We understand parents' challenges in finding the best sun protection for children with allergies, and we’re here to help. In this post, we offer advice for managing sensitive and eczema-prone children in the sun and guide you through choosing the best children’s sunscreen for your child’s allergies.
Can kids be allergic to sun cream?
Does your child get a rash from seemingly every sun cream? It’s very common for children to react to sunscreens and as experts in sensitive skin, we find that many parents come to us for this very reason!
It’s unlikely that your child is allergic to every sunscreen, but certain ingredients found in many sunscreens can trigger skin reactions.
At Green People, we are dedicated to helping families in this situation and formulate our Organic Children sun creams very carefully – without these ingredients – so that they are as gentle as possible.
Ingredients in sun cream to avoid for sensitive children
Here we look at 3 ingredients in sunscreen that can sometimes be problematic for children with sensitive skin.
1. Fragrance
The number one case of allergies to products such as sun cream is fragrance[i]. Sun creams often have a distinctive scent that is created by a blend of artificial perfumes, and this can easily irritate children’s delicate skin.
If fragrance is the issue, you will want to try an unscented sun cream for your child.
2. Ethanol alcohol
Children with sensitive skin or eczema might well complain that some sun cream ingredients, such as skin-drying ethanol alcohol, sting and agitate.
We’re happy to report that all of our products - including our children’s sun creams – are alcohol-free.
3. Petrochemicals
Another skin rash young children can develop after sun cream use is prickly heat, an itchy rash that develops during hot weather. Whilst prickly heat is not an allergic reaction, it can have a similar appearance and can be uncomfortable.
Prickly heat is common in babies who cannot regulate their body temperature, but for older children, a common cause of this non-contagious skin rash is using waterproof sunscreens made with pore-clogging petrochemicals.
We do not use any pore-clogging silicones or petrochemicals in our children’s sun creams and they are suitable for children who may be prone to prickly heat.
Did you know? Silicone, petroleum jelly, and paraffin wax are all pore-clogging ingredients commonly used in sunscreens. They act like cling-film preventing the skin from breathing, which can result in heat rash.
In rare cases, sun rashes can be caused by Polymorphic Light Eruption (PLE). This is not an allergy to sunscreen ingredients but to sunlight itself. PLE is best managed by keeping the skin covered in loose, long clothing and staying in the shade when the sun is at its strongest.
Peace-of-mind protection for allergy-prone children
Experts in sensitive skin, we believe that sunscreen should protect, not irritate. That’s why we make all our children's sun creams with a soothing Aloe Vera core and without pore-clogging petrochemicals or skin-drying alcohol.
Our gluten-free sunscreens are not only safe for allergy-prone kids but also effective. They contain natural and organic ingredients to soothe and protect the skin barrier, and high-factor sun filters to shield young skin against UVA and UVB rays.
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What is your best sun cream for kids with allergies?
Looking for a sun cream that calms and protects your child’s sensitive and allergy-prone skin?
For children with ultra-sensitive skin or a fragrance allergy, trust our dermatologically tested Organic Children Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30.
Our gentlest sunscreen for allergy-prone kids, this eczema-friendly sunscreen has a moisturising Cocoa Seed Butter and Aloe Vera core and is dermatologically tested and clinically proven to be kind to sensitive skin.
Fragrance-free, gluten-free and formulated without skin-drying ethanol alcohols, it provides peace-of-mind protection through high-factor sun filters that shield against UVA and 97% of UVB.
Organic Children Scent Free Sun Cream - SPF30 150ml
Discover peace-of-mind protection with our best-selling kids’ SPF30 sun cream
£29.00
If you prefer to use an SPF50 kids' sun cream to protect your child’s allergy-prone skin, try our Organic Children's Sun Cream SPF50. Slightly thicker than our SPF30, this is infused with skin-calming Lavender essential oil which, as well as giving a natural calming scent, also provides an extra layer of defence against UV rays thanks to its antioxidant properties.
Suitable for use on children aged 6 months+, it offers the same UVA protection as our Organic Children SPF30 sunscreen but gives slightly more protection against sunburn by shielding against 98% of UVB rays.
Organic Children Lavender Sun Cream SPF50 100ml
Discover peace-of-mind protection with our SPF50 sun cream for kids.
£29.00
Sunscreen for sensitive skin: success stories
We want everyone to enjoy the summer safely and it makes us so proud when we receive parent’s reviews praising our kids' suncare products for providing peace of mind and protection.
Scroll on to read some of our customer review's sun cream allergy success stories.
GREAT FOR ALLERGIES
This is the only sun cream our son can use. He is allergic to suncream, yet he can use this. Thanks to Green People our son can enjoy the hot weather with his brother and friends. - Melissa M
ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT FOR ALLERGIC SKIN
Absolutely excellent! My young son has had very bad allergic reactions to every sun cream I have ever tried, including ones for eczema, etc. After lots of research, I found the Green People and tried their sun cream, and he has not had a single reaction ever!
I’ve been using it on him for 5 years, and he’s never had a single reaction. I have such peace of mind knowing his skin is protected without all the nasties. I’ve been so impressed I have started using Green People products for myself and the rest of my family. I regularly recommend their products to friends and family. Thank you, Green People! - Michelle E
SIMPLY THE BEST!
Without a doubt the best and safest sunscreen for babies’ and children’s sensitive skin. I bought it for my older son (7 years old) as he was getting an allergic reaction to every sunscreen we had tried, and they all were hypoallergenic. We ended up going to the hospital with a swollen face, and I got sick of the products you can get in stores.
Now we use it also for our younger one (6 months). They both had eczema and very sensitive skin, and this product works well as a sun blocker and keeps the skin well moisturised. I’m also happy this is spf30 as you want your children to get some vit D without getting sunburn. Thank you so much for the cream! - Alex
SUN CREAM INGREDIENTS WE LOVE
- Plant-based humectant, we use Aloe Vera
- Natural moisturisers/emollient, we use Cocoa Seed Butter and Sunflower Oil
- Skin soothing, we use Myrrh essential oil and Chamomile Flower Extract
- Water-repellent, we use natural plant oils and emollients
- Natural UV boosters, we use Edelweiss
- Skin defence antioxidant, we use Vitamin E
- Non-nano UV filters, we use non-nano mineral filters, and ocean-friendly Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone and Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
- Organic essential oils, we use Lavender in our SPF50
SUN CREAM INGREDIENTS WE AVOID
- Mineral oils
- Silicones
- Petroleum jelly
- Paraffin wax
- Ethanol alcohol
- Synthetic emulsifiers
- Oestrogen-mimicking UV filters
- Synthetic colours
- Preservatives
- Parabens
We hope you have found this guide to children’s sun cream allergies helpful. Need more help choosing the best sunscreen for your child?
Our friendly customer care team and available to help and can be contacted on 01403 740350 or via @GreenPeopleUK.
Reviewed by:
This blog post has been reviewed by Charlotte Vøhtz, founder of Green People, who has 25+ years of experience in the natural and organic beauty industry. A recognised leader in the field of organic beauty, Charlotte helped inform the UK's first organic beauty standards and was voted the People’s Choice in the 2023 and 2024 list of Who’s Who in Natural Beauty. A published author, she wrote the organic beauty bible ‘Naturally Gorgeous’. Previously, she qualified as a nurse and spent over 10 years working in pharmaceuticals.
The contents of this blog post should be treated as information only. Please consult a medical professional if you have any health-related concerns or symptoms.
If you wish to republish this content, please credit Green People as the original creator with a link to "How to choose sunscreen for allergy-prone kids”. Please do not use an affiliate link.
[i] https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/perfume-allergies/en/index.htm
