Casey McPike's 7 Reasons Why Made4Baby Sunscreen
I’ve made some questionable sun safety choices in my time – as my freckles from the summer of ’99 can confirm – but when it comes to my kids’ skin I run a tight ship.
But trying to find a sunscreen that works without piling nasty chemicals on precious skin was like solving a complex mathematical equation: half the width of the bottle, divided by the number of times the toddler got out of bed last winter, multiplied by the total amount of weight gained and lost during pregnancy, plus the square root of all the cracker crumbs in the car. Not one sunscreen ever nailed it for me.
But then, Made4Baby announced they now make a sunscreen, and I tripped over my two little sun-lovers in my haste to get my hands on some. I’ve been a Made4Baby fan for years, and have always loved the philosophy and openness behind their products. Everything from their botty cream to their bubbles to their detangling spray has done what it promises every time, and the new sunscreen is no exception.
Because my life now runs on lists, here are my top 7 reasons why Made4Baby Sunscreen delivers the SPF goodies.
- It works
If I’m going to slather my kids in something before sending their soft little bodies out into the sun, I need proof it’s going to work. And none of this, “my cousin’s neighbour’s friend says this one is really good”, I want Actual Science. Made4Baby sunscreen has been tested and approved by the super strict Australian standards. It’s rated at SPF 50+, and good for two hours of swimming fun.
- It’s natural
“Natural” is a word often bandied about – usually without any back up at all – but here we’ve got a sunscreen that’s effective without being full of chemical nasties. Sure, I struggle to pronounce some of the ingredients, but they are genuine, certified natural ingredients (they’ve got me again with the Actual Science).
- I love a tube
There’s something very honest about a squeezy tube of sunscreen. I’ve been seduced in the past by roll ons, sprays and pumps, but gave up on them because they don’t give adequate coverage, and there seemed to be so much waste. Side note: our floorboards always ended up more covered than our kids when we used the sprays.
- It’s for the whole family.
As much as I’m sure my husband will miss me hissing things at him like, “don’t use that sunscreen! That’s for the kids and I sold a kidney to buy it!” we’re very happy to have one product that does the whole family. No more his, hers, and theirs. Think of all the space in your bag that can now be filled with ‘treasures’ the kids find on sunny walks. Bonus: it’s fragrance free, so no more smelling like pina coladas.
- It doesn’t have to been seen to screen
The residual white or blue hue that often follows the application of thick-ish sunscreen is blissfully absent with this one. You see it as it goes on, but then it absorbs, leaving you with your regular skin colour.
- It’s made in New Zealand
What’s not to love about supporting a New Zealand business? I’ll smile smugly to myself as I buy this sunscreen, piously imagining my reduced carbon footprint.
- It looks great
My three year old would have put this at number one, but she’s not the boss of me, so I’m putting it here. Just kidding, of course she’s the boss of me, but she can’t read yet. There’s a sun wearing sunglasses, accompanying the usual wonderfully gender-neutral Made4Baby stripes. Nice.
A handmade sticker chart full of gold stars is on its way from me to the Made4Baby team for coming through on this one!