Natural sunscreen

Spring and summer bring warmer temperatures and long sunny days that lure us outside. While we’re enjoying the warm rays and the relaxation, we shouldn’t forget to protect our skin. Sun protection isn’t just an important part of our daily skincare routine but it’s also crucial to the long-term health of our skin.

These days you can find a vast range of sunscreen products but one ingredient of natural sunscreens stands out: zinc oxide. But why is that the case? And how does this mineral sunscreen filter differ from its synthetic counterparts? We explain.

Mineral vs. synthetic sunscreen

Before we look at zinc oxide, it’s important to know that there are two main types of sunscreen: mineral and synthetic.
Mineral sunscreen – also known as physical sunscreen – uses natural minerals such as zinc oxide to protect the skin. These minerals form a kind of protective shield directly on the surface of the skin which reflects and disperses the UV rays.

Synthetic sunscreen, on the other hand, uses chemical substances that absorb the UV rays and render them harmless after they have penetrated into the skin.

Zinc oxide: the natural mineral sunscreen star

Zinc oxide offers broad spectrum protection from UV-B and UV-A rays which makes it a key element in sunscreen. While UV-B rays can cause sunburn on the skin, UV-A rays are associated with premature skin ageing. Some research findings even suggest that overexposing the skin to UV-B and UV-A rays can also affect the immune system. Another advantage of zinc oxide is that it starts working as soon as it’s applied because it stays on the surface of the skin as a mineral filter, and does not penetrate it, allowing for fast protection without any waiting time.
In addition, zinc oxide is very well tolerated by the skin, reducing the risk of skin irritation. This means that the risk of skin irritation can be minimised compared with chemical alternatives.

And what about whitening?

A frequent concern with mineral sunscreen is whitening – when the sun cream leaves a visible white film on the skin. However, we have good news for those who value aesthetics as well as effective protection. Our FRESH sunscreen & FRESH sunscreen face with natural mineral sun protection take this point into consideration, and they offer a solution that doesn’t compromise your looks, while still protecting your skin.