Yadav and Harth both recommend Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch because of its lightweight, mattifying feel that won’t clog your pores. Its benefits are clear: It’s been around forever (time-tested), it’s relatively inexpensive (so you can stock up and not worry about generously slathering it on every two hours), and you can buy it pretty much anywhere. This sunscreen from Neutrogena came up most frequently, recommended by six experts we spoke to - including cosmetic surgeon Kenneth Rothaus cosmetic dermatologist Sonam Yadav aesthetician and founder of Skin by ASK Andrew Kelly dermatologist Yoram Harth and dermatologist Kenneth Mark. SPF Level: SPF 55 | Chemical or mineral: Chemical | Active ingredients: Homosalate 10%, Octisalate 5% | Consistency: Lightweight lotion Strategist contributor and longtime beauty writer Hannah Morrill told us that another reason to consider mineral sunscreens is because some chemical ones contain oxybenzone, which research indicates can significantly destroy coral-reef ecosystems. Formulas have improved as of late, though, thanks to nano-size zinc- and titanium-oxide particles that rub in and blend more easily. On the flip side, mineral formulas tend to be chunkier and pasty, presenting a challenge for deeper skin tones. Zinc oxide is good for hyperpigmentation in particular, and is thus a favorite of dermatologists for patients with melasma. Both are often recommended for sensitive skin because they don’t tend to be sensitizing. Mineral sunscreens work by scattering light, using physical blockers like zinc and titanium oxide. Some ingredients have also been linked to endocrine disruption, although it hasn’t been deemed conclusive, and the FDA (which regulates sunscreen formulations generally) continues to allow their use. Chemical formulas have been under scrutiny as of late, due to the fact that some studies suggest ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate have been shown to bleach coral reefs. Mineral formulas, on the other hand, sit on top of the skin and work immediately. This process takes about 15 minutes to get started, so you should wait at least this long post-application before heading into the sun. When applied, it triggers a chemical reaction that absorbs the sun’s rays and turns it into heat before releasing it from the body. Chemical sunscreens use ingredients like oxybenzone, avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octocrylene, and octisalate for sun protection. In addition to oxybenzone and parabens, the list includes octinoxate, octocrylene, triclosan, para-aminobenzoic acid (known as PABA), camphor, and microbeads or other small bits of plastic.Our experts say to look for mineral (also known as physical) sunscreen if you’ve got sensitive skin or heat sensitivities, or if you’re using the sunscreen on babies 6 months or younger because the mineral formulation sits on top of skin to physically block UVA and UVB rays, as opposed to chemical formulations that sink into skin and absorb rays, which can cause irritation in more sensitive skin. Free of other ingredients that may harm coral: Downs compiled a small slew of chemicals that aren’t great for reefs in Haereticus’s HEL List.If a sunscreen advertises aloe or another plant component, it likely contains preservatives needed to keep that plant fresh, Downs told us, so don’t get those formulas if reef protection is your priority. Sunscreens with parabens can be hard to identify, as parabens are often not listed in the ingredients. No parabens: These preservatives are another virus-assisting, reef-bleaching culprit.Most mineral sunscreens are lotions, anyway. Lotion, not spray: Each time you use a spray sunscreen at the beach, some ends up on the sand, which in turn ends up in the ocean.Water resistant: All sunscreens wash off in water, but the better they are at sticking to your skin, the less they will wind up in the ocean with the reefs.(Danovaro is still concerned about non-nano zinc oxide, but in the US it’s the best option we have.) Particles under a hundred nanometers (in this context, considered “nano”) can be bad news for sea creatures that ingest them, like brine shrimp, and in turn the things that eat the shrimp. Some sunscreens use a combination of the two.
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