Do you know what's in your suncream? 🫣

What’s really in your suncream?

Have you ever stopped to consider the ingredients in your sunscreen? The chemicals you're applying to your skin and potentially absorbing into your bloodstream are a topic worth exploring.

What made me start questioning sunscreens?

It all started on holiday when I pulled out a bottle of P20 sunscreen, a product I'd trusted for years due to its high protection. Its oily texture never bothered me, and I always felt safe using it.

But something happened that made me second-guess everything. While applying it one day, I accidentally spilled some onto a painted wooden floor. As I wiped it up, I noticed the paint coming off with the sunscreen. My immediate thought was: If this sunscreen can strip paint, what could it possibly be doing to my skin—and my body? 🤔

That moment made me reconsider what I was really putting on my skin every time I applied sunscreen…

Click here to get the short and sweet version :)

Decoding Sunscreen: What's Really in Your Bottle?

Sunscreens are made up of three primary components:

Excipients: These are the base materials that give the cream its texture and consistency.

Additives: This category includes preservatives, fragrances, and other active substances.

UV Filters: These are the key ingredients that protect against UV radiation.

While UV filters are crucial for sun protection, studies have shown that some of these filters can degrade when exposed to sunlight, producing reactive oxygen substances that can damage skin cells and contribute to premature aging and an increased risk of skin cancer.

UV filters

These UV filters come in two categories:

Organic aka Chemical blockers 🧪💧

Inorganic aka Physical blockers 🛡️🌿

Organic means it chemical based where as inorganic means it mineral based.

(I know it’s confusing because organic is usually the better category to pick however in this case the organic filters are the dangerous ones was want to try and avoid!)

Sunscreens do typically contain a combination of both filters to ensure comprehensive UV coverage. However, the chemicals penetrate the skin, get absorbed into our bloodstream and are toxic for our body!

Some of the most common ingredients might be; aminobenzoic acid, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, and oxybenzone, alongside PABA and derivatives, cinnamates, salicylates and many more.

Now, for me, not being able to pronounce some of those chemicals is a red alarm for me. If I can’t easily pronounce it, and I haven’t heard of it before I don’t think a synthetically lab made chemical should be put all over my body, in the heat, and for all those chemicals flowing around my body, disrupting my hormones, building up over time and causing bodily functional issues.

Some effects of organic (chemical) filters: ⚠️

Several organic filters have been associated with endocrine disruption from multiple sources
Benzophenone-3 has systemic effects on sex and thyroid hormone
If skin barrier is compromised, filters are absorbed more rapidly and have been found in breast milk, placental tissues, and urine with eased incidence of neonatal dysfunction.
Benzophenone-3 and/ or Oxybenzone, have multiple endocrine disrupting effects, accumulate in the body, pollute the environment, cause skin reactions, and enter the bloodstream through the skin, which passes into breast milk.
There is also evidence of neurotoxicity and ecotoxicity affecting many aquatic species

Organic sunscreens might seem convenient and have a clear finish, but it's important to know that they contain synthetic chemicals that can be harmful once absorbed into your body.

So what about inorganic UV filters then?

Mineral-based sunscreens, usually contain ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, offering a safer and more effective option for sun protection. 😊

These inorganic particles sit on the skin's surface, reflecting UV rays away and providing a physical barrier against sun damage. Unlike organic filters, mineral-based ingredients are generally not absorbed into the bloodstream, making them less likely to cause irritation, allergies, or systemic health issues.

Zinc oxide also usually has a less noticeable white cast than titanium dioxide.

However, be aware that many store-bought sunscreens contain added chemicals designed to ensure a smooth application and minimise the white cast. However, these additives come at a cost. The choice is yours: opt for the extra chemicals for ease of use and vanity, or embrace a little extra effort to rub in a natural sunscreen with a slight white cast.

I like to opt for zinc oxide as it is more effective in blocking UVA rays, which are the rays that penetrate deeper into the skin. I even go one step further to avoid these substances entering into my blood stream by looking for non nano zinc oxide as the active ingredient!

Nano-zinc oxide and non-nano zinc oxide differ in particle size. Nano-zinc oxide particles are significantly smaller, which can increase their ability to penetrate the skin and potentially be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Which do I choose? 🤷‍♀️

Since most sunscreens contain 15 to 20+ ingredients most to all of which are chemicals, it's important to watch out for the most harmful ones mentioned earlier. Ideally, choose a mineral-based sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, aiming for products with fewer ingredients. Also, avoid spray sunscreens, as they come with additional risks.

If your are going to choose a chemical based suncream there are two chemicals that are apparently the safest chemical filters called Avobenzone and Mexoryl SX. However, personally I’m not going to risk it.

Some of my favourite brands are:

Badger - my favourite as it only contains 5 ingredients including non nano Zinc Oxide

Think sport

Beauty by Earth

Via Nature

Fierce Nature

Takeaways:

In an ideal world, I would recommend a mineral-based sunscreen with non-nano zinc oxide. 🤩

Aim to avoid products with too many synthetic chemicals, as they can penetrate the skin, enter the bloodstream, and potentially disrupt various bodily functions.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Now that you're informed, take a moment to review the ingredients list before making your next sunscreen purchase. While perfection may not always be possible, keeping this knowledge in mind will help you make better choices—and your body will thank you for it!

#Suncream #SunscreenIngredients #ChemicalFree #MineralSunscreen #SkincareAwareness #NaturalProtection

Studies Used:

López-Hortas, L., Torres, M. D., Falqué, E., & Domínguez, H. (2020). Organic UV filter loaded nanocarriers with broad spectrum photoprotection. In Nanocosmetics: Fundamentals, Applications and Toxicity (pp. 127-140). Micro and Nano Technologies.
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. (n.d.). How Does Sunscreen Work? [Website]. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/how-does-sunscreen-work.h00-159698334.html
White, T. (2022, June 22). Sunscreen: Uncovering its impact. Harvard Health Publishing. [Website]. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-science-of-sunscreen
Ballestín, S. S., & Luesma Bartolomé, M. J. (2023). Toxicity of different chemical components in sun cream filters and their impact on human health: A review. Applied Sciences, 13(2), 712. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020712
Maier, T., & Korting, H. C. (2005). Sunscreens – Which and What for? Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 18(3), 253-262.
Matta MK, Florian J, Zusterzeel R, et al. Effect of Sunscreen Application on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020;323(3):256–267. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.20747
Environmental Working Group. (2024). The trouble with sunscreen chemicals. [Website]. https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/