Archive copy by Jenni Baden Howard

Here comes the sun …

For children, summers always seems to last forever. The longest, hottest days of the year offer endless opportunities for fun, with picnics in the countryside and teddy bear tea parties in the back garden, playing in paddling pools and darting through sprinklers, building the best sandcastles and finding the prettiest shells on the beach … not surprisingly, many of our happiest childhood memories are often summer ones. Yet, while the youngest members of the family are outdoors enjoying the sunshine, you want to be sure that their delicate skin is fully protected against the harmful effects of the sun.

‘Sunlight is wonderfully uplifting and essential for Vitamin D production, which helps the body absorb calcium, promoting strong, healthy bones and teeth,’ says Elizabeth King, principal of the Dr Hauschka training school. ‘However, unprotected exposure can easily lead to sun damage. Children’s skin is naturally extra sensitive, so it’s essential that it is effectively protected against both UVA and UVB rays.’

Research shows that most sun damage occurs during childhood and adolescence. This, coupled with growing concern about the ever-thinning ozone layer, means that protecting children’s vulnerable skin in the sun - and getting them into good suncare habits for later life – has never been more important. New EU guidelines specify that a protective cream with an SPF higher than 25 should be used on babies and children. With this in mind, Dr Hauschka has extended its much-loved holistic suncare range to include the indispensable new Dr Hauschka Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children. Completely natural and deliciously scented, this waterproof formula is quickly absorbed – vital when there’s so much to do and not a moment to waste – and expertly formulated to protect and pamper sensitive young skin. It’s what your smallest fun-in-the-sun seekers have been waiting for.

• Fun in the sun (BOX)

Encourage children to avoid direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day (between 11 am and 4pm) by setting up creative activities in the shade. Create an ‘artist’s studio’ under a tree – afterwards, they could show off their handiwork by holding their own, open-air ‘art exhibition’. Take the dressing-up basket into the garden and suggest they stage their own play – with handmade tickets and programmes for family and friends – in a shady area. Or simply let them construct a secret den or hideaway in the shade, with the help of picnic blankets, rugs and bedspreads.

The natural choice

As with the entire Dr Hauschka suncare range, the new Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children provides exceptionally effective protection against UVA and UVB rays whilst nurturing the skin with a combination of carefully chosen, all-natural extracts and plant essences. ‘We believe that children should always use suncare products formulated with good quality, natural ingredients as chemical ingredients can sometimes irritate their sensitive skin,’ explains Elizabeth King. ‘Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children contains the mineral Titanium Dioxide, which acts as a non-toxic, natural sun reflector and does not irritate or penetrate the skin. The fine mineral pigments form an invisible shield on the skin, instantly deflecting harmful UVA and UVB rays. Being a physical sunblock, it also has the advantage of providing immediate protection – organic-synthetic preparations need to be applied twenty minutes before sun exposure to guarantee protection - making the cream ideal for children.’

Choosing a natural sunscreen to shield young delicate skin from the sun has additional benefits. ‘Unlike synthetic ingredients, which quickly lose their efficacy, mineral sunscreens have a much longer shelf life without the need for strong preservatives,’ adds Elizabeth. ‘The ultra-fine pigments in Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children, produced by micronisation, enable a thin layer of sunscreen to protect the skin effectively.’

As well as providing reliable, chemical-free sunscreen protection, Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children contains a cocktail of natural skin soothers and nourishers. Along with precious Macadamia Nut Oil, Quince Seed and Avocado Oil, Ice Plant extract naturally helps to prevent children’s skin from becoming parched when the heat is on. ‘The ice plant retains a plentiful supply of moisture even in the hottest sunshine,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Together, these natural ingredients effectively care for and stabilise sun-stressed skin.’

• Fun in the sun (BOX)

At home or away, inspire children to connect with the natural world around them by organising an age-appropriate nature trail or scavenger hunt. Compile a list of items for them to track down, in teams or individually, with your help. For little ones, keep things as simple as possible and give older children more tricky objects to find – these could range from a certain leaf in the countryside, to a specific type of shell on the beach. When the game is over, some of their ‘finds’ will become treasured souvineers.

Application made easy

All sunscreens need to be applied evenly and thoroughly in order to provide full protection, but with children this can be easier said than done. To make things easier, Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children is less time-consuming to apply than a runny lotion – especially tricky with a wriggly toddler or impatient sandcastle builder - and will be completely absorbed before you can say “anyone for softball?” As the cream is white when it is applied, you can easily keep track of areas that you’ve covered and any that you’ve missed. The yummily summery (all-natural) smell will provide further encouragement.

