Affiliate links may be included. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.
I’m a firm believer that if you are spending the day outside with your kids and any part of that day is going to involve water activity (beach, pool, splash park, etc.) then spray on sunscreen is totally the way to go. Ounce for ounce it’s quite a bit more expensive than the lotion, but the convenience factor makes it worth every single penny.
Except there’s a problem: spray on sunscreens have a reputation as being unsafe, because you don’t want to inhale those nasty chemicals and that’s exactly what will happen when you spray them on.
And this is why I turn to Honest Company for my spray on sunscreen option. It’s a mineral-based product and doesn’t have any of the junk that your lungs need to avoid. It’s SPF coverage isn’t sky high (it’s 30) but if you research SPF a bit, you’ll quickly learn that there’s not much of a point of anything beyond 30, anyway. The truth is simply that you need to reapply your sunscreen fairly often if you plan to be outside for a while.
I find the coverage to be even and generous with Honest Mineral Sunscreen Spray, and because it is white when it comes out, you can see exactly where you sprayed and where you didn’t. Unlike other sprays, though, you will need to rub this one in a bit. It only takes seconds, and I supposed it isn’t necessary, but you will look like someone who walked through a splatter paint party if you don’t.
And now for a warning about this stuff: do NOT apply it inside your house or while standing on something you really care about (like your back deck). We have stains on our deck from this stuff because it does not wash off. Learn from our mistakes and put this stuff on while on the grass.
Honest Company sells this product for $13.95, but to get the best price you need to add it to a bundle order, as a bundle of 5 items costs just $7.20 per item, which almost cuts the cost in half. The only bummer is that you can only order 1 spray sunscreen per bundle (I would have purchased 5 at once if it had been allowed!). But you can add up to 3 additional items to your bundle for 25% off, and you can do sunscreen for all 3 of those slots if you want. The price per bottle at 25% off is $10.46, which is competitive with other spray on sunscreens your find at brick and mortar stores, only minus the nasty chemicals.
The product isn’t perfect, especially with the staining factor on hard surfaces, but it’s still my go-to for my kids. I don’t like having to tell my kids to hold their breath while I apply something to their skin, because if it’s that bad for their lungs, why would I slather it all over their largest organ (the skin), too?
Looking for more product recommendations (and tips on what to avoid)? I have a long and growing list of Honest Company reviews that you can check out to help you pick out the best of the best from this company before you make your purchase.