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Where skin health meets environmental responsibility. Founded by dermatology PA Hannah Rodriguez
I rated 6 popular kids’ sunscreens, worst to best:
❌Coppertone Kids Lotion SPF 70 — 2/10. Has oxybenzone, a chemical filter shown to be absorbed into the bloodstream above the FDA’s safety threshold.
❌Banana Boat Kids Sport Sunscreen Spray Lotion SPF 50 — 4/10. Chemical sunscreen, no oxybenzone, but contains a PEG.
✅Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Kids SPF 50+ — 7/10. Mineral, but has a PEG.
✅Aveeno Kids Continuous Protection SPF 50 — 7/10. Same as Neutrogena.
✅✅Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc SPF 30 — 9/10. Mineral, no PEGs, but lower SPF than the rest.
✅✅Blue Lizard Kids Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 — 10/10. Mineral, no PEGs.
What’s a PEG? Short for polyethylene glycol — an ingredient used to help formulas blend smoothly. Not proven harmful at the levels used in cosmetics, but manufacturing can leave behind trace contamination with 1,4-dioxane, a possible carcinogen. ⚠️A “why not avoid it if you can” flag, not a red alert.
Also, formulas change. Always check the bottle you’re actually buying, it might be different than what I checked today. ❤️
If your kid’s lotion smells good, flip it over. 🤨
Fragrance is the #1 allergen in kids’ skincare. More than half of products made for children have a fragrance allergen in them — even ones that say “hypoallergenic” “unscented” or “dermatologist-tested.”
🚫Those words ARE NOT regulated.
“Natural” doesn’t mean safe either. Essential oils like lavender and citrus can cause reactions too, and they show up a lot in “clean” or “natural” marketed products.
A reaction to fragrance usually looks like red, flaky, itchy skin right where the product was used. It can look just like eczema — and if your child already has eczema, fragrance can make it worse.
As a dermPA, my rule is simple: always check the ingredient list, not the front of the bottle.
Look for the words fragrance, parfum, or any essential oil. If it’s there, it might be time to switch.
Flip your child’s lotion over right now — what does it say? 👇I want to know what products surprised you and have fragrance!
parentingtips pediatric dermatology expert
It’s World Skin Health Day — and as a dermPA, these are the five things I want every parent to know!
Save this and share it with a parent in your life.❤️
07/08/2026
5 things I would never put on my kid’s skin — and why…
🧴Oxybenzone sunscreen — this ingredient gets absorbed into the bloodstream way more than the FDA thinks is safe. There are better options!
💨Fragrance, especially in wipes — this is the #1 cause of skin reactions in kids. A common preservative in wipes was even named Allergen of the Year back in 2013.
🧪Sodium lauryl sulfate — found in a lot of bubble baths and body washes. It strips the skin’s protective barrier and can make eczema worse.
🦟DEET over 30% — the AAP says kids should stick to 30% DEET or less. Going higher doesn’t protect longer, it just raises the risk of skin irritation. I recommend picaridin instead.
🌸Essential oils — marketed as “natural,” but lavender and tea tree are two of the most common causes of skin allergies in kids’ products.
Still seeing white residue after washing off your kid’s mineral sunscreen? That’s a soap problem—not a scrubbing problem.
Zinc oxide sits on top of the skin like tiny particles — it needs a wash that can actually grab onto it and lift it off, not just water.
Three that work:
💦CeraVe Baby Wash — fragrance-free, made with pediatric dermatologists, breaks down zinc without irritating skin.
💦Honest Advanced Therapy Body Wash — made for eczema-prone skin, does the same job.
💦Vanicream Gentle Wash for Baby — only 12 ingredients, approved by the National Eczema Association.
Most kids with eczema do improve — but whether your child is in that group depends on a few factors, some of which you can’t control.
Early onset, a strong family history, and comorbid asthma or allergies are all associated with a harder course. Those aren’t things you can change.
➡️What you can change: how you manage it now. Early, consistent skin barrier protection — daily emollient, avoiding triggers, treating flares promptly — has real evidence behind it for influencing how eczema progresses.
✨The goal isn’t just to get through the next flare. It’s to protect the barrier consistently enough that flares become less frequent and less severe over time.
If your child has eczema, don’t wait for them to grow out of it. Build the routine now.❤️
06/30/2026
Parents are always asking about the safest sunscreen for their kids—And typically I’m recommending Mineral Sunscreens.
Now you’re asking about bemotrizinol — the new sunscreen filter just approved in the US.
Here’s what the safety data actually shows… and my verdict? I’m not worried about it. ❤️
Those tiny red bumps aren’t an allergy — they’re heat rash, and the fix is simpler than you think!
Here’s what’s actually happening under the skin and exactly what to do about it… still have questions? 👇
Dry skin and eczema look almost the same — but they’re not, and treating them the same way won’t work!
Here’s how to tell the difference and what to actually do about each one.❤️
Pool rash in kids? — what it is, why it happens, and how to prevent it before your next swim day. 🏊♀️
Chlorine gets all the blame, but pool water contains a mix of chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin — especially in kids with eczema.
Just remember a little prep goes a long way to prevent it, but topical steroids are sometimes necessary in very irritated rashes.
❤️Save this so you remember what to do in the future!
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