Zinc Oxide Mineral Sunscreen

Am I a nerd? Yes. I love science and learning about different ingredients. More on that coming up soon. But today I wanted to share some research I’ve done on two major types of sunscreen: chemical and mineral.

Chemical sunscreen usually contains an ingredient like oxybenzone. These products are absorbed directly into the skin. They penetrated the outer skin layers to absorb harmful UVA/UVB rays. Chemical sunscreens “grab” the rays before they are able to damage the skin.

Mineral sunscreen is an alternative to chemical sunscreen and usually contains zinc oxide. Are there still chemicals in these sunscreens? Technically, yes. However, I have come to the conclusion that mineral sunscreens are safer. These products sit on top of your skin and block harmful UVA/UVB rays. These mineral sunscreens can be somewhat harder to rub in, because they aren’t absorbed. I have found a mineral sunscreen I really like: Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defense.

sunscreen, chemical vs. mineral sunscreen, sunblock, dermalogica

Like I said, mineral sunscreens tend to be harder to rub in. This one did not give my face a white cast, but it did give me a great glow. I wore it all weekend and didn’t sunburn at all. Be sure to put on about 10-15 minutes before major sun exposure. This is even great to wear under your makeup on a daily basis!

I’ll link this product below, as well as my other Dermalogica faves.

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Let me know if you have a sunscreen you love! XO,

Rebekah