have us scrambling after the kids every 30 minutes to reapply. Even if you don’t want to leave it eight hours between top-ups, it’s nice to know you have a bit of leeway.

However, this bottle is only 50ml, so it’s not going to last you the whole summer, even on one child. It is perfect for slipping into a change bag, though, so you are never caught out without sun protection.

We’ve got to admit, we were pretty jealous over this sunscreen. In a metal tube with bright yellow branding, it comes out impressively easily and spreads onto skin with ease, too. It leaves behind a dewy finish, which makes all wearers look healthy and vibrant. However, it’s non-sticky and coped well with sand and fly-away hair. It is also vegan-friendly, fragrance-free and water-resistant.

Plus, this broad-spectrum sunscreen has been developed specifically for teens. It’s packed with ingredients such as aloe vera, jojoba and green tea, which are going to be kind to young yet hormonal skin. The active ingredients are non-nano zinc oxide, which is going to leave coral reefs safe while not blocking pores. A gen Z dream.

Child’s Farm prides itself on creating products that are gentle on delicate young skin, and, unsurprisingly, that’s just what it’s done with its sunscreen. Although this cream comes in a relatively small tube, it’s very milky in consistency and a little goes a long way. Because it comes out white, it’s quite easy to see where you’ve applied and how far you’ve got to go, too.

It does take a while to sink in, and it remains quite sticky once on but it performed well at resisting water. However, we found it left yellow stains on white clothes that only sun bleaching could get out (the irony). However, it provides a very high level of broad-spectrum protection and is fragrance-free as well as vegan-friendly.

If your kids are in and out of the pool, and will not dry off long enough to slick on some sunscreen, this is the answer to your prayers. This milky sunscreen for kids can be applied to wet skin, and it still sinks in beautifully. The sunscreen is light and thin, and it sprays on properly in a broad range, rather than squirting out a thin jet. It rubs in beautifully, too. Once in, it’s completely undetectable – it doesn’t smell and it’s non-sticky, making it great for sandy beaches. It’s a broad-spectrum cream that protects against UVB, UVA, visible light and infrared. We also liked that this is an ocean-friendly formula.

By far the thickest sunscreen we tried, this MooGoo mineral sunscreen feels like it isn’t going anywhere once applied. It’s made in Australia, so it has been put through stringent Aussie testing to ensure it offers the best protection. Although MooGoo says it rubs in clear, we could see a subtle sheen on the skin once applied – which we actually found handy, as we could see any missed spots.

This is a zinc oxide formula, with plenty of lovely ingredients, including coconut oil, jojoba, skin-soothing tropolone and a moisturiser. This sunscreen has clearly been made with a firmly no-chemicals ethos, and is designed for both kids and adults to use – a great mineral all-rounder.

French skincare brand Avène has developed this sunscreen specifically for kids with fair and sensitive skin. It is made using Avene’s thermal spring water, which claims to have soothing and anti-irritating properties. Certainly, our kids’ sensitive skin tolerated this sunscreen well.

The broad-spectrum kids’ sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB short and long rays, so you’ve got really good coverage with this high SPF. It also doesn’t use chemical UV filters, is fragrance- and paraben-free, and contains vitamin E. The cream itself is much milkier than other mineral suncreams, and is very easy to rub in, leaving no white marks. It does leave some degree of stickiness on the skin but we were impressed with how lightweight it is for a mineral cream.

Ultrasun has designed this sunscreen for extreme exposure. Perfect for those doing snowsports or watersports or if you’re headed to an equatorial destination. The sunscreen protects against UVA, UVB and infrared A, which can cause long-term damage and inflammation. The formula also contains vitamin E and B5, to nourish skin.

This sunscreen is amazingly lightweight, considering the degree of protection it offers. It spreads on easily and sinks in almost immediately, leaving no stickiness on the skin. Somehow, it’s both hardcore yet gentle – exactly what you want from a sunscreen for kids, right?

This sunscreen for kids has been formulated with eczema-prone skin in mind. It’s super hydrating, with cocoa and shea butters to nourish and moisturise skin, and it also has green tea, aloe vera and myrrh oil, to help protect and soothe delicate skin. We liked the gentle almond scent – it’s probably our favourite scent of the sunscreens included in this round-up (although, it claims to be fragrance-free).

The ingredients are 73 per cent organic and 100 per cent vegan-friendly, and the protection offered from the sun’s rays is both against UVA and UVB, so it counts as a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Although we didn’t experience any prickly heat symptoms during testing, this cream is meant to help with that, too.

We liked that it was incredibly easy to apply. Although it comes out thickly, and it takes a moment to sink in, it does absorb nicely. It left skin feeling soft and moisturised but not tacky – a real win.