What it does
Zinc oxide sits on the skin and blocks across both UVB and the full UVA range, which few single filters manage. It is photostable, extremely well tolerated, and the usual choice for reactive skin, rosacea, and children.
The trade-off is cosmetic: a white cast that is worse on deeper skin tones, and a heavier feel than modern chemical filters. Tinted mineral formulas solve most of this and are worth the extra step.
Sunscreen is the single highest-value thing in any routine aimed at tone, texture or ageing. Whichever filter you pick, the one you will actually wear daily beats the one you admire in a cabinet.
In a routine
Layers well with
- Niacinamide
- Vitamin C
- Titanium dioxide
