Taking Care of Your Kids in the Sun

Summer is here and that means a lot of time spent outdoors and in the sun, so it’s important to remember to stay safe out there,  especially for the kids. This means wearing a hat, finding shade and wearing sunscreen. You hear a lot about sunscreen and it can sometimes be confusing to know what is the right thing to do. So today I have a guest post about keeping the kids protected with sunscreen.

Kids on the beach

Guest Post: Tazeem Jamal – Clinical Esthetician and Skincare Coach

Welcome to the BLOCK Party! Fun in the Sun with your kids! No Silly! Not the kind of party with your neighbors….I mean the SPF kind of Block party

Let’s go back to the real basics of SPF. Please do NOT be fooled by the number on the bottle, it truly is very misleading! Sadly, I believe that the sun care industry is “pulling the visor over your eyes ” so to speak with SCARE tactics in the way they market their products. I hope I can open your eyes to some of these very misunderstood ideas, and eliminate that false sense of protection.

As parents we need clear facts about products we choose to use on our families! According to more Dermatologists and skincare professionals like myself, there really is nothing higher than a good mineral based SPF 50 (in my opinion, it would be an SPF 40) Read these numbers below and you will see why I say this. These stats come from the American Dermatology Association.

SPF 15 gives you 93% protection

SPF 30 gives you a 97% protection

SPF 50 gives you a 98% protection

As you can see there is almost no difference at all, even though you would assume by looking at the SPF numbers, that it would better protect your skin. You are better off using a Broad Spectrum (UVA & UVB protection) product and applying more often.

UVA rays are always present, rain or shine 365. You cannot always feel them, but they age the skin over time with continued exposure. UVB rays are out when the sun is shining, they cause burning.

Regardless of the color of your skin or where you were born, you NEED  to wear SPF EVERYDAY, it’s just not negotiable! Unlike other cosmetics, sun care is critical to skin health. Let’s teach our children that good SPF is just a part of daily like eating, not something to indulge in when the sun shi
nes !

sunscreen_bottles
Photo Courtesy: RepeatPossesions.com

Your sunscreen checklist:

1. Check expiry date, smell & texture of your sunscreen. If in doubt, toss it.

2. Do not leave your SPF in the heat, especially your car, as it breaks down the ingredients & then can cause more damage than good.

3. Whenever possible opt for ALL mineral based products, look for Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. Avoid ingredients that end  in –ate, -one, -ene. These chemicals play havoc not only with our skins, but have been known to mess with our immune systems.

4. Apply product at least 20-30 minutes BEFORE exposure to the sun.

5. Avoid spray-on sunscreen. Yes they are more convenient, but are not effective and are unhealthy for you due to the fact that you lose so much in the air and the particles that you inevitably inhale are unhealthy .

6. Also avoid SPF & Bug repellants combined, they have been proven to not work.

7. My SPF GOLDEN rule 1:2:30:30
*Apply 1oz of sunscreen per body application, only wait 2 hours in between applying, apply sunscreen 30 minutes BEFORE sun exposure and a minimum of SPF30.

Tazeem headshot crave Tazeem Jamal, PMDT, LE, is a Clinical Esthetician & Skincare Coach. Her mission is to change the world one face at a time & she believes that you can have “glow-rious” skin without the use of injectables or surgery. 
On a personal level, Tazeem married her childhood sweetheart & they have 2 beautiful teenage girls. Family & volunteering have been woven into the fabric of her life. Other than beauty & fashion, Tazeem loves writing, traveling, Feng Shui, dark chocolate, meeting new people, shoes & Betty Boop. You can  find Tazeem at  Skindulgence Spa, on FB and Twitter.

18 thoughts on “Taking Care of Your Kids in the Sun

  1. Thank you so much. This was exactly the kind of article i was looking for. SPF Numbers i could never comprehend. Recently purchased SPF 50 – found it too oily. Where SPF 30 was bearable.

    Thanks for this post…

  2. Wow!! So interesting. I have left sunscreen in the car without thinking. Can I ask a couple of follow up questions?
    1. What brands do you recommend?
    2. Do you recommend sunscreen wipes? I’ve heard how easy they are to apply on toddlers.

    1. Hi Anon, thank you for reading my blog! Sunscreen wipes are another bit of a marketing gimmick. I would say not enough coverage or effectiveness.
      In regards to brands, drug store and Dept store brands are forever evolving so rapidly that it’s hard to keep up, even as a professional! I would say be sure to follow the guidelines I have given, choose ALL mineral. At my clinic in Coquitlam, I carry a Spa brand, GM Collin , if you would like more info! please feel free to connect on FB, I would be happy to offer specific recommendations 🙂
      Tazeem

  3. Thanx for the reminder, it’s so important to keep the kids protected from the sun as well as us adults, having sun burn is no fun x

  4. Excellent tutorial! We keep our sunscreen on the back porch, and I encourage my kiddos to put it on first thing, when they go out in the morning.

    1. So glad you are teaching them young!! Just remember to give the skin 20-30 mins prior to full sun exposure!
      Thank you for taking the time to read the post Amy !
      Tazeem 🙂

  5. After reading that I feel a bit better that we have just come back from a week in the sun just about as pale as we went away 🙂 I can’t stand that feeling of being burned and knowing I am damaging my skin for what is a temporary shot of color so we always look for shade and wear SPF30 as well. We love the relaxation and warmth of the sun lying under a tree – but the idea of skin cancer not so much.

    1. Good for you Ana, prevention is so much better than cure ! That temporary shot of color can be created with bronzer, one of my favorite Summer must haves!
      thanks for taking the time to read the post!
      Cheers

    1. Yes there sure is…almost a little overwhelming. day to day SPF 20 maybe okay, depending on the ingredients, but opt for a 30 SPF when you are in “beach” mode
      Happy Sunning 🙂

  6. Really interesting that there is so little difference between the SPF levels – totally didn’t know! I just got sunscreen for the kids and was a bit worried cause I could only find SPF 50 (I wanted 60+). Good to know they are fine and protected! I’d like to know about recommended brands as well if you have any:)

    1. Hi Renata, so glad you took the time to read the post. In my clinic I carry a Spa line GM Collin, all natural MINERAL SPF, ranging from 15- 30, for daily use, full sun exposure and my new favorite an awesome BB cream! that is an SPF 25, tinted to blend with your skins natural coloring..so no foundation required, it is also antiaging and hydrating ! Pretty darn perfect, it’s all I wear all year round ! Please feel free to like and connect on FB and I would be happy to offer specific recommendations based on your lifestyle needs.
      thanks again!
      Tazeem 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.