Imagine a scenario, if you will, where you’re out with the family at the beach. You’ve organized everything to a tee (or so you thought), and you reach into your travel bag and notice you’ve packed sunblock for kids but not the bottle of adult sunscreen you were supposed to include.
You could a) go home and get it…but that’s too far, b) trudge off away from the beach to find a local drug store to buy some or c)…and this is what most of us would end up thinking…use the kid’s product. That sounds like a good idea, but is it safe?
Is Sunblock for Kids Adequate for Grown-ups?
Kids sunscreen mainly differs from adult products in that it’s generally gentler – meaning it’s less likely to cause any kind of allergic or general reaction. Apart from that, the differences are fairly minimal, so it would seem that sunblock for kids is perfectly ok for adults…with a few caveats.
Caveat #1 – You Follow the Usual Rules – if you want the best from any kind of sunscreen, it needs to be used correctly, and that means reading the instructions. If it’s chemical or mineral, both will have a set way of application that results in proper coverage. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security just because your skin feels ok after 2 hours.
It needs to be reapplied every two hours if you avoid getting burnt – and that’s something that applies no matter what kind of product you’re using.
Caveat #2 – If You Swim, You Reapply – again, just like with adult sunscreen, if you spend even just a minute or two in the sea or pool, you will need to reapply it. Your skin might still smell great – which might lead you to believe that it’s still there, but believe us…most of it won’t be. Read more about phpmotion create blog blog menu my blogs.
So, unless you’re wearing a product that’s ‘water-resistant’ (even then, you’ve only got between 40 to 80 minutes), you’ll need to put some more on when wet – even if that’s because of profuse perspiration.
Are the SPF Ratings the Same For Child/Adult Sunscreens?
Absolutely they are, yes. If you see a kid’s product that offers an SPF rating of 30, that’s what it provides – to both adults and kids. If it didn’t offer that level of protection, it wouldn’t get approved for sale by the FDA. SPF 30 essentially means you can stay out in the sun 30x longer without getting burned (as long as reapplication every 2 hours is maintained).
Don’t Be Unprotected – Use Sunblock for Kids If You Have It
We’d always recommend using products designed for you specifically, but in a pinch, using your kid’s sunblock will be more than enough to keep your skin safe. In truth, it’s actually fine to wear it every time you go out as an adult, as it offers everything the adult product does – plus, it will save you buying more than one bottle for your whole family.
So, there you go. One of the most common queries in the world of kids’ sunscreen answered. You can use as much of your kid’s sunscreen as you need to – just don’t tell them, or they might get jealous!
