You’d think that buying sunscreen would be a pretty easy process, however, with so many products available on the market, you’d be forgiven for being a bit confused about which product to buy. For example, what’s the best option between a mineral and chemical SPF spray? Exactly. Most people don’t really know the difference between the two.
The reality is that there are big differences between chemical and mineral sunscreens that fundamentally change how they work. That’s what we’ll be looking into now as we look at the factors at work, so you can better decide which option is best for you.
How Do Chemical SPF Spray Products Work?
Chemical sunscreens will typically contain chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate, and these active ingredients need to be absorbed into the skin in order to protect you. As UV rays come into contact with the skin, these chemicals convert them into heat, dispersing them harmlessly.
A chemical SPF spray will often contain fragrances and other chemicals that are used to make the product more appealing. Sadly, these chemicals can cause many kinds of skin irritation – something you absolutely don’t want if you have eczema, psoriasis or acne.
You have to wait, on average, about 30 minutes after application before you can safely go out into the sun. This is due to the absorption time required. The thing is, most people put it on in a reactive way i.e. when they’re out in the sun already, so there’s ½ an hour of no protection right there.
So, What About Mineral Sunscreen Sprays?
The first way in which mineral sunscreen differs is evidenced by the term – mineral sunscreen. Created from either zinc oxide or titanium oxide, which both exist in nature, without the helping hand of humans. Typically much more viscose in nature, this type of product sits on the top of your skin, rather than having to be absorbed.
Mineral sunscreens are much better for people with sensitive skin due to being non-man-made. There are no harmful chemicals and absolutely no fragrances to speak of.
They are also effective from minute one, meaning no 30-minute wait while it’s absorbed into the epidermis. It may seem like a minor point, but when you don’t have to hang around waiting, your day is that much more stress-free and convenient.
Which SPF Spray Is Best? We Think It’s Pretty Obvious
In the modern day, we as consumers get to spend our money where and when we like. As such, it’s up to us whether we use chemical or mineral sunscreens. So, with the information we’ve given you here today, what do you think is the best option?
We think it’s pretty obvious. Why would you want to choose something that takes half an hour to work and contains irritating chemicals? That’s not even considering the fact that chemical products are known to be harmful to the environment, causing damage to some of the most amazing marine ecosystems on the planet.
No, whether talking about your body or the planet, mineral sunscreens are the best you can get for all the reasons mentioned above. It works immediately, is wonderfully gentle on your skin and has no harmful effects whatsoever on any part of the environment.
