Summer may be over, but don't forget to wear your sunscreen. While the sun's UVB rays may be waning, UVA rays (the ones that contribute to wrinkles, saggy skin, age spots, etc) are prevalent year round.

You may be interested in using products that incorporate fewer chemical ingredients (and with increasing evidence that some of them may contribute to short and long term health problems who could blame you). If you‘re assessing your sunscreen options, then you may be wondering whether to choose a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or one that contains titanium dioxide.

Natural sunscreens that rely upon the use of physical sunscreen filters such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide work by sitting on top of the skin and providing a barrier against UV rays, deflecting them away from the skin and preventing any harm. Chemical sun filtering agents on the other hand, work by being absorbed into the skin's top layer and deflecting UV rays or absorbing their energy and converting them into something harmless.

Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide?

The main difference between zinc oxide and titanium dioxide lies in the range of UV protection that they provide. Zinc oxide protects against the full UVA and UVB range; it covers from 290 to 380 nm. In fact, it is the only sun filtering agent (physical or chemical) that delivers such broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays. Titanium dioxide, on the other hand, protects well against UVB rays and short UVA rays, but not against longer UVA rays. For this reason, sunscreens containing titanium dioxide won’t protect skin adequately against UVA rays and should incorporate UVA blockers such as zinc oxide, avobenzone or Mexoryl SX.

If you’ve been using a non-chemical sunscreen formulated with titanium dioxide, you may have difficulty finding it. That’s because recent changes to sunscreen regulation in the European Union require certain levels of UVA protection. Up until now many natural sunscreens in Europe have been using titanium dioxide as the only sun filtering agent. According to new regulations, this cannot deliver sufficient UVA protection and for this reason, many European manufacturers have had to pull their sunscreens off the shelves.

If you're interested in natural sunscreens, formulated without the use of chemicals, check out our full range [Link Removed]

Sharmani Pillay is a Registered Pharmacist who specializes in anti aging skin care and women's wellness. She owns and operates an online skin care store at [Link Removed].
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