In this article:
What’s the difference between mineral and synthetic sunscreen ingredients?
Which sunscreen is best?
Which Paula’s Choice Skincare SPF products are best for my skin?
The research is clear: Everyone should wear sunscreen every day, rain, or shine, to prevent both skin cancer and skin’s premature ageing. But what if you don’t like wearing sunscreen, even though you know you should? Perhaps, in the past, your sunscreen products have caused breakouts, irritated your skin, or left an unpleasant look or feel. Those are all valid concerns, but the solution isn’t to ditch your sun protection. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman MD recommends “using an SPF every day even on a rainy day as UV light penetrates the clouds”.
Rather, it’s to find a formula that works for your skin type as it guards against the insidious, cumulative damage of unprotected sun exposure. This could take some experimentation, so it may be helpful to understand the differences between sunscreen ingredients—what they are, how they work, and how they feel on skin.
The two types of sunscreen ingredients are mineral and synthetic, and when properly formulated both are equally protective. Further reassuring is that each can be included in formulas created for every skin type. For example, if you have normal to oily skin, there are weightless, non-greasy options; if you have normal to dry skin, it’s possible to find skin-smoothing, hydrating SPF products.
What’s the difference between mineral and synthetic sunscreen ingredients?
The differences aren't about which type is more effective; rather, it comes down to personal preference and how sensitive your skin is—mineral sunscreens are considered the gentlest options.
- Mineral sunscreens: There are only two mineral sunscreen ingredients: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. They work in skin's uppermost layers to both absorb and, to a lesser extent, deflect and scatter the sun’s harmful rays. These mineral ingredients are sometimes referred to as physical sunscreens or physical blockers, although that’s not a factual representation of how they work.
- Synthetic sunscreens: There are over 30 synthetic sunscreen ingredients, all of which absorb into the top layers of skin, where they work similar to mineral sunscreens: by scattering and deflecting the sun’s harmful rays, and by converting UV rays into heat and “deactivating” them. (Don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing.) Common synthetic sunscreen ingredients include oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, and avobenzone. These are sometimes labeled “chemical sunscreens,” which is both misleading and false. All skin care ingredients, even water, are chemicals.
Interesting fact: In the world of skin care, mineral sunscreen ingredients are referred to as organic, but they aren’t. In the real world of science, mineral sunscreen ingredients are actually inorganic chemicals. Don’t let these marketing terms influence your decisions.
It’s important to know that there’s nothing inherently better or worse about formulas containing either mineral or synthetic sunscreen ingredients (or a blend of both types). What matters is that they protect your skin from sun damage. Yes, one or the other may be a better choice for your skin, but the ingredients themselves (not the vocabulary used to sell them) should help make that determination.
Which sunscreen is best?
As we said, the right sunscreen for you is the one you’ll look forward to applying daily. It should provide broad-spectrum protection to prevent damage from the sun’s killer UVA and UVB rays. Beyond that, to make an informed choice, you need to know how your skin type responds to different sunscreen ingredients and textures: those containing mineral actives, synthetic actives, or a combination of both.
Mineral sunscreens:
- Begin to work immediately on application but must be absorbed to be most effective and to ensure they don’t wipe off on clothing.
- Have almost no risk of irritating skin.
- May leave a white cast, especially on darker skin tones, but the best pure mineral sunscreens go on almost sheer or have a subtle tint to offset the white cast.
- May need more careful, liberal application because of the way they work in formulas. So, go ahead, slather these on for brilliant protection!
- Do not penetrate past skin's uppermost layers.
Synthetic sunscreens:
- Begin to work immediately on application but must be absorbed to be most effective and to ensure they don’t wipe off on clothing.
- Are generally found in products with thinner textures.
- Tend to be preferred for water-resistant formulas because they don’t turn milky looking when you sweat or get wet. But, as with any sunscreen, you must reapply them often when outdoors.
- Can be sensitising for those with extra-sensitive skin.
- Can penetrate the skin and be absorbed in small amounts that are not shown to have health risks.
Whichever sunscreen you choose, it’s crucial to use it year-round. Even if you think you’re not at risk for a sunburn, daylight—even through clouds—will age skin and increase the risk of skin cancer. Scary but true: The sun’s UVA rays come through windows. You won’t feel the damage, but it’s happening, nonetheless.
Which Paula’s Choice Skincare SPF products are best for my skin?
We can’t stress enough the importance of protecting skin daily with a moisturiser, primer, or foundation (better yet, all three) that contains SPF; which is why we’ve created a range of light-feeling, skin-nourishing sunscreen products for every skin type—all designed to help maintain your skin’s healthy appearance. It may take a bit of experimenting to find the formula your skin prefers, but the results will be well worth the effort.
If you’re prone to sensitivity or redness, try our mineral SPF moisturiser created for compromised skin. If your primary goal is anti-ageing, we’ve got you covered with a mineral-based wrinkle defence formula.
If a mineral sunscreen doesn’t seem like the best choice for your skin type, or if you’re looking for an extra-sheer SPF moisturiser for oily or ageing skin, one of our chemical/synthetic formulas will absolutely fit the bill.Learn more about sunscreen.
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References for this information:
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, November 2021, pages 819–828
International Journal of Women’s Dermatology, January 2021, pages 28–44
Science, February 2015, pages 842–847
Annals of Internal Medicine, June 2013, pages 781–790
Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, January 2013, pages 16–26
British Journal of Dermatology, February 2010, pages 415–419; and April 2007, pages 716–719
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, volume 73, number 2, 2007, pages 80–85
