Mineral sunscreen may finally lose its chalky look
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UCLA researchers say they've found a way to reduce mineral sunscreen's biggest drawback: the white cast.
Why it matters: The chalky residue — especially on darker skin tones — keeps many people from wearing mineral sunscreen, despite its role in preventing skin cancer.
Catch up quick: Mineral sunscreen is widely considered the safest form of sunscreen, particularly for people with sensitive skin.
- Its active ingredient, zinc oxide, blocks both UVA and UVB rays and does not penetrate skin.
- But even tinted mineral sunscreens can be hard to wear, because they can stain and feel cakey.
Between the lines: Conventional zinc oxide particles tend to clump together, scattering visible light and creating a white or gray cast, according to UCLA.
What happened: UCLA researchers developed a new kind of zinc oxide made of tetrapod-shaped particles that "can't pack tightly and aggregate, so they stay evenly distributed in the sunscreen," says AJ Addae, first author of the study.
- The new sunscreen formulation appeared warmer and closer to natural skin tones in UCLA tests, even without added pigments or special coatings.
What she's saying: "I started thinking about this because I was frustrated by how mineral sunscreen looks on my own skin," says Addae, a UCLA chemical biology doctoral candidate and cosmetic science entrepreneur.
- "A lot of my motivation [for this research] came from my own experience trying to use mineral sunscreen and dealing with the white cast and other unsightly aesthetic issues. This led me to simply avoid sunscreen altogether."
What's next: More testing is needed before the technology reaches the market.
- The team is working with UCLA Health's dermatology department and Skin of Color Clinic to study how the particles interact with the skin microbiome.
