The 5 advantages of mineral sunscreen
Why Mineral?
There are many reasons to use mineral sunscreen. For starters, it’s better for your skin and the environment. OCEAN AUSTRALIA Sunscreen contains just one active ingredient - zinc oxide - and, unlike most other chemical sunscreen formulas that absorb the sun’s harmful rays, our mineral formula works by physically blocking the sun’s rays.
The 5 advantages of mineral sunscreen.
1. Provides instant protection
Mineral sunscreen starts protecting your skin as soon as you apply it. No waiting time. Chemical (synthetic) ‘sunscreens can take up to 30 minutes to work properly as they first have to absorb into the skin’. No need to wait around before going outside or into the water, the physical block formed on the skins surface gives you protection immediately.
2. Protects skin against UVB & UVA
The rays that are most harmful to your skin are called ultraviolet (UV) rays. The two types of ultraviolet rays that can lead to damage to the skin are UVB and UVA. ‘UVB rays are responsible for producing sunburn’ and ‘play the greatest role in causing skin cancers’. UVA rays also contribute to skin cancer formation and ‘play a greater role in premature skin aging changes including wrinkle formation’.
Therefore, it’s incredibly important that your skin gets protection from both types of UV rays whilst in the sun. Whilst chemical sunscreen aims to protect against UVB protection, mineral sunscreen protects from both UVB and UVA, giving full/broad spectrum protection.
3. Reduced health risks
‘Chemical sunscreens work like a sponge, absorbing the sun’s rays’, raising health concerns over the absorption of chemicals like oxybenzone into the skin and the potential to disturb hormone levels. Mineral sunscreen, on the other hand, uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide which are not associated with any health risks and can actually benefit the skin.
4. Reduced impact on the environment
The Ocean Conservancy revealed that ‘recent studies have found that sunscreen chemicals in many popular products actually hurt corals’, with oxybenzone being the main culprit. People going swimming in the ocean, move the chemicals into the water which can ‘actually decrease corals’ defenses against bleaching, damaging their DNA and hurting their development’.
Ingredients used in mineral sunscreen have not been found to damage the environment, making it the better option, especially for beach lovers.
5. Good for sensitive skin
There are many benefits of mineral sunscreen for your skin. Mineral sunscreens are less likely to irritate your skin due to it sitting on the skin, unlike chemical sunscreens which are absorbed. Other than in mineral sunscreen, zinc oxide is also used to help treat skin conditions such as burns, chafing, minor skin irritations and is found in formulas that help with, acne. ‘It has both an antibacterial action and is used as a building block for skin repair’, providing additional benefits on top of sun protection.
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