by BabyCenter Guest Blogger posted in Products

By Tabitha Blue
With a new home in Florida, and our own pool (which we couldn?t be MORE excited about, especially as summer approaches), my family is spending a lot of time outdoors. I love seeing my kids happy and active, but all this time under the sun means they need skin protection. Whatever I use has to be gentle, because I have a 10-month-old who's going to need protection often, and all summer long.
That?s why I was happy to try out Neutrogena?s new Pure & Free Baby SPF 50, a 100% "mineral" (a.k.a. a "physical") sunscreen, as opposed to a "chemical" option. While chemical sunscreens are designed to absorb and dissipate UVA/UVB rays, physical sunscreens, with ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, screen the sun's rays by forming a barrier between your skin and the sun. They're not absorbed by the body, but instead scatter and reflect those pesky UVA/UVB rays before they have a chance to get into the skin. And Pure & Free is free of fragrance, parabens and dyes, so I feel okay putting it on my baby's delicate skin. The downside" Because they sit on the skin, mineral sunscreens can look chalky and white, and can be hard to rub in. If you've ever tried to apply sunscreen to an infant or toddler, you know how much harder a physical sunscreen can make things.

I assumed that Pure & Free might be hard to apply because of its high zinc oxide content. But it glides...