How To Choose The Best Sunscreen

Everyone, including people of color, needs sun protection to prevent premature aging and skin cancer. But, not all sunscreens are the same. Read more on how to choose the best one for you.

Sun exposure is nearly 85% responsible for signs of skin aging (e.g. Fine lines and wrinkles from collagen breakdown) and age spots (hyperpigmentation). Besides also causing burns and tanning, UV (ultraviolet) radiation from sun exposure causes over 90% of all skin cancer by permanently altering the DNA in your skin.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)² estimates that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives and that, “approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.’ In fact, one bad sunburn in childhood doubles your risk of developing melanoma (deadly skin cancer) later in life¹.

The bottom line? All skin types and tones require year-round sun protection regardless of the weather (sunny, cloudy, cold, etc.). Because there are hundreds of sunscreen brands available, you can narrow down your choices by understanding that there are two main types—chemical and physical.

Read on to learn about the differences between sunscreen types, what ‘SPF’ means, and ingredient safety so that you can make a safe and effective choice for your skin.

Chemical vs. Physical Sunscreen: What’s The Difference?

How does sunscreen work? By absorbing UV rays before they have a chance to interact with the skin. There are two different types of sunscreen—chemical and physical (also known as mineral sunscreen), and each works differently.

CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN

A chemical sunscreen is formulated using organic ingredients that penetrate the skin. Easily spread across the skin like a lightweight lotion, chemical sunscreens do not leave the visibly whitish residue that most physical sunscreens are known for.

Because they spread so easily and leave no visible residue, chemical sunscreens typically require less product per application than physical sunscreens and are a popular option. However, the fact that their ingredients are small enough to penetrate the skin and even enter the bloodstream is a growing concern among consumers.

Another concern with chemical sunscreens is that they work by first absorbing sunlight and heat into the skin, then scattering or reflecting it away. In darker skin tones, this can actually worsen hyperpigmentation as the skin heats up in the presence of sunlight. For this reason, chemical sunscreens are NOT appropriate for use immediately following an exfoliation treatment (e.g. Chemical peel, enzyme peel, microdermabrasion, etc.)

The following active ingredients are commonly found in chemical sunscreens:

Oxybenzone: Absorbs UVA and UVB rays (broad-spectrum protection)
Octocrylene: Asorbs UVA and UVB rays (broad-spectrum protection)
Avobenzone: Absorbs UVA rays
Octinoxate: Absorbs UVB rays
Octisalate: Absorb UVB rays
Homosalate: Absorbs UVB rays

PHYSICAL SUNSCREEN

A physical sunscreen is formulated with inorganic minerals (metal oxides) that sit on top of the skin to offer broad-spectrum protection. They are often formulated to feel thicker in consistency than a chemical sunscreen, and do not penetrate the skin due to the large molecular structure of their mineral ingredients.

Although physical sunscreens may feel heavier on the skin, they are usually non-comedogenic, meaning that the minerals will not clog your pores!

For this reason, physical sunscreens usually require more product use per application and may leave a slightly white film on the skin giving an ashy appearance. However, many brands are starting improving the look and feel of physical sunscreens to offer the same protection with no residue.

Titanium Dioxide: Absorbs UVA and UVB rays
Zinc Oxide: Absorbs UVA, UVB,and blue light

Which Sunscreen Should You Choose?

Sunscreen provides protection by absorbing harmful UV rays from the sun before they can interact with your skin cells. There are two types of UV radiation that you should be concerned about—UVA and UVB rays.

UVA: Primary cause of aging (fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, age spots), alters DNA, and causes cancer.
UVB: Primary cause of sunburns, tans, and prolonged hyperpigmentation following skin injuries, inflammation, or breakouts.

Physical (zinc-based) sunscreens are best for darker skin especially when attempting to fade dark spots or hyperpigmentation because they scatter and reflect light rather than absorbing it into the skin. Chemical sunscreens allow sunlight to first penetrate the skin before absorbing its rays, which heats up the skin and can worsen pigmentation.

Regardless of which type you use, look for the term “broad-spectrum” on your sunscreen label to ensure protection against both types of UV rays.

Which SPF Should I Use?

The sun protection factor (SPF) is a measure of time that helps one to determine how long a sunscreen will provide protection from burning UVB radiation. It is multiplied by the amount of time (in minutes) that your skin type can tolerate direct sun exposure without burning to determine the total length of protection time.

For example, if your skin burns after 10 minutes in the sun, an SPF 30 sunscreen will provide (10 minutes x 30) 300 minutes of sun protection (5 hours). For best results and lasing protection, sunscreen every 2 hours or less depending on your product and the amount of direct sun exposure.

Here’s a quick guide as to the amount of UVB radiation that is prevented from reaching the skin when wearing sunscreen:

SPF 15: Up to 93% protection
SPF 30: Up to 97% protection
SPF 50: Up to 98% protection

Does Melanin Prevent Sun Damage?

Due to an abundance of active melanin, darker skin of color can absorb UV radiation, tan accordingly, and it rarely burns. However, melanin alone does not provide full sun protection, especially from the aging, DNA-altering, and carcinogenic effects of UVA rays.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation³, “skin cancers are less prevalent in nonwhite racial ethnic groups, but when they occur, they tend to be diagnosed at a later stage and, as a result, have a worse prognosis.” So, although rare, skin cancer does affect skin of color and because it goes unnoticed for so long, it has often progressed to a much more terminal state once discovered.

Is Sunscreen Safe?

Although both chemical and physical sunscreens have the potential to provide broad-spectrum protection (from cancer-causing UVA and burning UVB radiation), chemical sunscreens require more ingredients to achieve this level of protection and may be more irritating to sensitive skin than a physical sunscreen.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG)⁴, a 2019 update from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on sunscreen regulations reported that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide were the only two active sunscreen ingredients found to be safe and effective based on the data available at that time. This is likely due to the fact that they do not penetrate the skin.

The EWG article also mentioned that chemical sunscreen ingredients “oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone are systemically absorbed into the body after one use.” Research from the FDA showed that these ingredients could still be found on the skin, in the bloodstream, breastmilk, and urine for weeks after an individual had stopped using the products containing them.

Although chemical sunscreens conveniently penetrate the skin for easy application and require less product per application, there may be a downside to their continued use over time.

So, which is the best sunscreen? That depends on your skin type, skin tone, and skin care goals!

Please do you research, act in moderation when it comes to your health. Most importantly, see your esthetician frequently so that they can customize an treatment plan that helps you achieve your skin care goals.

References

Batsaras, Y., et al. (2020). Milady Standard Esthetics Fundamentals: 1st Edition. Milady.
Skin cancer. (22 April 2022). American Academy of Dermatology Association. https://www.aad.org/media/stats-skin-cancer
Skin cancer & skin of color. (January 2022). The Skin Cancer Foundation. https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-skin-of-color
The trouble with ingredients in sunscreens. (n.d.). Environmental Working Group. https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals

POST A COMMENT BELOW: How often do you wear sunscreen?

How To Choose The Best Sunscreen