Best Zinc Oxide Sunscreen?

livesimply

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
141
Bumping--hoping for a response from any knowledgeable people here. :):
 

Dan W

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2013
Messages
1,528
Bumping--hoping for a response from any knowledgeable people here.
It looks nice to me. I don't know if you heard back from the company, but I imagine the grapeseed oil is not a significant enough fraction of it to worry about.
 

livesimply

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
141
Thanks, Dan. Just emailed them again for an answer—will post it when I get one.
 

ddjd

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2014
Messages
6,678
nwo2012, how do you make sure the zinc oxide you get contains no nanoparticles, considering that nanoparticles have been found in most of the sunscreeens that boasted to have none (by Friends of the Earth last year I believe)?

Thanks
Nanoparticles of what?
 

Peachy

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Messages
2,359
Nanoparticles of what?
Of the zinc oxide. I didn’t realize companies were falsely claiming this but it makes sense because many sunscreens are too transparent to believe (non-nano tends to leave a white film)
 

WonMore

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2021
Messages
72
Of the zinc oxide. I didn’t realize companies were falsely claiming this but it makes sense because many sunscreens are too transparent to believe (non-nano tends to leave a white film)
Is there such a rule? If my zinc oxide leaves a film can I assume it's non-nano?
 

Peachy

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Messages
2,359
Is there such a rule? If my zinc oxide leaves a film can I assume it's non-nano?
I’m pretty sure if it leaves a film you can trust it’s non-nano. I’m most wary of these facial sunscreens/moisturizers advertising 30-50 spf and going on completely translucent.

A lower spf sometimes doesn’t leave a film. I’ve made it before and when I used a smaller amount of non-nano ZO it went on clear. One day I’ll try to recreate it because it was a great batch.
 

WonMore

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2021
Messages
72
I’m pretty sure if it leaves a film you can trust it’s non-nano. I’m most wary of these facial sunscreens/moisturizers advertising 30-50 spf and going on completely translucent.

A lower spf sometimes doesn’t leave a film. I’ve made it before and when I used a smaller amount of non-nano ZO it went on clear. One day I’ll try to recreate it because it was a great batch.
Thank you. I don't remember what exact proportions I used to make a mix, but based on leftovers in the jars I assume it was no more than 10g of zinc oxide per about 150g solution. But it's very thick, much different to commercial sunscreens.

I wonder if anyone adds urea to the mix? Would it be inadvisable, considering that urea helps other substances to penetrate the skin and that effect may not be very desirable with zinc oxide?
 

crsnpalmer

Member
Joined
May 26, 2021
Messages
62
I use Shade All-Natural Sunscreen on my face when I golf. I got 4 packs of it for less than $50.00. Zinc based. It works great, just a pain in the **** to get it off my face after. haha
 

Peachy

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Messages
2,359
Thank you. I don't remember what exact proportions I used to make a mix, but based on leftovers in the jars I assume it was no more than 10g of zinc oxide per about 150g solution. But it's very thick, much different to commercial sunscreens.

I wonder if anyone adds urea to the mix? Would it be inadvisable, considering that urea helps other substances to penetrate the skin and that effect may not be very desirable with zinc oxide?
I think urea can cause sun sensitivity. Was your homemade one just thicker or also more filmy? What ingredients did you use?

I use Shade All-Natural Sunscreen on my face when I golf. I got 4 packs of it for less than $50.00. Zinc based. It works great, just a pain in the **** to get it off my face after. haha

It really is! A couple of times it's left such a coating on my kids I didn't even apply it the next day. I prefer hats :)
 

Advocate2021

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2020
Messages
978
 

WonMore

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2021
Messages
72
I think urea can cause sun sensitivity. Was your homemade one just thicker or also more filmy? What ingredients did you use?
It creates a film, which, dependent on thickness of applied layer, finally disappears or not, but I'm not sure if it's because of the particles of ZO or if it just mechanically stays on the skin because of its overall consistency. I used zinc oxide, coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax. Mine is also a bit clumpy and the zinc oxide I have is also clumpy, not sure if it tells anything about it. I'm gonna message the seller.
OP has written here that Ray thinks ZO is the least toxic of the ingredients in sunscreens. Does he elaborate anywhere on that? Is it only about nano-particles or zinc oxide is toxic in itself, or it would be but non-nano is not absorbed through the skin?
 
Last edited:

WonMore

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2021
Messages
72
OP has written here that Ray thinks ZO is the least toxic of the ingredients in sunscreens. Does he elaborate anywhere on that? Is it only about nano-particles or zinc oxide is toxic in itself, or it would be but non-nano is not absorbed through the skin?
Bumped on this related sentence in the old newsletter, so at least it has some upside:

"For years people have noticed
that zinc oxide ointment speeds healing, just as zinc in the diet
improves healing."

It makes sense actually, I used zinc ointment in the past.
In contrast, I've received COA from place I bought mine and it has crazy high max lead content - 0,2%! So it's something to look out for
 
Back
Top Bottom