Ingredient
Zinc Oxide
Quick Summary
Zinc Oxide is a mineral (also called physical) sunscreen filter, a fine inorganic powder dispersed in a sunscreen base. It is one of only two filters US-marketed mineral sunscreens use (the other is Titanium Dioxide). For daily-wear cosmetic-appearance use, it is most often described as a broad-spectrum filter that sits on the skin surface and scatters or absorbs UVA and UVB. Modern transparent and tinted zinc oxide formulations have substantially reduced the white-cast appearance that older mineral sunscreens were known for.
What It Is
Zinc Oxide is an inorganic compound (zinc plus oxygen) formulated as a fine powder dispersed in the cream, lotion, or fluid base of a sunscreen. In US-marketed sunscreens it is listed in the "Drug Facts" Active Ingredients block as Zinc Oxide along with the percentage by weight; daily-wear facial sunscreens commonly use concentrations in the high single digits to low teens (often around 9–12% in transparent or tinted facial formulations).
In leave-on cosmetic skincare, Zinc Oxide is most often paired with emollients, hydrators, and (in tinted formulas) iron oxides for cosmetic-appearance benefit on uneven tone and visible-light-sensitive pigmentation patterns.
Concerns helped
Mechanism
In US-regulatory sunscreen documentation and patient-facing dermatology references, Zinc Oxide is described as a broad-spectrum mineral filter. It sits on the skin surface and primarily scatters and absorbs UV across the UVA and UVB ranges before that energy reaches living layers of skin. Among the two FDA-recognized mineral filters, Zinc Oxide is the one most consistently described in patient-facing references as covering the broader UVA range.
The cosmetic-appearance practical implication is that a sunscreen built around Zinc Oxide as the primary filter — at a sufficient percentage to meet the broad-spectrum label — provides a UVA-relevant base. Modern formulation work (smaller particle dispersions, transparent vehicles, and tinted shades using iron oxides) has reduced the white-cast appearance issue that historically made mineral sunscreens harder to wear daily on deeper skin tones.
Side effects
Products featuring it
Evidence
- FDA — Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun
- FDA — Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
- FDA — Q&A: New Requirements for OTC Sunscreen Products Marketed in the U.S.
- American Academy of Dermatology — Sunscreen FAQs
- Skin Cancer Foundation — Sunscreen
- Skin Cancer Foundation — Sun Protection
- Randhawa 2016 — Daily Use of a Facial Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Significantly Improves Photoaging
- CDC — Sun Safety Facts
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Structured page facts at a glance.
- Ingredient
- Zinc Oxide
- Quick Summary
- Zinc Oxide is a mineral (also called physical) sunscreen filter, a fine inorganic powder dispersed in a sunscreen base. It is one of only two filters US-marketed mineral sunscreens use (the other is Titanium Dioxide). For daily-wear cosmetic-appearance use, it is most often described as a broad-spectrum filter that sits on the skin surface and scatters or absorbs UVA and UVB. Modern transparent and tinted zinc oxide formulations have substantially reduced the white-cast appearance that older mineral sunscreens were known for.
- What It Is
- Zinc Oxide is an inorganic compound (zinc plus oxygen) formulated as a fine powder dispersed in the cream, lotion, or fluid base of a sunscreen. In US-marketed sunscreens it is listed in the "Drug Facts" Active Ingredients block as Zinc Oxide along with the percentage by weight; daily-wear facial sunscreens commonly use concentrations in the high single digits to low teens (often around 9–12% in transparent or tinted facial formulations).
- Concerns
- Mechanism
- In US-regulatory sunscreen documentation and patient-facing dermatology references, Zinc Oxide is described as a broad-spectrum mineral filter. It sits on the skin surface and primarily scatters and absorbs UV across the UVA and UVB ranges before that energy reaches living layers of skin. Among the two FDA-recognized mineral filters, Zinc Oxide is the one most consistently described in patient-facing references as covering the broader UVA range.
- Side Effects
- Evidence Sources
- FDA — Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun
- FDA — Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
- FDA — Q&A: New Requirements for OTC Sunscreen Products Marketed in the U.S.
- American Academy of Dermatology — Sunscreen FAQs
- Skin Cancer Foundation — Sunscreen
- Skin Cancer Foundation — Sun Protection
- Randhawa 2016 — Daily Use of a Facial Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Significantly Improves Photoaging
- CDC — Sun Safety Facts