What to Look for in a Sunscreen and a Spotlight on Zinc

As far as its use in skin care products, such as sunscreen, zinc comes in two forms - nano and non-nano. These terms refer to the size of the particles used. A nano-particle is a piece of material that is so small it has to be measured in nanometers. The problem with a nano particle is that because it is so tiny, it can be absorbed into the skin. Though zinc is beneficial for our body, too much of it, like anything, is not, so you don’t want it seeping in. This is why NON-nano, meaning bigger than a nano-particle, is what you DO want to see in your skin care products containing zinc. This way, it stays on top of the skin, instead of being absorbed. 

Zinc, itself, cannot be certified organic, but the ingredients that it’s paired with can! Choosing a sunscreen made out of organic ingredients is important. Anything not organic means that it is either synthetic OR something sprayed with pesticides while it was growing. Pesticides cannot be washed off or cooked out, as they seep into the skin and cells of what they are sprayed on. You don’t want these same chemicals absorbed into your largest organ, your skin. Simply put, when looking for sunscreens, consider choosing ones that contain non-nano zinc with all other ingredients labeled as organic.