Chemical vs. Physical Sunscreen: Which is Better?

Chemical vs. Physical Sunscreen

While I'm so happy that taking care of your skin is "in", I wish it would have been a more emphasized part of my skincare routine through my teens and early 20's. As someone with fair skin and lots of freckles, my parents always slathered me in sunscreen, however the second I hit my teens, all I wanted was to be tan. This came at any cost, including tanning beds, long beach days with no sunblock, and overall bad habits when it came to taking care of my skin.

Better late than never I guess, right?! Sunscreen is now a very important part of my skincare routine, and self tanner is my best friend.

In today's post, I want to break down the big different between chemical versus physical sunscreens, which is the better choice depending on your skin type, and a few of my personal favorite products!

So What's the Difference?

Really simply put, chemical sunscreens are absorbed into the skin, which then absorb UV rays, convert them into heat and release them from the body. Physical sunscreens, on the other hand, contain mineral-based ingredients (ie: Zinc Oxide) and sit on top of your skin, reflecting UV rays.

Chemical Sunscreens...

Tend do be thinner, spreading and absorbing more easily
Need time to absorb, so it's best to wait 20 minutes before sun exposure
Can sometimes bother sensitive skin in high SPF's, since more ingredients are used/needed in order to protect against UVA & UVB rays
Can sometimes clog pores and bother acne-prone skin

Physical Sunscreens...

Are thicker in nature and can sometimes leave a white cast on the skin
Contain minerals that naturally reflect and protect against UVA & UVB rays
Do not need time to absorb before sun exposure; they protect as soon as applied
Tend to rub or sweat off easier than chemical sunscreen, and reapplication is important
Are generally less likely to cause irritation or clog pores

Keywords to Look For

Chemical sunscreens are often referred to as organic sunscreens, while physical sunscreens are often referred to as mineral sunscreens (or even sometimes a sunblock).

Which is Better?

When it comes to chemical vs. physical sunscreen, I personally use both! The better choice for you really depends on your skin type. There is no clear winner, but there is definitely a better choice in certain scenarios.

When it comes to my skincare routine, I typically skip applying sunscreen as a separate step only because my CC Cream contains an SPF 50+. However, on lighter makeup days or no makeup days, it's always a vital part of my routine. It's important to take into account in the correct order of application, depending on what type of sunscreen you're using!

If you're using a chemical sunscreen, apply it before your moisturizer so it's able to penetrate the skin and do its job. If you apply it after moisturizer, it will hinder that absorption.

If you're using a physical sunscreen, apply it after your moisturizer so there's nothing sitting on top of it and blocking it from doing its job. If you apply it before moisturizer, you'll be creating a layer between sunscreen and UV rays.

Popular Choices

Elta MD is the most-commonly recommended sunscreen by dermatologists. It is a physical sunscreen (sits on top of skin and reflects UV rays) with a top-notch ingredient list. This was your top-recommended sunscreen, too!

Tula is another fan favorite. A chemical sunscreen, it's important to apply this one before your moisturizer so it can correctly do its job!

Other favorite brands you sent in were Cerave (this was also very popular), Clinique Pep Start, Biossance, & Dr. Dennis Gross.