SKINCARE TOPIC: Physical vs Chemical Sunscreen ☀️Physical sunscreen works by literally blocking/reflecting sunlight. Typically consists of Zinc oxide and/or Titanium dioxide. They work immediately. Note, physical/mineral sunscreens are also absorbed into the skin, just not it’s mechanics of reaction. ☀️Chemical sunscreen works by partially absorbing into our skin to catch and release UV light before it can cause damage. You need to wait 20 min for chemical to take effect. ☀️Physical sunscreens are thicker and can often times leave a white-cast but can be better for those with sensitive skin or heat-activated skin conditions like rosacea. Chemical sunscreens are much easier to apply and more compatible with a skincare-routine as it’s much better with layering. Chemical sunscreens contain organic (don't confuse with organic food) molecules and are not easily extracted in a water filtration system. One molecule that has been used in formulations, Oxybenzone, has been implicated for possibly bleaching the coral reef. Because of the minor blood-stream absorption of chemical sunscreen, I recommend pregnant women and small children not to reapply chemical sunscreen multiple times a day. What do I do? My favorite daily formulations have both chemical and physical components + tint (iron oxide). When I am outside, I primarily use physical sunscreen for reapplication. Few of my favs: (link in bio) > I’ll try to search some for y’all this afternoon on my story and will be saved in highlights for those who miss it! DRMTLGY universal tinted SPF46 (CODE: ZIONK) Beauty of Joseon relief sun LRP anthelios Supergoop Unseen & Glowscreen (@traderjoes spf dupe review coming this week) ELTAMD UV elements MD solarsciences mineral sunscreen ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless Murad color & protect: serum-y What are your favorite sunscreens? Refs Schneider SL, Lim HW. Review of environmental effects of oxybenzone and other sunscreen active ingredients. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019