Hello Sunshine! 123 Nourish Me Sunscreen Review

I get asked for natural sunscreen sticks all the time. And until now, I've had to say that I didn't know of any. So when one of my customers asked me to check out 123 Nourish Me's Facestick, I got a little excited. Lots of kindies ask for parents to provide roll on or stick sunscreens, because they're easier to apply. So I'm super happy to say that I've finally found a good one! This zinc-based mineral sunscreen has an SPF 30, and it's safe for children six months old and above. Zinc is the most soothing of the natural sunscreen ingredients, so it won’t irritate your little one's skin. 

Sunscreen for toddlers

Applying sunscreen to young children can be challenging – chasing them down and smearing them with cream while they scream and squirm. Honestly, who can blame them? Sunscreen creams can feel sticky and greasy, smell odd and taste terrible. And once kids hit the “I can do it myself!” stage you’ll have to contend with them trying to apply it on their own (and the subsequent mess). This stick is so easy to use that my friend’s five-year-old son takes it to kindergarten and applies it all by himself. It's a good way to get kids into the sun-protection habit early. Regular use of a natural sunscreen is a must, especially with our bright Australian sunshine.

Mineral sunscreens offer safe and effective broad spectrum sun protection, but they can leave you looking like you’re wearing clown makeup. The 123 Nourish Me Sunscreen goes on clear, thanks to the micronised (non nano) zinc, and it's easy to rub in (even on my husband’s unshaven face). The stick does have a fairly firm texture, especially when it’s cold. You could try rubbing it between your palms for a couple of minutes before application to warm it up. We found that the best way was to rub it back and forth on your skin and it soon warms up and glides on. I'm absolutely loving this for the kids. The stick has a firm lid that's not going to pop off in the bottom of a bag, but kids can still open it easily. Throw it into the bottom of their beach or swimming bag and they're covered. It’s water resistant, but still needs reapplication every two hours if you’re swimming or sweating a lot.

I'm completely happy with the Hello Sunshine ingredients, too. The mineral sunscreen formulation and natural ingredients mean you don’t have to worry about what your children are being exposed to. It’s gentle and doesn’t cause adverse reactions, even on sensitive skin. My kids break out in rashes with chemical sunscreen (we had an incident at school camp recently where my son decided to try his friend's sunscreen instead of his own), but not with this one. And I have to mention the smell. Hello Sunshine uses food grade vanilla, and I swear this smells like vanilla ice cream. My youngest loves this just because of the divine scent.

123 Nourish Me sunscreen ingredients

• 100% preservative, oxybenzone and paraben free
• Active ingredient is zinc oxide for UVA and UVB protection
• Micronised particles reduce the white cast you get from some natural sunscreens
• Scented with food-grade vanilla, so it has a delicious smell that my kids and I love
• Castor, jojoba and coconut oils offer natural skin protection
• Beeswax and carnauba wax for water resistance
• Silica is a mineral that helps give the 123 Nourish Me stick its spreadability and silky texture
• Vitamin E protects the skin from pollutants and acts as a natural preservative
• Never tested on animals (only people)
• Listed on ARTG (Australian Register Therapeutic Goods)
• Reef friendly

Ingredients: Active: Zinc oxide 245mg/g, Inactive: Castor oil, beeswax, coconut oil, medium chain triglycerides (fractionated coconut oil), carnauba wax, shea butter, simmondsia chinensis oil (jojoba), silica, di-alpha tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), natural vanilla flavour.

Want to grab yourself a bit of Hello Sunshine? Shop them right here!

Images: 123 Nourish Me