‘All skin that’s exposed to the sun should be clearly covered,’ advises Elizabeth King. ‘In a natural sunscreen, the higher the SPF, the more minerals are contained, so with Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children it’s really easy to see what you’re doing because the skin looks paler where the cream has been used. Also, as the sunscreen is effective immediately, there’s no waiting around.’

For smooth, effective application, shake your sunscreen before use and then apply it evenly, all over the face and body. ‘Ensure that the skin is completely covered,’ says Elizabeth. In the case of babies and toddlers, check that easily-forgetten areas – such as their hands, feet and ears - are covered, too. Singing a favourite nursery rhyme or song while you’re putting on sunscreen will help to make it more fun.

Get children into the habit of applying their own sunscreen as early as possible. With younger children, try playing a game of ‘join the dots’ with the cream – simply dot it all over their skin and get them to ‘connect’ the dots by rubbing it in. You could even reward them with a sticker each time they do it. Most importantly, involve them in the process as much as possible, by letting them hold the tube and put some on you, too!

Although Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children is waterproof, it should be reapplied regularly and especially after swimming or a sporting activity. The convenient flip-top tube means less mess and no more losing the lid in the sand …

• Fun in the sun (BOX)

The beach offers endless possibilities for fun. Let children’s imagination run wild making sandcastles, complete with moats (filled with buckets of seawater) and drawbridges, topped with shells, pebbles or pieces of driftwood – whatever they can find! Creating a pretty ‘shell mountain’ by decorating a mound of damp sand with carefully-chosen shells can be fantastically effective, too. Brilliant 3-D sand ‘sculptures’ can be made and decorated, too – mermaids (complete with flowing seaweed locks, if available) are a popular choice. A game of noughts and crosses works brilliantly on wet sand, too, or children can set up their own ‘obstacle course’ using buckets, beach balls and more. At the end of the day, let them bring a pebble or two home to personalise using child-friendly poster paints (for toddlers and younger children) or acrylic paints (for older children).

The golden rules

Help your children make the most of the sunshine – in safety – with these hot tips from Dr Hauschka.

• Keep babies under the age of one year out of direct sunlight, fully clothed and wearing a sunhat with a wide brim (ideally one with a ‘back flap’ that covers the nape of the neck, too). As it contains no chemical ingredients, Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children is gentle enough to be used from birth.

• For babies and toddlers, ensure their buggy provides adequate shade with a hood or clip-on parasol.

• Overcast days can be deceptive - UV rays still penetrate clouds and pollution. Similarly, on cooler days and when there’s a breeze – such as on the beach – children may not be aware they are developing sunburn. Keep their skin protected and nurtured at all times with Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children.

• When they’re playing outside in the sun, ensure children are covered up as much as possible in long-sleeved t-shirts – which will also provide added protection against UV rays when worn in water - and trousers or longer-length shorts. Wide-brimmed hats (and those with a ‘back flap’) are ideal.

• Encourage children to seek shade during the hottest times of the day (between 11am and 3pm).

• When children are getting in and out of the pool, jumping waves or body-boarding, you want to be confident their sun protection won’t do a disappearing act with the next wave. Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children is waterproof but, like all suncare products, it should be reapplied regularly and especially after swimming or exercising (following an energetic game of Swingball on the sand, for example).

• If possible, keep a tube of Dr Hauschka’s Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 for Children in your child’s school bag during the summer months (it’s a sport’s day essential, when children often spend extended periods in full sunlight). The cream is white when it is applied, making it easy for children to see where they are putting it themselves.

• Soothe and replenish children’s sensitive skin after sun exposure with an all-natural, soothing aftersun. Dr Hauschka’s After-Sun Lotion instantly cools hot and bothered little bodies and restores essential moisture with moisturising Quince Seed and Anthyllis extract. If the skin does redden, swirl a little of Dr Hauschka’s Rose Body Oil into the water at bath time and follow with the aftersun lotion.

• Enriched with four different rose extracts, Dr Hauschka’s Firming Mask makes a superb aftersun soother for the face, especially if it has been sunburned. Out of summer, it’s a great après-ski complexion-soother, too.

• Avoid long periods of exposure to the sun, which can make children of all ages feel tired and irritable. If you’re going out for the day, take some shade with you – pack a pop-up play tent or giant parasol.