Is mineral or chemical sunscreen better? A full review and comparison

Why use sunscreen?

If you are going to be spending time outside, wearing sunscreen is important. Too much sun exposure can cause skin damage including sun burns, dark spots, wrinkles, early aging of the skin, and even skin cancer. This is why sunscreens are so helpful - they can help protect your skin from the effects of too much sun exposure, while still allowing you to spend time outdoors, doing the things you love.

But not all sunscreens are created equally. When it comes to the active ingredients in sunscreen - the ones that protect you from the sun's UV rays - there are two different forms: mineral and chemical filters.

The most common sunscreens on the market contain chemical filters, but mineral sunscreens are becoming more and more common as people are starting to realize the concerns with the chemical sunscreen ingredients. In this post I will take you through the differences between chemical sunscreens and mineral sunscreens and help teach you which type of sunscreen is better.

How mineral sunscreen works:

Mineral sunscreens work by providing a physical barrier to protect skin from the sun's UV rays. They sit on top of the skin and basically block the sun's rays from getting to your skin, and for this reason they are also sometimes referred to as physical sunscreens.

One of the great things about mineral sunscreen ingredients is that because they sit on top of your skin and don't get absorbed into your skin or bloodstream like chemical sunscreens do they can’t impact your internal organs or hormones like chemical sunscreens can and are therefore a healthier and safer option compared to chemical sunscreens. 

When it comes to mineral sunscreen filters there are a couple different types: zinc oxide and titanium oxide or titanium dioxide. Zinc oxide is a more effective sunblock when compared to titanium dioxide. You also want to be sure to choose brands that are using non-nano zinc oxide as nano particles can be harmful to our health and are easily inhaled so you want to be sure to avoid them.

Pros and cons of mineral sunscreens

Pros:

There are many benefits to using mineral sunscreens. Most importantly they work well to prevent sunburns, and skin damage from the sun. They offer broad-spectrum protection against both UVA rays and UVB rays and come in many different SPF options. When it comes to sun protection, the physical or mineral sunscreens offer superior protection when compared to chemical sunscreens.

Another really important thing is that mineral sunscreens are safe for health and are the safest type of sunscreens.

In fact, the US food and drug administration (FDA) has recommended that mineral sunscreen ingredients are the only ones that can be considered to be both safe and effective. In the FDA's most recent recommendations, of the 16 currently marketed active sunscreen ingredients in North America, only the two mineral sunscreen ingredients – zinc oxide and titanium dioxide – can be generally recommended as safe and effective (GRASE) for use in sunscreens.

Two chemical sunscreen ingredients – aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and trolamine salicylate – are not recommended for use in sunscreens due to safety concerns and 12 chemical sunscreen ingredients (cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, padimate O, sulisobenzone, oxybenzone, and avobenzone) are not considered safe because of a lack of safety data at this time.

As well, mineral sunscreens are reef-safe, meaning, they are safe for the coral reefs and are also safe for marine and aquatic life. So not only are mineral sunscreens good for our health, but they are also good for the health of the environment.

Cons:

The biggest complaint that people usually have when it comes to mineral sunscreens is how thick and pasty some of them can be and how some of them can leave a white cast on your skin. I've tried a number of mineral sunscreen brands and I can attest that some of them are very pasty and hard to rub in. But after trying many different mineral sunscreens brands I have found a few that I really like and that go on nice and clear. If you are interested I have a whole post on my top 3 non-toxic sunscreens.

Another down side to mineral sunscreen is that some of them can look ashy on darker skin tones. Fortunately there are many tinted mineral sunscreens available now so no matter what your skin type or skin tone you should be able to find a mineral sunscreen that works for you.

One other downside of mineral sunscreens is that sometimes they can be harder to find. However, with the increasing recognition of the health risks and environmental risks of chemical sunscreen ingredients, most drug stores now carry at least some brands of mineral sunscreens and I expect them to become even more easy to find as time goes on.

Tips for using mineral sunscreens:

No matter what type of sunscreen you are using, in order for it to be effective you need to use it properly.

One tip for using mineral sunscreens is to shake them before using them. This is because the zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide tend to settle at the bottom of the bottle, so to re-distribute these ingredients, give the bottle a shake before using. 

