SPF 50+ Sun & Swimwear: Gimmick or Great Buy?

As a mom, I know a marketing gimmick when I see one; some I’ve rolled my eyes at, while others I’ve totally succumbed to. (And I have every single Velcro swaddle on the market to prove it.)

Whether it’s weighted sleep suits, temperature controlled baby spoons, or angled car seat mirrors—there are a million baby products built on fear-based marketing. These are the things we awkwardly twitch and buy on the off chance we are caught empty handed come major catastrophe. Mommy marketers are a sneaky, sneaky bunch.

Obviously, we all need to draw a line in the sand or go crazy (and broke). Until recently, my line was firmly struck at SPF clothing. I thought it was the biggest crock on the market. Couldn’t we all wear a long sleeved cover-up and be just fine?

Actually, the answer is no.

After doing some research, I learned that dermatologists firmly support SPF 50+ swimwear because it blocks up to 98% of the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays versus your kid’s common T-shirt, which only blocks 5%. Oh, and those gauzy linen cover-ups we moms wear at the baby pool? They only block about 2%…yikes.

Still not totally sold, I figured the SPF would wash out, right? Wrong. I’ll spare you the science, but current technology allows SPF-infused sunwear to sustain a summer’s full of washes. Paired with sun-safe accessories like brimmed hats and sunglasses, SPF-based clothing is probably one of the most important products you could buy for your family this summer.

Check out some stylishly safe and inexpensive SPF 50+ sun gear for the whole family in the slideshow.

More Swimwear:

 

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