New Sunscreens for the Whole Family 2024

Reminder: It's time to check the expiration date on your sunscreen. Toss anything expired and start shopping for new products to keep your skin healthy.

While everyone should be wearing sunscreen all year, we know sun protection is at the top of people's minds come spring and summer. It's also when new sunscreens hit the market.

We chatted with Toronto dermatologist Dr. Geeta Yadav about new guidelines for protecting your family's skin and Sun Bum's latest releases. Plus, shop new sunscreens from Sunly, Bioré and Babyganics below.

What You Need To Know About Sun Protection in 2024

How do you protect your skin from visible light?

You've likely heard about UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays cause premature skin aging and UVB rays can cause sunburns and skin cancer. But there's a third kind of light that can damage your skin. Visible light is literally the light you can see. Dr. Yadav says that it causes hyperpigmentation (darker areas of colour on the skin). It can exacerbate melasma and acne scars and is particularly of concern for those with darker skin tones.

Visible light is also emitted from screens, but says Dr. Yadav, "the light from your computer or phone screen isn't intense enough to affect your skin." So how do you protect yourself from the sun's visible light? "Look for iron oxide," says Dr. Yadav. It's usually an ingredient in tinted sun products and can help block visible light.

How often should you reapply sunscreen? And why you should teach your kids how

According to Dr. Yadav, you and your kids should be reapplying sunscreen every two hours—more often if you're in and out of the water. If you're spending a lot of time at the pool, lake or ocean, consider buying a product that can be applied on wet skin. The sunscreens in Sun Bum's new kids line go just as smoothly on wet skin as on dry skin.

While you probably apply sunscreen for your kids when they're with you, they're likely left to their own devices at school and camp. So show your kids how much sunscreen to use and how to put it on their skin.

A great way to empower kids to take over their own sunscreen application is to buy them a stick or roll-on sunscreen (Sun Bum makes a super convenient baby roll-on that's SPF 50). That way they're not messing around with runny liquids and if they use enough pressure, they should be applying an even layer to every surface the sunscreen touches.

Even a tan is a sign of sun damage

Many of us think that as long as we don't get a sunburn, we're golden. But whenever your skin changes colour, that's a sign of damage, says Dr. Yadav. What's more: sun damage before the age of 18 significantly increases the chances of melanoma.

No one wants to think about their child getting skin cancer. That's why it's so important to protect them while they're young. So lather your littles—and yourself—up with sunscreen every day.

New Sunscreens of 2024

Sun Bum Kids

Until this year, Sun Bum had a line for grown-ups and one for babies. Now there's a collection just for kids. Not only do the products glide onto wet skin, but each has a clear formula, meaning no white residue on clothes, bathing suits—or anything kids rub up against.

Sunly by Attitude

This Canadian-made line of sunscreen is plastic-free, vegan and verified by the Environmental Working Group. The products are packaged in biodegradable cardboard tubes and the formulas are ocean-friendly. There are sunscreens for kids, for face, for body and tinted formulas. What more could you want?

Bioré UV Aqua Rich Weightless Moisturizer

A great choice for grown-ups who want to simplify their skincare routine, this new water-based moisturizer with SPF 50 works well under makeup and is suitable for those with sensitive skin.

Babyganics Sheer Blend Mineral Sunscreen Lotion

The new formula from Babyganics starts out white then blends quickly and easily for a sheer finish on all skin tones. It's water-resistant with SPF 50 and comes without fragrance or with a fun (natural) tropical scent. The products in the Sheer Blend line are non-allergenic and zinc oxide is the active sun blocking ingredient.