When shopping for sunscreen products, you may come across the ingredient Zinc Oxide, a buzzword in the skincare sector, and wonder what this substance is. Zinc oxide is a common ingredient in skincare products that has some benefits when applied to the skin. Read on to find out what this ingredient does and how it can help your skin look and feel its best.

What is Zinc Oxide?

Zinc Oxide, as an inorganic UV filter (mineral) in sunscreens, is usually more chemically inert, making it ideal for sensitive and baby skin. Mineral sunscreens, in general, protect the skin by absorbing, scattering, and reflecting harmful UV radiation. Zinc oxide is well known for protecting against a broad spectrum of UV rays, and it is the only mineral filter famous for providing full broad-spectrum protection.

Zinc Oxide for Skin Photoprotection

Zinc oxide, a powdery white ingredient before it's mixed into a cream product, is a common and important active ingredient in physical sunscreens. Together with titanium dioxide, this ingredient is the two main mineral sunscreens available that offer great mineral-based protection. 

Zinc oxide is a physical UV filter that reflects and scatters damaging UVA and UVB rays of the skin’s surface to help to prevent sunburn and long-term sun damage. Unlike chemical UV filters in some sunscreens that penetrate the skin's uppermost layers to absorb UV rays before damaging deeper layers, physical sunscreen ingredients like zinc oxide form a barrier or shield-like UV barrier on the skin’s surface, reflecting UV rays away from the skin.

Physical Sunscreens and Chemical Sunscreens?

Active ingredients in physical and chemical sunscreens work in different ways to protect the skin from sunlight. Physical sunscreens, like Zinc Oxide, form a physical shield-like barrier to UV light and reflect rays away from your skin. Instead, chemical sunscreens work in the top layers of your skin and absorb UV rays before they penetrate the skin’s deeper layers.

Who should use Zinc Oxide?

Zinc oxide is a physical UV filter with a low known risk of skin irritation and inflammation, which means that sunscreens containing zinc oxide can be suitable for all skin types, including babies and those with sensitive skin.

How it should be used?

Proper application is essential to maximize zinc oxide's effectiveness, so always apply enough zinc oxide sunscreen to exposed skin before 30 minutes of sun exposure and reapply at least every two hours after swimming, sweating, or towel-drying. It would be best if you got a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher; consider something containing this proven substance.

Choosing BeautiPura® Zinc Oxide Products 

Protect your skin from the sun with a powerful, lightweight yet effective face sunscreen. BeautiPura® EXTRA CARE SUNSCREEN BROAD-SPECTRUM SPF 50 is a revolutionary sunscreen that shields skin from the main causes of damage, with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that form a shield-like barrier on your skin’s surface to help reflect the sun’s UVA and UVB rays without irritating sensitive skin.

Botanically derived ingredients are 100% safe with clinically proven efficacy, protection against UVA and UVB rays naturally, 24h deep Hydration, and SPF50 with physical filters, without using nanotechnology. Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.