Comments on: Chemical vs Physical Sunscreens: The Science

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 05:22:38 +0000

In reply to Lulu Garnier. The research is usually linked, if it isn't it's probably linked in the video or in a past article :)

By: Lulu Garnier

Lulu Garnier — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:44:51 +0000

Hi, omg I love this website so much! Can u please star to post a “work cited” after your articles with the info about where ur research is from? I hate to sound like a teacher but I’ll be making a college research on this and I need to put all my references. (also I’ll definitely be citing your work bc its incredible!)

By: Sushma Bramhacharya

Sushma Bramhacharya — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 06:46:01 +0000

Hi Michelle! I found your blog really helpful. This is the best blog I have found till now regarding sunscreen. Before I read your blog I did not know that we even have organic(chemical sunscreen) and inorganic( physical) sunscreen. I just used to buy random sunscreen and apply to my face and body. As I have sensitive skin, my skin is easily irritated and breaking out. I was really insecure about my skin. Through your blog I found out I was using physical sunscreen that did not suit my skin . Thanks to you that from today I will shift to chemical sunscreen. Please post more blog related to skin care product.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 08:10:51 +0000

In reply to Karen. The article says the absorption is 95%, reflection and scattering is 5%. The important thing when looking at sunscreen is the final tested SPF, regardless of whether it's chemical or mineral.

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 08:26:47 +0000

I find that your article did not fully understand the article you had quoted that physical sunscreen and chemical sunscreen function “the same”. Technically yes, they DO function the same. But realistically, they DO NOT. It is because physical sunscreen while they do absorb UVB, the absorption is SO LOW, (5%) as quoted by the article, that the effectiveness of mineral sunscreen absorbing UVB and providing SPF is ridiculously low to be touted as having the SAME FUNCTION as chemical sunscreen. As a PHD yourself, I do hope that you can create informative science for layman without misconstruing science. In fact, to have the best SPF, combination of mineral sunscreen & chemical sunscreen is important to protect from UVA & UVB. To say that mineral sunscreen function THE SAME as chemical sunscreen insinuate and misleading information that consumer would feel MINERAL SUNSCREEN IS SUFFICENT FOR SPF — which is immensely untruthful.

By: Chris Pederson

Chris Pederson — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 20:49:21 +0000

I appreciate how you said that sunscreen will reduce skin cancer and aging. I am scared of getting something like skin cancer. It can happen to anyone so I’ll be sure to get as much sun screen as possible.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 06:01:52 +0000

In reply to Jackie Wilson.

Check out the video – there’s footage of the sunscreen absorbing UV right after it’s applied to white paper.

By: Jackie Wilson

Jackie Wilson — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 19:20:00 +0000

sources for not needing to apply sunscreen 15 min prior?

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 17:50:39 +0000

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I’ve been going raving mad with fear over these past few months especially with everyone calling out chemical sunscreen. I literally looked through my sunscreen stash (I live in the Middle East and bulk buy for myself and the family on sales because “Middle East prices ¯\_(ツ)_/¯”), checked the ingredients on all my beloved ACM, Eucerin, LRP, Nuxe, Bioderma and Nuxe sunscreens, which are of course all chemical and all extremely expensive here, and had just made up my mind that I’ll use up this lot, risk dying or whatever and buy my zinc based ones next year and go around looking like a brown ghost of Christmas past from then on.
Thank goodness I don’t have to do that anymore and can go on slathering myself in my Goop unapproved chemical sunscreens.
Have you tried wearing Zinc in 50 C weather? It is a losing war in which no brown girl comes out looking good.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 17 May 2019 13:09:34 +0000

In reply to Malin. Yep, high PPD is what you need! There's also the higher incidence of allergies, but if you're not allergic then it shouldn't be an issue.