As we are gearing up for more sunshine with this summer weather officially upon us this blazing August, I wanted to do a post on sunscreen and the difference between mineral sunscreen vs chemical sunscreen and focus on more natural and non toxic sunscreen. If you’ve seen in the news previously, various tropical locations have banned chemical sunscreens to help preserve ocean life. When we went to Mexico a few years ago our sea turtle trip got canceled and replaced with something else because the country actually closed the exhibits to tourism, as the turtles and coral reefs had so much damage (tumors on the turtles, damage to the coral reefs). Since then I believe Key West and Hawaii have also banned chemical sunscreens as far as US territories go, and I am sure more are to come, favoring mainly mineral sunscreen. 

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So what is the difference between them mineral vs chemical sunscreen and and what is the deal with the chemical sunscreens?

Mineral sunscreens physically block the UV rays

  • Zinc Oxide and Titanium dioxide are generally recognized as safe, safe for reefs, and safe for babies and children, and generally pregnancy safe sunscreens.  

Chemical sunscreens convert the UV rays into heat, and release from skin

  • Oxybenzone – rates 8 on EWG – was one of the most widely used in many available sunscreens on the market, and is of particular concern as it is a hormone disruptor and can adversely affect adults AND children. It’s highly absorbed by the skin and there’s concern for systemic, or total body toxicity, allergenicity, and has been detected in many bodily fluids including human breast milk, amniotic fluid, urine and blood. Children are more susceptible due to bioaccumulation and the potential for endocrine disruption isn’t good for development.
  • Avobenzone – rates 1-2 which is very low risk 
  • Homosalate – rates 2-4 – classified as “expected to be harmful” in Canada, absorbs into skin, suspected environmental toxin 
  • Octinoxate – rates 5, hormone disruptor with strong evidence 
  • Octisalate – rates 1-3 – which is also low risk, can stabilize Avobenzone
  • Octocrylene – rates 2-3 – absorbed into body, possible allergen, found in fish

What has the FDA done about this?

In September 2021, the FDA posted its deemed final order and proposed order for over-the-counter sunscreen, which aims to update a few things surrounding over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreens. Some proposed items I wanted to highlight below: 

  • Updating the maximum SPF to 60+
  • Updating safety status of Active ingredients:
    • Only Zinc oxide and Titanium dioxide are Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective (GRASE) status
    • Not GRASE status for Aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and trolamine salicylate due to safety concerns 
    • Not GRASE status for the rest of the chemical sunscreens due to needing more data to support safety – cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, padimate O, sulisobenzone, oxybenzone, and avobenzone. 
      • I haven’t even heard of some of these! But that’s a bunch of the chemical ones I mentioned above! 
  • All sunscreens with SPF 15 and higher should satisfy broad spectrum requirements (including UVA protection specifically in addition to UVB) 
  • Sunscreen + insect repellent combination products proposed to change to not GRASE status due incompatible labeling between FDA and EPA which could result in improper use and poor sun protection.

So let’s get into the natural sunscreen details:

It will be great to get more data on the above chemical sunscreen ingredients, although I am not sure when these proposed rules will go into effect. In the meantime, I am sticking to mineral sunscreen and non toxic sunscreen. I now only use sunscreen with the active ingredient of ZINC OXIDE, or TITANIUM DIOXIDE or both. You can break this down even further into non-nano zinc, which I haven’t really gotten the nitty gritty on yet. I can do more research on this and update this post later on. 

I also typically don’t go for anything over SPF 30 or 40, anything super high doesn’t make much of a difference I’ve read, and can just give us a false sense of protection! So I usually aim for SPF 30 or so and try to reapply often! Another benefit I have seen with mineral sunscreen is that they work immediately, since it’s a physical block, versus the chemical ones typically say apply 15-20min before sun exposure so that they can absorb into skin first. Some sunscreen is better than none when you are thinking about long term skin cancer prevention, but there are some chemical ones that are better than others. I believe mineral sunscreen is the safest choice we can make for ourselves and our little ones, as well as what I would consider the best pregnancy safe sunscreen as well. Of course always check with your medical provider, I’m simply giving my opinion and research here! 

