We Tested These Sunscreens for Kids on My Son’s Melanated Skin to Find Out Which Ones Actually Worked

With UVA and UVB protection, this sunscreen stick is perfect for your little one ... and you. The convenient stick applicator can fit in your diaper bag or purse, and it's easy enough for your toddler to apply all on their own. The zinc oxide works in unison with the added coconut oil and cocoa butter to create a skin-soothing, buttery soft texture.

Since this sunscreen comes in a stick form, the texture is a bit more on the thick and pasty side, requiring a splash of elbow-grease to work it into the skin. Nonetheless, the application was easy enough for Miles to do it without leaving a glob trail behind. Miles said that the application “felt like a spa.” There was a white cast left behind, which I expected, since the main active ingredient is zinc oxide.

My son's dry skin was moisturized and protected by the thick sunscreen, which I appreciated. His skin wasn't singed by the sun's rays by the end of the day.

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Getting your big kids to actually apply sunscreen will be a whole lot easier with this blueberry-scented formula. Designed to appease your kid’s love of bright colors and your need for a high-performance sunscreen, this is a perfect middle ground. The cool blue jelly-like sunscreen squirts out blue, but rubs on totally clear, which is a win for my brown-skinned boy.

This was Miles' favorite out of the bunch. He is big on scents, and was instantly in love with the fruity smell. He was drawn to the iridescent shimmer, and even reminded me that he needed to apply his sunscreen before heading to the park.

I love the jelly-like texture: It has a cooling formula that feels almost like aloe gel. The smell was a bit more on the intense side for me as I prefer a more fragrance-free option, but I liked that it made Miles want to use it. As described by Miles, it felt soft and wet when applied, and from my point of view, it dried clear and left absolutely no white cast or oily residue.

As far as performance, Miles didn't seem burnt or like he had too much sun exposure. However, I do think that it absorbed into his skin so efficiently that, if outdoors for a longer period, he would have had to reapply several times.

With an SPF of 50+, Thinkbaby Sunscreen is a must for safe sun play with your family. The water-resistant, coral reef-safe formula is a beach bag essential. Slather your little ones from head to toe for 80 minutes of UVA and UVB protection.

Both Miles and I loved the creamy texture of this sunscreen, which made it super easy to apply for full coverage. The smell is light, and according to Miles, it smells like lemons. It definitely leaves a slight white cast, but once it absorbs into the skin, the cast goes away. Even while he was sweating under the sun, the sunscreen still protected his skin from harsh rays.

Also worth noting: This sunscreen has the highest level of SPF, according to the FDA’s 2012 monograph.

Formulated with 100% naturally derived zinc oxide, Neutrogena Pure & Free is a sunscreen option you can feel good about slathering on your tot. The Purescreen Technology helps to scatter, absorb, and reflect sun rays so that your baby can enjoy the warm weather without the danger. Totally free of fragrance and color, it is gentle on your tot’s delicate skin.

Of all of the options Miles tried, this is probably the one that is most like a classic sunscreen. It is lotion-like but thick, and offers full-coverage protection. When Miles initially applied the sunscreen, it was pure white. We really had to work it into his skin for him to not look like he'd just rolled around on a chalk factory floor.

However, the thick, zinc oxide-packed formula really protected his skin while playing outside in the sun. Dr. Zeichner suggests a 30 SPF for babies and children, so this 50 SPF really packed a punch.

Free from skin-irritating fragrances and parabens, this lotion by Blue Lizard will be all that your babies and kids need to stay safe from the sun. This Australian brand has been making this sunscreen for more than 20 years, and it's a formula you can rely on. With a suggested 30+ SPF, the Blue Lizard sunscreen offered Miles just enough sun protection.

The thicker — but lotion-like — formula was a hit with Miles as he described it as feeling like cocoa butter. While it's fragrance-free, Miles insisted that he wasn't a fan of the smell, and was getting the smell of water.

From my perspective, I love the application as it feels a lot like a regular lotion, although it does have a grease-like finish and slight white cast. Throughout the day outdoors, the sunscreen held up, and his skin didn't look dry or irritated.

This sunscreen is also dermatologist-recommended.

Sunscreen has a terrible rep for being either super dry and cakey, or overly greasy and sloppy. Baby Bum Mineral Sunscreen Spray is neither. The coconut oil and shea butter base work together to create an easy-to-apply, lotion-like sunscreen. There are no dyes, chemicals, or added fragrances, so there won't be any tearful complaints about burning eyes.

When I allow my son to apply anything on his own, a spray application is the better option as opposed to allowing him to slap globs of product everywhere. This super smooth and cool mist applies effortlessly. There is no greasy film, and Miles really liked how it felt.

With a lot of sunscreen sprays, there is usually a greasy film left behind. I loved that this one was like a light lotion inside of a spray bottle. There was a white cast when first applied, but it absorbed into his skin over the course of the day.