Sunscreen Ingredients: A Mystery Explained

Sunscreen ingredients in many products read like a chemical factory: oxides, p-Aminobenzoic acid, octyl salicylates, trolamine salicylates. Most consumers have no idea what these chemicals do. Other ingredients listed include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which are paint pigments. Sunscreens are made from a mixture of chemicals, including active products that either blocks the sun from damaging the skin by reflecting the sunrays off the body or by absorbing sunlight before it reaches the skin. Inactive ingredients, like oils and enzymes, are designed to protect your skin both from the active ingredients and from the sun. Products that make the statement "chemical free," "organic," or "all natural" mean no unnaturally extracted chemicals ingredients are included. Although there may be natural ingredients included that do the same thing as the artificial ingredients included in other products.

L'Oreal sunscreens with mexoryl SX are particularly good at blocking UV-A from the skin. The chemical structure of this compound not only absorbs this UV range, it also resists breaking down as most UV-A absorbing compounds do. This provides longer protection.

Oxides typically block the sun from the skin. The same properties that make oxides good paint pigments make them excellent at protecting your skin from sunlight. And they also have mild antibiotic effects too. Zinc compounds are used in rash ointments. It's understandable that all natural sunscreens might seem appealing, but learn the facts about sunscreen compounds first. The real goal is to determine what sunscreen will work best on your skin type. Do avoid PABA-containing products; PABA is a carcinogen and stains clothing.

Always discover what's in your sun protection before putting it on. Look for sunscreens that effectively block both UV-B and UV-A. You only get one skin; protect it properly.