Stick with mineral sunscreen for babies, wait until six months for the regular stuff.

Yes, mineral sunscreen is the clear winner for babies and toddlers, and no, you shouldn’t switch to chemical sunscreen until at least six months old.

Babies have thinner, more absorbent skin. Mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) sit on top of the skin and reflect UV rays rather than being absorbed. Chemical sunscreens get absorbed into the bloodstream, and nobody really knows what that does to a tiny liver. The FDA basically says “we don’t have enough data for kids under six months” — so I’d listen to that.

For toddlers over six months, chemical sunscreen is probably fine, but mineral is still the safer bet. The real trick is finding one your kid won’t fight. I like the stick formulas for faces because they don’t get all over your hands, and the lotion ones with a high zinc percentage. Any name brand with SPF 30+ works. Avoid spray sunscreens for kids — they’re mostly aerosolized perfume that never gets applied evenly.

Reapply every two hours. More often if they’re in water. That’s more important than the brand.

Your baby’s skin is not a chemistry experiment. Keep it simple with mineral, and future you won’t be Googling “rash after sunscreen.”