Mineral vs Chemical: Breaking Down the Sunscreen Debate

It’s official — summer is here. So, it’s time to get serious about sunscreen. As a recovering tanner, I understand first hand the destruction that the sun can wreak on our skin. I got diagnosed with a skin cancer on the side of my nose at 39 , the removal of which not only permanently scarred my face, but caused my nose to hook up slightly. Thankfully, I caught it early. Any later and I’d be missing part of my nose. That was my wake up call. I started wearing sunscreen everyday, rain or shine. But it’s not just skin cancer that we need to worry about.

The sun is your single biggest skin ager. Let me repeat that: nothing ages you faster than the sun. If you don’t believe me, just compare the skin on your left arm to the skin on your stomach (if you don’t sit out in a bikini) or your inner thigh. For most of us, the difference will be dramatic. The sun causes brown spots and redness while destroying the texture of your skin. Fine  lines, wrinkles and sagging ensue because sunlight breaks down our collagen and elastin.

So, we know we need to wear sunscreen, but which one’s best particularly given all the recent chatter on the mineral versus chemical sunscreen debate?  Here are my tips:

Wear a UVA/UVB Sunscreen Everyday

What kind of sunscreen — chemical, mineral or a combination of the two — is much less important than actually wearing one everyday. Rain or shine. Find a sunscreen that you like and make it part of your daily routine. Like brushing your teeth. Just make sure that it contains both UVA/UVB protection and has an SPF of 30 to 50.

Mineral Sunscreens Are Best, If You Can Afford Them

The Environmental Working Group recently released their sun safety sunscreen report filled with lots of great information. In it, they discuss the adverse effects of chemical sunscreens such as oxybenzone which is found in most sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens have been shown to be hormone disrupters and allergens. In the past, the purely mineral sunscreens on the market sucked. They went on like white glue. Today, however, there are a number of really great options, but they’re expensive. Drunk Elephant SPF 30, MD Solar Sciences SPF 50 and Coola Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 are all fantastic. They’re effective, feel great, moisturize and are unscented so they won’t aggravate sensitive skin. (NOTE: The Coola Face comes in both Unscented and Cucumber so make sure to choose the right one for you.)

Choose a Sunscreen with Dissolvable Zinc

One of the main benefits of the mineral sunscreens (other than not containing potentially harmful chemicals) is that they use dissolvable zinc oxide to protect your skin. You might remember zinc as the white goo that used to decorate every life guard’s nose in the summer. The beauty of zinc is that it forms a literal, physical barrier between the sun’s harmful rays and your skin. It’s also stable in sunlight meaning that it won’t breakdown as fast as its chemical cousins.

Personally, I use a combination sunscreen: Elta MD Broad Spectrum SPF 45. Containing 9% dissolvable zine, it’s fragrance-free and paraben-free, but does contain the mineral sunscreen octinoxate which is not as toxic as oxybenzone, but still suspect. Though not cheap, it’s less expensive than the purely mineral options though Drunk Elephant is comparable. So, when I run out, I’m going to give it a try. I mean, the skin is our body’s biggest organ so keeping it free of harmful chemicals just seems smart. Don’t you agree?