Physical vs Chemical Sunscreen. Which One Is Better For YOUR Face?
No matter what time of year it is, shielding your beautiful face from the sun should be top of mind!
Luckily more and more skincare brands are coming out with new sunscreen formulations — making it enjoyable for us to wear sunscreen!
Aside from being able to choose if you want a tinted, hydrating, mattifying, or glowy sunscreen there’s one more major thing to consider — do you want to use a physical sunscreen or a chemical sunscreen for your face?
In this post I’m going to break down both the pros and cons of each sunscreen to help you figure out which one is best for you and your skincare needs.
WHAT IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN?
The key difference is in how they work to protect you.
PHOTO CREDIT: HARKEN DERM
PHYSICAL SUNSCREENS
HOW DO PHYSICAL SUNSCREENS WORK?
Physical sunscreens (commonly known as mineral sunscreens) work by sitting on top of your skin, creating a physical barrier that shields it from the sun’s rays. Think of it as a blackout curtain that doesn’t let ANY light / UV rays into your room.
They are made up of these two ingredients: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
WHAT ARE THE PROS OF PHYSICAL SUNSCREEN?
Being that physical sunscreens sit on top of the skin rather than being absorbed into the skin many dermatologist consider it to be “safer” for pregnant women.
They offer the most broad-spectrum protection (against both UVA and UVB damage - including wrinkles, brown spots, and photoaging).
Zinc oxide sunscreens are often recommended for people with skin sensitivities, including acne, and are gentle enough to use on children.
PRO TIP: If you have acne prone skin look for oil-free or non-comedogenic on the label.
WHAT ARE THE CONS OF PHYSICAL SUNSCREEN?
Because they are more hydrating they tend to have a thicker consistency - so for some people they may feel too heavy.
They aren’t always as water resistant as chemical options because they sit on top of the skin and can be easily wiped off - so you may need to be more diligent about reapplication.
They can be a little more difficult to blend into the skin — leaving a white cast to the skin. If you have a darker skin tone this tends to be extra apparent.
PRO TIP: Newer brands now offer tinted versions that have less of a white cast and can even add a pretty bronzy glow.
CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS
HOW DO CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS WORK?
Unlike physical sunscreens - chemical sunscreens don’t sit on top of the skin to block rays. Instead, they absorb into your skin and feature active ingredients that absorb UV rays then release them from your body before causing damage.
These chemical UV filters include:
oxybenzone
avobenzone
octisalate
octocrylene
homosalate
octinoxate
WHAT ARE THE PROS OF CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN?
They tend to be easier to apply and blend than physical sunscreen.
They don’t leave behind the white residue that is often associated with physical sunscreens.
They tend to be less heavy making them more enjoyable for oily skin types.
They tend to be more sheer or completely sheer upon application.
WHAT ARE THE CONS OF CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN?
They are partially absorbed into the bloodstream - (potential side effects of this are still being studied but many women like to avoid using chemical sunscreens during pregnancy)
There are reef - safety concerns around the ingredients in chemical sunscreens and certain places such as Hawaii have banned them from being used or sold.
They may be more irritating to sensitive skin and acne prone skin than physical sunscreens.
The ingredient avobenzone is known to discolor blond hair giving it an orange tone.
WHAT’S BETTER - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN?
Both physical and chemical sunscreens come with pros and cons, but at the end of the day they both protect you — so the best one is the one you will actually wear every single day!
It took me years of trying more products than I can count before I found one I actually LOOK FORWARD to putting on every morning! These days we are so fortunate that sunscreens have drastically advanced, the formulas blend much better, and many even have secondary cosmetic benefits such as:
Sunscreens formulated with makeup products making its super easy to reapply every two hours.
Tinted sunscreens that give you a gorgeous summer glow year round and help blur your imperfections.
There are even ones that help to hydrate, or mattify your skin!
Now that you know the difference between the two here are some of my personal favorites with links attached!
SUPERGOOP MINERAL MATTESCREEN- A 100% mineral, oil-free sunscreen that helps leave skin looking mattified and poreless.
ANTHELIOS MINERAL SPF MOISTURIZER WITH HYALURONIC ACID - I love how this product has hyaluronic acid in it for extra hydration! You can apply this product before your makeup application.
ANTHELIOS MINERAL TINTED SUNSCREEN FOR FACE SPF 50 - I have used this tinted sunscreen for many years and I really love that its light weight and good for sensitive skin!
EltaMD UV CLEAR BROAD-SPECTRUM TINTED SPF 46 - So many of my friends rave about how pretty this looks and how good it feels on their skin !
SUPER GOOP - GLOWSCREEN SPF 40 - My morning ride or die! It’s a daily primer that leaves a dewy, glowy finish and preps skin for makeup, with SPF protection and major hydration — comes in two radiant shades! I wear golden hour!
UNSEEN SUNSCREEN SPF 40 - This is the original, totally invisible, weightless, scentless sunscreen with SPF 40 that leaves a velvety finish.
(RE)SETTING REFRESHING MIST SPF 40 - This setting mist is great to use for reapplying your sun protection every 2 hours if you have makeup on!
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