EWG 2025: 80% Fall Short, but 43 Made the Best-for-Kids List
Most sunscreens on the shelf didn't make EWG's 2025 cut — here's how to read the kids' list and pick a gentle option for sensitive young skin.
The Environmental Working Group's 2025 Guide to Sunscreens evaluated 2,204 products and found roughly 80% fell short on protection or ingredients; it named 43 top-rated kids' sunscreens and recommended mineral formulas while advising parents to avoid sprays, SPF above 50+, oxybenzone, and fragrance.
EWG advises that for children and sensitive skin, fragrance-free mineral formulas based on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are a safer default, and that sprays and very high SPF labels can mislead parents about real protection.
Questions we get a lot
What does it mean that 80% of sunscreens 'fell short'?
EWG evaluated 2,204 products against its own criteria for protection and ingredient safety, and roughly 80% failed one or both. That is EWG's standard, which is stricter and different from FDA approval. A product not on EWG's list isn't automatically unsafe, but the figure shows how few met its bar.
What should I look for in a sunscreen for my child?
EWG recommends fragrance-free mineral formulas based on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for kids and sensitive skin. It suggests avoiding sprays, SPF labels above 50+, oxybenzone, and added fragrance. These choices reduce irritation risk and rely on well-established mineral filters.
Why does EWG advise against spray sunscreens for kids?
Sprays make it easy to apply too thin a layer and raise inhalation concerns, so EWG steers parents toward lotions for children. Its 2025 guidance grouped sprays with very high SPF labels as things to be cautious about. A well-rubbed mineral lotion gives more reliable coverage.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'My toddler reacts to everything — does EWG's kids' list actually mean these are gentle, or just 'clean'?'