How often to apply physical sunscreen?

[KrisM]

In past years, we've mostly used the chemical sunscreens, like Coppertone. I was fine with reapplying at about 1-1.5 hours.

This year, I've switched and am using Blue Lizard. I reapplied at about an hour and all the kids are pink now. How often should I put it on them? Will every 30 minutes be enough? Or, is there a more effective sunscreen than that brand.

I'm really bummed that they are pink. It was a cloudy day, too.

[firsttimemama]

wow, this scares me! I'll be watching this thread for info..

I use CA baby for DS.. I would have thought applying within 2 hours was enough but I haven't even read the bottle.. bad mommy..

[MommyAllison]

That surprises me - we used CA Baby last summer and this spring and didn't get any burns, even after several hours in the sun and no reapplication. I had read that most people skimp on how much sunscreen to apply, so I put on a thick layer...do you think maybe it was too thin of a layer? We have some Blue Lizard on the way, so in a week or two I should be able to report our results.

[supercalifragilous]

We used Blue Lizard last summer when we went to Disneyland. Only applied once in the morning and DD is super pale, normally. She was fine. I wonder if you put too thin a layer? That stuff is pretty thick so I remember taking a long time to rub it in.

[wellyes]

Yes, blue lizard works great but you have to really paste it on.

[trales]

We recently returned from Florida, where we took our pasty NE skin out in the hot Florida sun for a week. I took Cali Baby, Badger and Blue Lizard. I gave up on the CB and Badger, we got fried within an hour the first day. I applied it so thick we were glowing white. The Blue Lizard did okay, but needed app, every time we left the water and every hour in the sun.

Interestenly, I bought Coppertone Water Babies after we turned pink, that stuff is amazing, and it seems to have the same ingreds, just different percentages than Blue Lizard, so I have having trouble grasping why it is so bad. But I am going to use it all summer, b/c it actually worked.

[KrisM]

I had a bottle that is now half gone. Two kids were out about 4 hours total and 1 baby out maybe 1 hour. I felt like I put a thick layer on, but maybe not. I'll try even more next time.

[KrisM]

We recently returned from Florida, where we took our pasty NE skin out in the hot Florida sun for a week. I took Cali Baby, Badger and Blue Lizard. I gave up on the CB and Badger, we got fried within an hour the first day. I applied it so thick we were glowing white. The Blue Lizard did okay, but needed app, every time we left the water and every hour in the sun.

Interestenly, I bought Coppertone Water Babies after we turned pink, that stuff is amazing, and it seems to have the same ingreds, just different percentages than Blue Lizard, so I have having trouble grasping why it is so bad. But I am going to use it all summer, b/c it actually worked.

Blue Lizard has: Titanium Dioxide (5%) (Sunscreen), Zinc Oxide (10%) (Sunscreen).

Water Babies has: Avobenzone (3%) (Sunscreen), Homosalate (13%) (Sunscreen), Octisalate (5%) (Sunscreen), Octocrylene (7%) (Sunscreen), Oxybenzone (4%) (Sunscreen).

I believe it's teh Oxybenzone that should be avoided.

[hillview]

At Disney (80s and full sun). I applied 2 times in the am (every 2 hrs or so) and 2x in the afternoon. No pink.
/hillary

[bubbaray]

We stopped using Blue Lizard for this very reason. BOTH my girls burned when using it even if I reapplied it frequently.

We are currently using Banana Boat Kids spray. It is working well and so far, no rashes or reactions from it. I'm not a fan of sprays (so messy!), but it works.

[brittone2]

Interestenly, I bought Coppertone Water Babies after we turned pink, that stuff is amazing, and it seems to have the same ingreds, just different percentages than Blue Lizard, so I have having trouble grasping why it is so bad. But I am going to use it all summer, b/c it actually worked.

A blip on oxybenzone (bio accumulates, possible endocrine disruptor, and under certain conditions may create free radical damage to the skin...no great studies overall yet though)
http://www.ewg.org/node/26217

We are in sunny NC and my kids do fine with physical blocks like UV Naturals or CA Baby. No personal experience w/ Blue Lizard in comparison though.

We also use rash guards at the beach.