If you have looked into the environmental impact of sun creams and lotions, you will know that mineral UV filters are better for our planet. But do mineral sunscreens work?
It’s a very important question, given how vital using sunscreen is for the health of our skin. The vast majority of sunscreens you can buy nowadays contain chemical UV filters.
Unfortunately, numerous studies have shown that they have a negative impact on marine life. (Caloni et al., 2021, Kim et al., 2014, Carve et al., 2020)
And while no sunscreen is 100% safe for the environment, scientists seem to agree that mineral or inorganic sunscreens are the best option for our planet at the moment. (Schneider et al., 2018)
So mineral UV filters are the most eco-friendly alternatives to chemical sunscreens, which means these are the ones to use if you are concerned about your impact on our environment. Because stopping to use sunscreen altogether isn’t an option.
But why do most sun lotions and creams contain chemical UV filters? Do mineral ones not work as well? Let’s find out…
Effectiveness Of Chemical And Mineral Sunscreens
There is a common belief that these two types of UV filters work in different ways. Many people think that chemical or organic filters absorb UV radiation while mineral or inorganic ones reflect it. This has led to the latter being called physical sunscreens or sun blockers.
However, science has since proven that inorganic filters also mostly absorb UV radiation. (Cole et al., 2015)
One difference though is that most chemical filters only absorb UVB rays, although some also work for UVA radiation. Mineral filters are classed as broad spectrum filters, because they protect against both UVA and UVB radiation. (Serpone et al., 2005)
Is this important? Yes it is. The UVB rays only penetrate the outer layer of our skin, whereas UVA rays penetrate your skin further. Only by preventing both types of radiation from penetrating your skin, will you be fully protected.
However, it has to be said that a combination of the two mineral filters (Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide) that are used in cosmetics gives the best protection. That’s because the ability of those filters to absorb UVA and UVB rays isn’t the same.
Studies have shown that Titanium Dioxide is better at absorbing UVB rays, whereas Zinc Oxide does better with UVA radiation. Hence, a combination of both gives the best protection. (Smijs et al., 2011)
Some scientists even believe that mineral sunscreens are more effective than chemical ones. So why do most sunscreens contain chemical UV filters?
Mineral Sunscreens Leave Your Skin Appear Whitish
One of the differences between organic and inorganic UV filters is how they behave once you have distributed the lotion or cream on your skin. Chemical filters are absorbed by the skin, whereas mineral ones aren’t.
The latter forms a protective layer on your skin. And while mineral filters mostly absorb UV radiation, they reflect visible light. This then makes your skin appear whitish, which many people don’t like. Applying a sun cream or lotion that contains inorganic filters is also less smooth, because the filters aren’t absorbed by the skin.
Again, this can put people off, which is why most sunscreen manufacturers use chemical filters, despite the fact that they have a negative impact on our environment.
There is a way to make sunscreens using mineral UV filters more smooth and transparent: changing the size of the particles. Using nano-sized Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide makes the sunscreen easier to apply and will prevent whitish skin.
That’s because the nano particles are small enough to be absorbed by the skin. However, this then also changes their ability to absorb UVA radiation, instead they become better at absorbing UVB rays. A mix of different sized UV filter particles could be the solution here. (Smijs et al., 2011)
Another issue with nano particles is that they have a bigger environmental impact than larger particles (Wong et al., 2020). This means that if you want to use the most eco-friendly sunscreen, you might have to put up with your skin having a white, chalky appearance.
I don’t mind that, but it’s a question of preference. But you should know that not only do mineral sunscreens work very well to protect you from UV radiation, they have other benefits too.
Advantages Of Mineral Sunscreens
Of course, for me the biggest advantage of mineral sunscreens is the fact that they are better for the environment, as long as they are used in non-nano form, that is. But here are some other benefits that make mineral sunscreens a winner.
1. Safer For Your Health
Chemical or organic UV filters are absorbed by the skin, which means they can enter various parts of our body unaltered (Matta et al., 2020). Because of this they are seen as more concerning to human health by scientists.
But it also means that they can cause skin allergies and irritation. Especially people with sensitive skin might find that sun creams or lotions that contain chemical UV filters can cause issues for their skin.
Because non-nano mineral or inorganic UV filters don’t get absorbed into the skin, as they are too big, they are less likely to cause risks to our health. It’s telling that the US medication and drug approval body, the FDA, only classifies two UV filters as safe, Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, both of which are mineral filters.
And inorganic UV filters are also less likely to irritate your skin or cause allergies. (Ekstein et al., 2023) Zinc Oxide can actually help your skin. It’s used in products like acne treatments to stop outbreaks. So if you’re acne prone, a mineral sunscreen could be good for your skin in more ways than one.
I have used both chemical and mineral sunscreens and when I use the former, my skin does get itchy.
But with mineral sunscreens, that doesn’t happen. So using sunscreens that contain Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide isn’t just better for our planet, but also for your health.
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2. Works Immediately
If you follow the instructions on the bottle, you know that with chemical sunscreens you have to wait around 10 to 30 minutes after application before you can go into the sun. That’s because you have to wait until the UV filters have been absorbed into your skin for them to work.
I find that quite annoying, I don’t know about you. The good news is that with mineral sunscreens the wait is over, because they work as soon as you have applied them. That’s because they aren’t absorbed by the skin.
Once they form a layer on your skin, they start to absorb, scatter and deflect UV rays, and therefore protect you from the harmful UV radiation.
That alone is a good reason for me to switch to sun lotions and creams that contain only mineral UV filters.
3. Lasts Longer
Chemical UV filters degrade when they are hit by UV radiation. (Ekstein et al., 2023) This means that they lose their ability to absorb the sun’s rays. As a consequence, you have to keep reapplying the sun cream or lotion every 2 hours or so.
Mineral UV filters on the other hand don’t degrade, which means they continue to protect you for longer. However, they are easily washed away by water or sweat. So if you are doing something that makes you sweat a lot or if you go for a swim, you will have to reapply a mineral sunscreen as well.
Yes, Mineral Sunscreens Work
As you can see, there is more than just one reason to switch to mineral sunscreens. For me the main one is that it’s a better choice for our environment. But the others are pretty convincing too.
What’s most important though is that you don’t compromise your health and that’s why I wanted to address the question of do mineral sunscreens work. The scientific evidence is quite clear, they do.
In some respects, mineral UV filters are actually better than their chemical counterparts, because they are broad spectrum filters. This means they protect from UVA and UVB radiation, which is vital for the health of our skin.
So if you want to make the right choice for the planet and for yourself, ditch chemical sunscreens and opt for non-nano mineral ones instead. And the good news is that there are eco-friendly sunscreens available in the UK.
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Our Top 3 Eco-Friendly Sunscreen Picks
| Products | SPF Available | Sun Protection | Value For Money | My Rating | Full Review | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 50 and 30 | Outstanding | Excellent | 4.85 | Read Review | Visit Website |
 | 30 | Excellent | Outstanding | 4.8 | Read Review | Visit Website |
 | 25 | Excellent | Great | 4.77 | Read Review | Visit Website |