If you are using a mineral sunscreen spray, spray it onto the skin, and then rub it on your skin to distribute it evenly. And if you are using a mineral sunscreen stick, apply the sunscreen to your skin and then rub it in to help distribute it.

The other really important thing to remember when using mineral sunscreens is that you want to apply them 10-15 minutes before going outdoors, and to reapply them regularly. If you are out in the sun you want to reapply your sunscreen every 90-120 minutes and anytime after you’ve been in the water, or if you’ve been sweating in large amounts. The same applies to face lotions with SPF. Many people are fooled into thinking that their skin will be protected all day if they put their SPF face lotion on in the morning. This just isn’t true. In order to be protected, you would still need to re-apply that product throughout the day, the same as you would for any other SPF product.

How chemical sunscreens work:

Compared to mineral sunscreen, chemical sunscreens or chemical uv filters protect your skin by a different mechanism. Chemical sunscreen ingredients get absorbed into your skin and then absorb UV rays through their chemical bonds. As these chemical compounds absorb UV rays, the components of the sunscreen slowly break down and then release heat from the body.

There are many different types of chemical sunscreen ingredients on the market including oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate.

On their own, chemical sunscreen ingredients don't offer very good protection from the sun and don't work as well as mineral sunscreens or physical sunscreens. This is why you will typically see chemicals sunscreens contain a combination of two to six of these chemical filters to help increase the effectiveness of the product and its ability to protect you from the sun.

Pros and cons of chemical sunscreens:

Pros:

There are a few nice things about chemical sunscreens. One is that they go on nice and clear, and are easy to rub in. They are also really easy to find and are usually more affordable than mineral sunscreens (although not always - there are some very expensive chemical sunscreens on the market).

Cons:

One issue with chemical sunscreens is that they don't work as well as mineral sunscreens when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun (in other words, they are less effective for preventing sun damage).

However, in my opinion, the biggest concern with chemical sunscreens is that they can be harmful to your health. Unfortunately, the chemical filters can act as hormone disruptors, and they can also cause allergic skin reactions. As well, studies have shown that topical application of chemical sunscreens leads to plasma concentrations of these ingredients that exceed the safety threshold established by the FDA.

Of the chemical filters, oxybenzone is likely the most dangerous and most harmful. It can act like estrogen in the body and has anti-androgenic effects, as well as potentially causing allergic skin reactions. It’s also been linked to birth defects and other pregnancy related health issues.

Oxybenzone and other chemical filters can also end up in breast milk, which is a concern for breast feeding women as it means that your baby then ingests those chemicals.

Besides having potentially negative effects on human health, oxybenzone is also bad for the environment as it destroys the coral reefs and is also toxic to fish and other marine life.

And again, the FDA is now proposing that chemical sunscreen ingredients cannot be considered to be safe and effective due to safety concerns with their use.

How to use chemical sunscreens:

Like mineral sunscreens, you want to be sure to use chemical sunscreens properly. Apply them 15 minutes before going out in the sun and reapply every 90-120 minutes, or anytime you've been in the water, or sweating in large amounts.

If you use a face lotion with SPF remember that the protection will only last a couple hours after application in the morning so be sure to reapply sunscreen to your face throughout the day as well.

Other ways to help protect your skin from the sun:

Besides using sunscreen, there are other things you can do to help protect your skin from sun damage including: 

• Use a vitamin C serum: Vitamin C serums help decrease the damage you can get from UVA and UVB rays and prevent sun damage by neutralizing free radicals, an effect which is not seen with sunscreens.
• Be cautious with retinol: Using retinol on your skin when you are getting exposed to the sun has been shown to increase the risk of sun damage and skin cancer. 
• Increase your omega-3 intake: Omega 3 supplementation has been found to help treat acne, psoriasis, dry skin, eczema and a number of other skin conditions, and increased omega 3 intake makes you less likely to get a sunburn.
• Wear a hat: If possible wear a hat with a wide brim to help protect the skin on your face, neck and chest as much as possible from the sun.
• Wear sunglasses: sunglasses can help protect your eyes and the skin around your eyes from sun damage.

Our expertise:

Dr. Erin Carter, MD, FRCPC, is a physician with board certifications in internal medicine and rheumatology. She is passionate about nutrition, environmental health and low toxicity living and has been researching and publishing information in this area for years.