11 Best Sunscreens for Kids and Babies 2022

The Good Housekeeping Institute regularly tests and evaluates products’ effectiveness, including over-the-counter body and face sunscreen formulas available on the market. Many of the selections in this guide were solidified using screening criteria generated by GH Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D., as well as chemists Sabina Wizemann and Danusia Wnek. Editors and analysts ensured each product featured in this guide followed established criteria for ingredients used and verified marketing claims.

A few of our best sunscreens for kids and babies were also named winners in other guides, including our Parenting Awards. Other picks were selected from a pool of best-selling products with verified reviews that also met predetermined criteria set forth by our beauty experts, including input from independent dermatologists.

It may depend on their age and skin condition, but a minimum SPF recommendation for children of SPF 30+ has been made by experts at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Regardless of skin tone, babies younger than 6 months old should be kept out of the sun as much as possible. Sunscreen is meant to be just one aspect of defense when it comes to maintaining healthy skin; babies especially should be covered in lightweight clothes that fully cover arms and legs, armed with a brimmed hat if possible.

It’s true that dark skin has more melanin naturally (and may benefit from a specialized sunscreen), often resulting in a tan rather than a sunburn. But sunscreen remains a crucial defense for all young children and babies playing in the sun for extended periods of time.

✔️ Opt for mineral sunscreens, advises Dendy Engelman, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. Most experts agree that mineral actives are better for sensitive skin types in general. Plus, the FDA announced last year that only two ingredients — zinc oxide and titanium dioxide — are considered safe and effective for sunscreen use. It’s also important to note that there are still 12 sunscreen ingredients that require more data before the FDA can call them safe and effective.

✔️ Choose lotions over sprays. When choosing the type of formulation, since applying spray sunscreen is difficult enough on adults, you’re better off with lotion and stick formulas for kids and babies. Plus, “spray sunscreens don’t tend to protect as well as lotions,” Dr. Engelman says.

The general rule of thumb for babies younger than 6 months is to try to avoid the sun as much as possible and to consult a doctor before using sunscreen on them. For kids, you’ll want to have it on their skin at least 20 minutes before going outside. “Apply a lot more than you think,” advises Dr. Engelman. As in, use a golf-ball-size amount for their body and enough to fill a shot glass for the face (just over 1oz). Reapplying often and after swimming or sweating: “If you’re applying the correct amount every two hours, then a 6-ounce bottle may only last the first couple days of your beach vacation,” adds Dr. Engelman.

In his role as Health Editor, Zee Krstic works hand in hand with analysts in the Good Housekeeping Institute to highlight consumer-facing input from leading health experts; he interweaves doctors’ and healthcare providers’ expertise into shopping guides to better educate readers. He also independently reviews new products in the wellness space for Good Housekeeping, which he has done previously for Martha Stewart Living and Cooking Light.

For this story, Zee worked closely with Birnur Aral, Ph.D. In addition to her 15 years of leading clinical and consumer testing in the GH Institute Beauty Lab, she has R&D experience through her seven-year stint at Unilever U.S. She has contributed and overseen content in countless beauty categories ranging from anti-aging products to sunscreen safety. She also has written explainers that tease out the science behind beauty products and debunk misconceptions. In addition to earning M.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering, she recently added a professional certificate in sustainability management from Columbia University to her credentials.

Zee also interviewed Dendy Engleman, M.D., who maintains a private practice in New York City, having completed her dermatology residency at the Medical University of South Carolina after earning her degree. Dr. Engleman was recently appointed Director of Dermatologic Surgery at New York Medical College and is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.