Using Mineral Sunscreen Correctly

The earliest sign that mineral sunscreen needs a closer look is usually a label. A word such as "natural" or "physical" sits on the front, and the reader assumes the rest. This page takes the stages in order, from the label to the decision about what to keep in the bag. For wider reading on sunlight and skin, MedlinePlus publishes a page on aging skin and sunlight.

The label word that is easy to misread

The Skin Cancer Foundation addresses the wording directly: "Some people may think of physical sunscreens as more “natural,” or even “organic,” but they’re actually inorganic mineral compounds." The wording on the front and the ingredients inside are two separate things to check, which is why this first stage is easy to miss.

What mineral means

The same publisher defines the mineral side: "Here’s how the two types of sunscreen work for you: Inorganic, or mineral (sometimes still called “physical”) sunscreen ingredients, including titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, stay on top of the skin." The ingredient names in that description are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Reading the back of the bottle

With those two names in hand, turn the bottle over. Look at the active ingredients and compare them with what the Skin Cancer Foundation describes as mineral. Its description says "including," so those two names are examples, and the foundation's full page is the place to check anything else you find on a label.

Where to read the full explanation

The Skin Cancer Foundation's page on sunscreen is the source for the second quotation above. Reading it in full goes further than this short page does.

Confirm the type from the ingredient list

Before the next stage arrives, decide which kind of sunscreen you intend to use and confirm it from the ingredient list rather than the front label. If you want to read beyond sunscreen, the Skin Cancer Foundation also keeps a hub on skin cancer prevention.