UV filters explained
UV filters are the active ingredients in sunscreen that protect your skin from UV light. They come in two broad families, mineral and chemical, which shield the skin in slightly different ways.
Why it matters
Knowing the difference helps you choose a sunscreen you'll actually enjoy wearing, since texture, finish, and feel vary between the two types and that's often what makes daily use stick.
The one thing
There's no single "best" filter, so pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a texture and finish you like enough to wear every day.
Every sunscreen works thanks to its UV filters, the ingredients that handle the actual protecting. They fall into two main groups, and the difference is mostly about how they interact with light and how they feel on your skin.
Mineral filters
Mineral filters, sometimes called physical filters, are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. They sit on top of the skin and deflect UV away from it.
- Tend to provide broad-spectrum protection, covering both burning rays and the deeper ones that affect skin structure.
- Often a comfortable pick for sensitive skin, since they're generally low-irritation.
- Usually have a thicker texture and can leave a slight white cast.
Chemical filters
Chemical filters are a larger family of ingredients, like avobenzone and octinoxate, designed to absorb UV and release it as a small amount of heat.
- Usually lighter in texture and less likely to leave a white cast.
- Many individual chemical filters only cover part of the UV spectrum, which is why formulas usually combine several to get full broad-spectrum coverage.
- A few people find certain chemical filters can be irritating, so this is a case where a small patch test first can help.
Which is "best"?
There isn't a single best filter. They're all well regulated and they all protect you, and the protection a good sunscreen gives far outweighs the minor downsides any one filter might have. The more useful question is which texture and finish you'll happily wear every single day, because the sunscreen you actually reach for is the one that helps.
If a particular filter doesn't agree with your skin, it's reasonable to look for a formula built around different ones.
Going deeper
Related
SPF, short for Sun Protection Factor, is a number that tells you how much longer a sunscreen helps protect your skin from burning. Using it well comes down to picking a broad-spectrum formula, applying enough, and topping it up through the day.
The UV index is an internationally used scale, running from 0 upward, that tells you how strong the sun's UV rays are at a given place and time. The higher the number, the more protection your skin tends to need.
Sensitive skin reacts more easily than most to products, weather, or friction, often with redness, itching, stinging, or burning. It can be something you are born with or something that develops over time from harsh routines.