When I find a product I love, I love to share it with you!
June 20. The first day of summer.
Although, in Kansas City, it’s been summer-hot for nearly 6 weeks now! With all that bright sunshine, my kids are, of course, outside for hours at a time. And that means SUNSCREEN. Lots and lots of scunscreen.
In the past, I’ve always bought the spray bottles of Coppertone and the like. But even with a sale and a coupon, I still pay $3 or $4 per bottle (regularly $8-10). And I must say that I find that those spray bottles, while super convenient – especially for quick re-application at the pool, seem to run out so quickly.
This summer, I decided to give something new a try and went with Alba Botanics Aloe Vera, SPF 30.
I picked mine up (from Vitacost – after reading the many glowing reviews) for $5.68 per bottle. We started with two bottles, one for applications at home, and one for the pool bag.
The cream is thick, but goes on very smoothly – and it’s not at all sticky or tacky. It absorbs quickly into the skin and feels like you are applying a good moisturizer. I even use it on our faces – and it feels great to me.
Alba Aloe Vera also has a very pleasant, but mild scent – it’s not at all over-powering.
And unlike spray bottles, the cream leaves no filmy after-taste in your mouth. In fact, my six year old said to me the other day, as I was slathering him up, “Mommy, I love this suntan lotion – it smells so good. Like mint chocolate chip cookies coming out of the oven!”
Since the cream is rather thick, a little really does go a long way. I use about four smaller-than-a-dime size squirts to slather on one kid, from head to toe. After using this bottle every day – on both of my boys – for a week before their cub scout camp, I still have more than half the bottle left.
So even though it’s only a 4 oz. size, I’d say it will definitely last you as long – and probably longer – than an 8 or 9-oz spray bottle.
I also love that it’s water resistant (reapply after 40 minutes in the water), paraben free, phthalates-free and organic.
With all these positives, I suppose I should also mention that it works! We have used it several times at the pool already this summer, and no one got a burn.
Full Disclosure: My boys did get sunburned necks the first day at Cub Scout Camp, but we were actually using Coppertone that day! Plus, they were outside for almost 8 hours and didn’t have their sunscreen reapplied.
Where to Buy Alba Aloe Vera for Less
As I said, I picked up my Alba Aloe Vera for $5.68 per bottle from Vitacost. If you still haven’t taken advantage of your $10 new member credit there, you can get two bottles for just $3.18 each, after applying your $10 credit and paying the $4.99 flat rate for shipping.
This is right in line with my “after sale & coupon” price on the continuous spray bottles ($3.50 – $4 is my target price) – and I like the Alba so much better!
If you decide to go the Vitacost route, be sure to sign up to get your free Vitacost credit (check your email – it should arrive almost instantly) – and then click thru Ebates for 4% cashback on your purchase.
Even if you already used your $10 credit, Vitacost’s $5.68 still beats out Amazon by a ton. Right now, the next lowest price on Amazon is around $9/bottle!
You can also buy Alba at Whole Foods – so keep an eye out for coupons (or try writing to them to ask for a coupon!).
Do you have a favorite sunscreen? Have you tried Alba Aloe Vera?
I have tried Alba. I bought it at a health food store.
It still has oxybenzone and octinoxate as the active ingredients, though, so it’s not all that premium, healthwise. It’s got some organics, but the rest of the list is still pretty mainstream. I like Badger, the one with aloe goes on smoothly. I also got the pump spray of the All Terrain, branded for Phineas and Ferb. Camp, despite my notes and instructions, is likely to just pick up any kid’s sunscreen and spray it on my kid and I don’t want those chemicals on her body.
Good information Judith. I’ll give that brand a try next time.
And re. Camp – yes, you are totally right! I bought the kids badger bug spray because I am especially leery of DEET and I know they got spritzed with other stuff.