Earth Mama $16.92
Raw Elements $19.99
Sky & Sol $29.95
Tidal Wave Organics (shop expected to be closing summer 2025)
Holy Naturals Espresso Balm (Not an official sunblock, does not contain zinc oxide. However caffeine and antioxidants from coffee beans have been found to support cellular function and potentially reduce sun damage.)
Tinted Options:
Lauren Brooke Illuminous Tinted Sunscreen $22
Beauty by Earth $21.99
Sunscreen FAQs:
Is there one without a “whitish cast?”
Non-nano zinc oxide is the winning choice when it comes to protecting your skin from sunburn in a safe way. And the only active ingredient that we approve of here.
But there’s a problem. Non-nano zinc oxide imparts a pasty white hue to your skin. The dreaded “whitish cast.” Manufacturers wanted to harness the power and reputation of zinc oxide but get rid of the unpleasant look. So, they started making zinc oxide in nanoparticle form. These tiny particles could be suspended in a cream and are so small that they go on “clear.” But, research found out that these tiny particles may not be good for your skin, potentially damaging the DNA within skin cells. Because they are such small particles, the theory is that they are able to penetrate the skin further and if light bounces off these particles in to the surrounding cells, damage can occur.
The public demand for non-nano zinc oxide is large, however people still don’t want to look like they’ve seen a ghost when wearing sunscreen. So, manufacturers continued to develop products. One was micronized zinc oxide. Particles that are smaller than raw zinc, but not small enough to be called nano. While their small size does help, it still does create a whitish hue on skin. Finally, a company out of Australia came up with truly clear non-nano zinc oxide. But there’s a caveat–it contains nanoparticles.
What? Non-nano that contains nanoparticles?
This clear “non-nano” zinc oxide works like this: zinc oxide nanoparticles are synthesized then kind of “glued” together with silica, making the overall particle size large enough to be considered non-nano. These are called mesoporous particles.
Misleading? A bit. Harmful? Probably not. The larger particle size would keep the zinc from penetrating the skin deeper, and a limited number of studies have supported the notion of their safety. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are NOT recommending any of these clear zinc oxide sunscreens, as their safety has not been proven.
The white cast is actually a good thing! Sunscreen should sit on top of your skin to reflect UV rays away, not absorb into your skin, reflect light into it, or break down in the sun. It also helps you see where you’ve applied it so you don’t miss any spots. If a sunscreen is completely invisible, it likely contains nanoparticles or estrogenic chemicals that can absorb into your skin and bloodstream—something you definitely want to avoid. That being said, some mineral sunscreens blend better than others. Adding a tint is another way that you can reduce the white appearance. We’ve listed a couple tinted options above.
I don’t want something greasy. What are options with a lightweight texture?
May people mistakenly think that zinc oxide itself is sticky or greasy, when in fact, zinc oxide is a dry silky powder. It’s the other ingredients in the sunscreen that make it greasy, and for good reason. Zinc oxide loves to sink to the bottom of whatever formula its in. Most lotions that we’re used to using are what are called emulsions. That is, a blend of water and oil. Emulsions are not often formulated in a truly organic or non-toxic fashion because of the emulsifiers that are needed to combine the water and oil and create a smooth texture. They also need preservatives to keep them from spoiling. And if larger companies want their products to be carried in major retailers, they have to have a shelf life of at least two years. This ends up meaning harsher preservative like phenoxyethanol, parabens, methylisothiazolinone, etc are used. This is one of the many reasons why truly non-toxic products are rarely found in major retailers and the safest options found online.
More Reading:
Ecotoxicity of manufactured ZnO nanoparticles–a review – PubMed