As a beauty editor for the last 15 years, it’s ingrained in me to wear sunscreen every single day, all year round. My daughter, who just turned 5, is actually pretty interested in sunscreen. She likes to copy me, and I’m good at protecting my fair skin, so it’s second nature to her when we are at home.
But trying to get sunscreen on a child or toddler at the beach or pool is another story. There’s sand everywhere, you usually only have one hand, and they want it done FAST so they can get back to swimming and sandcastles.
This handy little gadget I found on Amazon called Solar Buddies Sunscreen Applicator was truly a game changer on a recent trip to Puerto Rico when my daughter was 4 years old. It’s a mechanism that allows you to apply your favorite sunscreen easily and quickly.
Solar Buddies Sunscreen Applicator
Why I like this sunscreen applicator
It’s perfectly sized at 100ml or 3.4 ounces, so it is allowed in carry-on luggage. You simply decant any liquid sunscreen into the container and you’re good to go. A great hack is to fill it up with sunscreen once you arrive on vacation. Most hotel pools have huge bottles by the towel stand you can use to refill the device.
Pop off the top and there is a foam applicator surrounding a small roll-on ball (similar to some deodorants like Ban). This allows you to quickly apply sunscreen without getting both hands dirty or wet and helps you to rub it in faster. The user-friendly design and shape allow little hands to hold it and do their sunscreen application by themselves — a big point of contention with my own toddler.
I prefer to use mineral sunscreen, some of which can be notoriously thick, hard to apply, and leave a white cast, but the rollerball applicator and sponge really allow you to blend and spread sunscreen evenly and in a timely manner.
The applicator is yellow and white with either a pink, blue, or green bottom. There is also a light tan version (called Nude) — a bit more chic if you’re an adult wanting to try this out. The various color options can be helpful if you are using various sunscreens like SPF 30 and SPF 50 or want one zinc-based mineral sunscreen and one chemical sunscreen, which tend to be easier to spread and absorbs into the skin (rather than sitting on top of skin like mineral sunscreens).
Though I use it and love it for sun protection, you could also use it for other skincare like lotions or body oils. It really minimizes the mess and helps you apply products evenly. There are some similar products on the market, but this one is less flimsy, made of hard plastic, and I haven’t had any issues with it leaking in my suitcase or makeup bag.
In addition to vacation, it’s great for daily on-the-go trips. Because of the small size, it easily fits in a purse or diaper bag. I think it’s a great gadget and tool for getting kids excited to wear sunscreen, and allows them to have some independence by applying it themselves.
My one gripe is that the shape that makes it so easy to hold also makes it a bit hard to clean if you want to switch out sunscreens or beauty products. I usually use a water bottle brush and/or a paper towel to clean in the grooves and curves.
Overall, I love the Solar Buddies Sunscreen Applicator for myself and my young child as an easy and fast way to stay protected in the sun.
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