How do non-toxic mineral sunscreens apply to the skin?

The main con with mineral sunscreens is that they leave a “white cast” on your skin – I have found some are definitely better than others, and most rub in better on dry skin. For your face, there are incredible tinted mineral SPF products out there now – I haven’t gotten sunburn on my face since I started using my favorite below, and it photographs beautifully as well! They also have mineral powder SPF that you can put over makeup or SPF that you can layer under makeup as well such as the Suntegrity below. 

Now let’s take a look at some of the best natural sunscreens:

best non toxic mineral sunscreen
Best non toxic mineral sunscreens

Best Tinted Face SPF  – Suntegrity Impeccable Skin SPF 30 

Suntegrity-natural-face-sunscreen
Best natural-tinted-mineral-sunscreen
  • This product is literally the best. I use this daily over my face balm (I find it applies better directly after your moisturizer), and I find 1 pump is all I need for my entire face. If I am going to work or going out I usually top with some bronzer and eye makeup and voila, perfect flawless face with SPF coverage! I have literally worn this as a base for weddings where I was a bridesmaid and just added some concealer and extra bronzer etc – and find it looks gorgeous. I just got my mom hooked too. 
  • I use the shade BUFF for reference, if you look at many of my recent photos, I am certainly wearing this in almost all of them! 
  • Others I have wanted to try: Tower 28 and Ilia, however, I can’t pull myself away from the Suntegrity. I always have a backup tube ready when I am running low, and I do find it lasts a really long time as it’s a 2oz tube. 

Favorite body SPF – Suntegrity natural mineral body sunscreen SPF 30

Non-toxic-mineral-sunscreen
Suntegrity natural mineral body sunscreen
  • We love this one here at the Fama house – I find it rubs in decently well, and I usually scoop it up when it’s on sale! I find it also works really well. 
  • I consider this a super pregnancy safe and kid safe mineral sunscreen – I use it, Mike uses it and Dempsey too! It’s for the whole family in my opinion! 
  • I personally love the scented option, scented with citrus essential oils but they also make an unscented version if you are avoiding all fragrance or have any allergies or sensitivities. 

Favorite Baby SPF – Badger tangerine – vanilla sunscreen SPF 40 

Favorite kids mineral sunscreen
  • This sunscreen smells absolutely amazing and goes on really nice and less white-cast than others.  I go back and forth with what I have on hand for Dempsey – between this one and the Suntegrity. 
  • Badger does make unscented versions as well if you are completely anti-fragrance. I typically avoid synthetic fragrance as much as possible, but haven’t cut out alllll fragrance yet – usually try to make sure it’s essential oil based or phthalate free especially for Dempsey. The Tangerine-Vanilla is scented with tangerine peel oil and vanilla fruit extract. 

There are others out there that are on my radar to try next – We have Tubby Todd sunscreen for Dempsey on standby which looks like it’s both Titanium and Zinc based – we love Tubby Todd’s bath products for Dempsey, so I am hoping we love their sunscreen too and their SPF lip balms! 

Babo and Think Sport or Think Baby were on my radar but haven’t tried yet. 

For us adults, I’m pretty hooked on Suntegrity, but have tried a few others, some okay and some that I did not love. 

  • Bare Republic – Actually enjoyed this one, the spray and the face sunscreen worked well and rubbed in well, it’s mineral sunscreen based not sure if it’s the cleanest option out there regarding the rest of the ingredients but it’s available on Amazon and Target in a pinch! 
  • All Good sunscreen was SUPER thick and so hard to apply, I wouldn’t recommend it. 
  • Garden Goddess makes a spray that barely rubbed in as a spray it was not good at all. 

What mineral sunscreens have you tried and loved or hated? Share below or message me on insta! @sarahfamastory 

Hope this is helpful and go enjoy that sunshine for the remaining few weeks of summer! *I’m not crying you’re crying* but then also bring on all the fall breezy weather and outfits and pumpkin things #amiright? 

Xo – Sarah