Does choosing safe sun care for you and your family leave you sweating in the beauty aisle? Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, so it’s essential to choose and use a sun care. But with so many labels and terms to sort through, the choices can feel overwhelming. Here, we help you narrow down the selection by outlining the pluses and minuses of the two main sun care types: mineral and chemical.
Chemical sun care
Chemical sun cares use a combination of two to six of these active ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate. They absorb rays in a chemical reaction that dissipates the heat back off the skin.
UV protection
Don’t be fooled by a high sun-protection factor (SPF) number—over 50, for example. The SPF indicates protection only from UVB rays, the ones that cause sunburn and non-melanoma skin cancers; UVA rays are actually more threatening. So a sky-high number likely gives you drastically imbalanced protection (UVB instead of broad-spectrum), plus higher concentrations of chemicals you may want to avoid.
Ingredient safety
Not all sun care chemicals are created equal. If you do opt for a chemical sun care, avoid those with oxybenzone, assigned an 8 (out of 10) hazard score by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) because of skin penetration, hormone disruption, and allergy problems. Instead, “we recommend looking for [chemical] products that contain the active ingredient avobenzone at 3 percent,” says Nneka Leiba, deputy director of research at EWG. According to the EWG, avobenzone boasts the same low-hazard rank (2 out of 10) as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Appearance
Typically, nanoparticle-based sun cares rub into skin easily and quickly, and they dry sheer.
Mineral sun care
Mineral sun care products use active mineral ingredients, such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide. They reflect the sun’s rays like a mirror to protect exposed skin.
UV protection
When buying sun care, protection from UV rays should be your top consideration. In that sense, mineral options take the prize. Zinc oxide, in particular, delivers the best UVA and UVB protection (also known as broad-spectrum coverage.) Mineral active ingredients don’t break down as readily in the sun, offering greater protection for longer.”
Ingredient safety
Generally speaking, naturally derived ingredients used in mineral sun cares are gentler than chemicals. Still, some considerations remain. Avoid titanium dioxide in powder or spray form; it has been linked to toxicity when inhaled.
Appearance
Other than those that use nanoparticles, mineral sun cares simply don’t rub into skin as well, often leaving a white film. In the quest for mineral sun cares that apply more evenly, some companies are trying non-nano ingredients, such as an aloe base, a zinc oxide. If you choose a safe mineral classic, expect to take an extra minute to rub it in.
Here comes the sun
We know that mineral sun care products are a better choice than chemical sun cares. But, unfortunately, even the safest products and most savvy consumers can’t solve another issue in the sun care industry: skin cancer.
Sun care products can protect us from sunburn, but we don’t know the extent to which they can protect us from skin cancer. Some studies show that, yes, sun care reduces the risk of a certain type of skin cancer called squamous cell carincoma (SCC), but research hasn’t confirmed the relationship between sun care and other types of cancers, such as melanoma.
Bottom Line
Sun care is incredibly important to your health and the health of your skin. We carry mineral and chemical sun care products that can protect your skin against the harsh Colorado environments.
