Have you been struggling finding out what organic sunscreen is actually... organic? If you feel overwhelmed, you should know is totally normal and there's a lot of info on your plate!
Choosing self care products is almost an art, because it's not only about discovering what brands are organic -for real-, but also what products work fine with your skin type.
A long ago, we wrote an article explaining different types of products including sunscreen, but what if we tell you how to read labels?
YAS! A 100% useful info.
Go get your notebook and let's begin!
Mineral Sunscreen Vs Chemical Sunscreen labels:
Although all roads lead to Rome, some are better than others...
Same case with sunscreens! The choice is yours to make, but you have to think what's better for your skin.
Mineral sunscreens are best known as non-toxic sunscreen; these are made with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Good news is they are less harmful for the environment. Also, mineral sunblock works as a barrier and your skin won’t absorb it the same way that happens with regular chemical sunscreens.
You can identify them by looking at the labels and reading the active ingredients and inactive ingredients:
- Active Ingredients: These are what each formula uses to block UVA/UVB rays. If you want to take the Mineral Sunscreen option, you should look out for non-nano zinc oxide. Non-nano zinc oxide is a mineral-based nontoxic barrier that has a broad spectrum of protection.
You can also find some brands using titanium dioxide as the mineral barrier, but this option doesn't protect as much as zinc oxide does. - Inactive Ingredients: These are carrier ingredients, such as coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, among others. Regarding mineral sunscreen, this is a chill pill. But what you need to keep in mind is the list of NO-NO components included on Chemical Sunscreens.
Chemical sunscreens rely on ingredients that cause chemical reactions in order to absorb UV rays and protect your skin. If you have sensitive skin, this won't be your best choice!
Here's the NO-NO components list that are commonly included on chemical sunscreens:
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Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Homosalate, Octocrylene.
Why? because they break down when they absorb radiation and several of them have been pointed out as responsible for health risks. These ingredients are not only absorbed by the skin, but also remain in our blood for a long time, and basically blood runs around all of our organs -yeah, basically...-.
- Inactive Ingredients: You don't need to complicate yourself too much at this point, just remember the main villains of this chapter are fragrance, parfum, parabens, PEGs.
See? You don't need to have unlimited memory or to keep a long list in your pocket. These are the basics about learning how to read labels and taking a mindful choice when buying your sunscreen.
Now you are ready to do it on your own!
Enjoy this great summer and don't forget to follow @fivessoglow on instagram for more tips.
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Fivesso Team
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Source:
https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-read-suncreen-ingredient-label-4688898
https://thisorganicgirl.com/sunscreen-labels/