Look, feel, and scent: The pasty white lotion is quite a chore to rub into the skin, especially when dealing with a wiggling target: As a result, we sent our little one off sporting several white splotches. On the upside, the lotion’s mild citrusy scent left him smelling like a creamsicle.
Effectiveness: High marks here: No sign of a burn after an hour of full-sun frolicking. We also tested on a pool day, and again it rose to the occasion.
Ingredients: Zinc oxide–a mineral purists praise because it protects skin and hasn’t been shown to absorb into the blood–comprises nearly a quarter of the formula; the remaining ingredients are all free from PABA, parabens, phthalates, BPA, and the like.
Thinkbaby’s shtick is that they’ve created the safest of all baby sunscreens. On its website, the company brazenly throws the competition under the bus, dubbing itself “a safer alternative for protecting your baby from … biologically harmful chemicals found in many ‘natural’ baby sunscreens on the market.”
Price: $22.99 for six ounces