Rejoice, summer is here, the days are getting longer and the weather is getting hotter, which spells one thing for all concerned parents - sun cream.

Whether you're planning to jet abroad or stay at home, sun cream is vital to protect your youngsters from the heat, however, experts have now issued a warning.

Parents have been warned 'do not buy' seven particular sun cream products for their children as they do not actually provide adequate protection.

According to the NHS, young children’s skin should be protected from the sun when UV levels are high. 

Brent & Kilburn Times: Parents have been issued a warning by Which? over certain products (Getty)Parents have been issued a warning by Which? over certain products (Getty) (Image: Getty)

Which? has since issued a number of summer safety hazards to look out for while enjoying the hot weather, including sun creams.

They stated: "Babies under six months old should be kept out of direct sunlight.

"Although they offer the same protection as adult ones, formulations for infants and children tend to be fragrance-free to reduce the number of potential allergens because their skin tends to be more sensitive."

They continued: "Look for a short ingredients list, the words 'fragrance-free' and 'hypoallergenic' on the container, and steer clear of our Don't Buy sunscreens.

"The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 35ml of sun cream (seven teaspoons) to cover an adult, so use a quarter to a half of this, depending on the size of your child. Use more if you're using spray rather than cream in order to get good coverage."

The sunscreens to avoid according to Which?

On their list are a number of products that have been labelled with a 'safety alert.' These are:

  • Hawaiian Tropic's Aloha Care Protective Sun Lotion SPF 30 (£14)
  • Ultrasun's Body Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 (£28)
  • Green People's Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30 (£25.50).
  • Alba's Botanica Sensitive Mineral Fragrace Free SPF 30 (£11.99)
  • Clinique Mineral Sunscreen Lotion for Body SPF 30 (£26)
  • Tropic Skin Shade Sun Cream SPF 30 (£28)
  • Hawaiian Tropic Mineral Protective Sun Milk SPF 30 (£10.50)

Brent & Kilburn Times: You'll want to make sure your little ones are protected this summer (Getty)You'll want to make sure your little ones are protected this summer (Getty) (Image: Getty)

In their review of Hawaiian Tropic, Which? stated: "Hawaiian Tropic Aloha Care Protective Sun Lotion SPF30 claims to be reef-friendly, and the manufacturer tells us that it’s Peta-certified, fast-absorbing and water-resistant.

"But in our tests, we found that it didn’t provide the claimed SPF level, so we’ve made it a Don’t Buy."

When reviewing Green People, they said: "Green People’s Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30 passed the SPF tests we put it through, which means it provides SPF30 as claimed.

"But it didn’t provide enough protection against UVA in our tests, which means it’s a Don’t Buy."

With Ultrasun, they stated: "Ultrasun’s Body Mineral Sunscreen SPF30 uses titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to filter the sun’s UV rays.

"However, in our tests, we found that it failed to provide the claimed SPF30 and it was lacking in UVA protection. Because of this, we have made it a Don’t Buy."

Companies' responses to Which? warning

Hawaiian Tropic responded to MyLondon with the statement: "We are proud of the quality and performance of our products, and we stand behind their labelling.

"In the specific case of our product Hawaiian Tropic Aloha Care Protective Sun Lotion SPF 30, we firmly disagree with the testing results obtained by Which?

"Our product’s sun protection factor has been tested by an external independent laboratory using the ISO 24444 method and obtained an SPF result of 38,27.

"Plus, after an 80-minutes water immersion, the product obtained an SPF result of 36,19. This demonstrates that the product maintains the protection level way above the expected European minimum threshold for water resistance."

Green People also responded: "We are aware of a report published in the July 2022 issue of Which? that investigated mineral sun lotions.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Britain has been experiencing a heatwave for the past few weeks (Getty)Britain has been experiencing a heatwave for the past few weeks (Getty) (Image: Getty)

"The report found that Green People Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30 for the body provides the claimed SPF30 level of protection against UVB rays and will therefore protect skin against redness and burning as a result of sun exposure.

"Although there is little significant difference between the test results and the recommended target, we can ensure you, that we are in the process of reformulating and testing to guarantee these products achieve the minimum 1/3 protection as stated in the EU Recommendations.

"The Children’s Sun Lotion has already been reformulated to this specification and is available on our website."

Ultrasun, Alba, Clinique, and Tropic were all approached for comment.