why do we love zinc oxide in our sunscreen?

Sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as their only active ingredients—like Project Sunscreen—are considered physical or mineral sunscreens. As opposed to chemical sunscreens, the active ingredients of physical/mineral sunscreens are not absorbed into the skin. They sit on top of the skin and block UV radiation from penetrating. We consider them safer than chemical sunscreens and less likely to cause skin irritation and allergy.

Another major reason we love zinc oxide is that it's the only sunscreen ingredient that protects against the entire spectrum of UVA and UVB, something that no other sunscreen component can do. People often use the term “SPF” interchangeably with “sunscreen.” SPF (sun protection factor) only gives you information on the degree of UVB protection, but it doesn’t tell you anything about UVA. This is unfortunate as UVA is responsible for aging and most of the long-term effects we see from the sun. So if you want protection from UVA rays (you do!), then you'll want to choose a sunscreen containing zinc oxide—like Project Sunscreen!

Read more about zinc oxide on our Q&A page about zinc oxide.