Zinc Oxide
Also known as: ZnO, Mineral SPF
The only mineral filter that covers the full UV range alone. Great on paper, chalky in practice — unless the formulator earns their paycheck.
What It Does
Deep Dive
Zinc oxide sits on the surface of the skin and reflects/scatters UV rays across both UVA and UVB ranges — the only single mineral filter that achieves full broad-spectrum protection without chemical partners. It is non-sensitising, reef-safer than most chemical filters, and the recommended sunscreen base for pregnancy, rosacea, post-procedure skin, and infants. The trade-off is cosmetic: zinc oxide is naturally white, so formulas with high % and/or large particle sizes leave a visible cast, especially on deeper skin tones. Non-nano versions are safer for inhalation and marine environments. Korean and Japanese formulators have spent two decades engineering this cast out of existence; American and European formulas often haven't.
Sources
- [1]Zinc oxide as a UV filter: efficacy and safety
