Mineral vs Chemical Sunscreen: Finding the Best Option for Your Skin

Sunscreen is essential to a good sun protection strategy. Regular use of sunscreen can prevent premature skin aging, tanning, sunspots, and dark patches on skin. If your profession or lifestyle requires you to spend long hours outdoors, sunscreen can reduce your risk of sunburn and skin cancer.

No skin color is immune from the harmful effects of UV rays. By getting into the habit of wearing sunscreen daily, you will be acting in the best interest of your skin's health and appearance.

When buying a sunscreen, you'll have to decide between a mineral sunscreen and a physical sunscreen. The ingredients in each type are different and provide UV protection differently. This discussion of mineral vs chemical sunscreen will give you a clear idea.

Key Points about Mineral Sunscreen

Mineral sunscreens contain the minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that reflect and scatter UV light away from the skin. The mineral filters form a physical barrier on the skin, which is why mineral sunscreens are also known as physical sunscreens. A mineral sunscreen is slather-and-go, providing protection immediately after application. It is also photostable, which means it is resistant to change when exposed to light, and therefore doesn't need to be reapplied as often as a chemical sunscreen.

Key Points about Chemical Sunscreen

Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays and convert them into heat through a chemical reaction and release it into the environment. As molecules in the sunscreen are destroyed during this process, a chemical sunscreen must be reapplied more frequently than a physical sunscreen. While a physical sunscreen has a mattifying effect, a chemical sunscreen is lighter and more sheer, making skin appear dewy.

The Major Difference Between Mineral and Chemical Sunscreen

The UV filtering ingredients in a mineral sunscreen are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide is effective in blocking UVB and short-wave UVA rays but less effective than zinc oxide in blocking long UVA rays. The shorter the wavelength, the more harmful the UV radiation. But shorter wavelength UV radiation is less able to penetrate the skin. Zinc oxide blocks different types of UV rays, and is often combined with additional UVB blockers to provide broad/full spectrum sun protection.

The ingredients in chemical sunscreens include oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, homosalate, octocrylene, and octinoxate. These ingredients interact with UV light and convert it into heat, which then dissipates from the skin.

CodeSkin does not use these chemical sunscreen filters as there are many controversies surround them.

Benefits of Mineral Sunscreen vs Chemical Sunscreen

These benefits of a mineral vs chemical sunscreen will guide you further on choosing a product that works best for your needs.

Benefits of Mineral Sunscreen

A physical sunscreen is designed to be free of certain chemicals and sits on top of your skin, making it highly unlikely that it will be absorbed into your body. So, it is generally considered a safe choice for children and pregnant women. Zinc oxide has anti-inflammatory properties. A mineral sunscreen is gentle on sensitive or dry skin, and less likely to cause eczema flare-ups.

If mineral sunscreens are avoided by some, it is due to the white residue that they can leave behind on skin. However, there are numerous mineral sunscreens having a lightweight and sheer formula that do not create a cast.

One of drawbacks of mineral sunscreens is that you cannot achieve a high SPF while avoiding the white cast.

Benefits of Chemical Sunscreen

Chemical sunscreens are easy to apply and do not leave a white film on the skin, making them a better choice for people with darker skin tones. On the other hand, they can cause allergic reactions. This is usally the not the case while using CodeSkin chemical sunscreens. A chemical sunscreen is more helpful if you have resilient or combination skin. As an added advantage, a chemical sunscreen is more water-resistant than a physical sunscreen.

So, which sunscreen is best: mineral or chemical?

Sunscreen: Chemical vs mineral

When it comes to skin health, either mineral or chemical sunscreen is better than nothing at all. No matter what type you use, you will be avoiding UV rays and out of harm's way. Using a mineral or chemical sunscreen is a matter of personal preference and lifestyle. Take note of how a product is likely to react with your skin, its SPF, and whether it provides broad-spectrum protection. For optimal efficacy, reapply sunscreen throughout the day. Your skin will thank you.