Product Review: NO-AD Baby Sunblock

Ban the burn! Most of us enjoy a sunny day at the beach, by the pool, or out on the water. Three or four hours later, though, we may pay a price for our playtime.

Imagine you have just spent a day this way. Suddenly, you realize that you skin feels hot and tight, your body feels stiff, and you appear to be glowing. Wow! What a sunburn!

Of course, the best treatment for sunburn (and skin cancer) is pre-treatment - to guard skin against the sun's harmful rays. Wearing loose-cotton protective clothing, spending time in the shade, and applying a sunblock can all help to shield your skin from sunburn.

My Family's Favorite

When my children were born, I dutifully purchased baby sunblock products and slathered them on my wriggling children. I tried nearly every baby sunscreen product out there.

Honestly, the best product was NO-AD baby sunblock. A big bottle is less than $10. It's waterproof, it keeps your skin soft, and it doesn't sting your eyes. (That's important for swimming - or sweating in the sun!).

This product comes in an 8.5-ounce tube (great for travel), a 16-ounce bottle, or a 6-ounce spray container.

The baby sunscreen products are available in several themed- packages (Little Einstein and Disney's Nemo, Tigger & Pooh, Arial, Pirates of the Caribbean, are favorites.)

The product is not nearly as greasy as many other branded offerings. The baby products smell like baby lotion, and the kids' offerings have a bubble-gum scent.

NO-AD stands for No Advertising. Since 1960, the manufacturer, Solar Cosmetic Labs, has positioned their product line almost as quality affordable generics. Because the company does not spend money on advertising, they pass the savings on to consumers. NO-AD costs considerably less than other brands.

The only drawbacks to this product are in the packaging. The tube is handy and useful. The big bottle may crack and leak when dropped, wasting a lot of product. Also, once you get a little beach sand in the sunscreen, it becomes basically unusable.

The spray bottles are worthless after a few uses, unless you don't mind pulling off the top and pouring the lotion on the old-fashioned way.

How Do Sunscreen Products Work?

Basically, sunscreen lotions protect the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. UVB rays are generally considered to be the most dangerous for sunburns, prematurely aging skin, and potential skin cancer. (Melanoma, a form of skin cancer, is currently the third most prevalent cancer in the United States.)

All sunscreen lotions carry a Sun Protection Factor (SPF rating). This indicates the level of protection each product provides users from the UVB rays. By using higher-rated products (carrying higher SPF numbers), sunbathers and outdoor enthusiasts can safely remain longer in the sun.

Basically, the math works out this way. Let's suppose you can usually stay out in the sun for 15 minutes before your skin begins to burn. If you use an SPF 15 sunscreen product, then you ought to be safe in the sun for 225 minutes. If you use an SPF 30, then you should be OK for 450 minutes.

NO-AD offers sunscreens ranging from SPF-8 to SPF-60. The product line includes items for babies, children, and adults.

The baby and children's products are waterproof. (Even if you use a waterproof sunscreen, you will need to reapply it after swimming or sweating. This does not extend the duration of protection, but it does guard your skin during the safe period, and it will ensure more consistent skin coverage.)

The children's products are PABA-free. PABA stands for Para-Amino Benzoic Acid, which is a suspected carcinogen. Even so, many adult sunscreen lotions contain it. (Isn't that ironic? Your sunscreen might actually cause cancer!)

PABA-free baby sunblocks are generally gentler for sensitive skin, and they should not sting eyes. Adults may certainly use these products as well. Really, we see no reason to purchase the adult formulations at all.

For cost savings, we purchase the larger bottle, and the whole family can share.

Before you head for the sunshine again, you will likely want to stock up on sun protection.

(Even in winter, I keep a big jug of NO-AD Baby Sunblock at home, and I keep another in the car.)

With a few simple precautions, you can have fun in the sun without becoming overdone! Save the charring for the beachside barbecue!