What Is Non-Nano Zinc Oxide?
Worried about nanoparticles in zinc oxide sunscreens? Find out more about non-nano zinc oxide and how it can be used for maximum effectiveness.
Though the importance of wearing sunscreen isn’t up for debate, the active ingredients used in sunscreen products certainly still are. One of the latest controversies surrounding sunscreen has to do with the nanoparticles found in mineral sunscreens.
Though mineral sunscreens such as zinc oxide are generally considered one of the safest and most effective sunscreens on the market, their association with nanoparticles has made some people question their safety. The general concern is whether or not nanoparticles can be absorbed into the skin, which research shows can have hormone-disrupting effects.
Enter non-nano zinc oxide, the active ingredient that blocks UV rays without the potential risks. What is non-nano zinc oxide, and why should you care?
Here are three things worth knowing about non-nano zinc oxide:
- Nanoparticles in mineral sunscreens are believed to be hormone disruptors, despite insufficient evidence to support this claim.
- Nonetheless, there are non-nano zinc oxide sunscreens and lip balms available to ease safety concerns.
- Zinc oxide offers several important skin health benefits.
Nanoparticles in Cosmetics—What’s the Concern?
To understand what non-nano zinc oxide is, you first need to know why some people are worried about nanoparticles. Zinc oxide, the active ingredient found in many mineral sunscreens, is often manufactured at nano sizes to boost its sun protective abilities and reduce the white residue it sometimes leaves on the skin.
One of the biggest concerns with nanoparticles is their potential to disrupt hormones. However, the long-held consensus by researchers has been that not enough nano zinc oxide is absorbed into the skin for this to matter.
What Does the Research Say?
The safety of zinc oxide was called into question after researchers published a study in Biomaterials demonstrating a potential link to cancer. In the 2011 study, researchers noted that zinc oxide activated a critical anti-tumor pathway which could stimulate DNA damage (see claim: “…in cells without robust p53, protective response can be tipped towards carcinogenesis when stimulated by DNA damage inducing agents like ZnO nanoparticles.”)
However, other published studies and reviews have come out refuting this possibility due to the fact that nanoparticles are rarely—if at all—absorbed into human skin. In a 2015 review published in the Archives of Toxicology, researchers found that the vast majority of nanoparticles remained on the outside of the skin (see claim: “All studies to assess dermal penetration of nanoparticles have unanimously concluded that the overwhelming majority of nanoparticles remain on the outer surface of the skin.”)
A more recent study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found direct evidence that zinc oxide nanoparticles didn’t absorb into the human skin barrier, nor did they result in toxicity after multiple applications to human subjects (see claim: “…repeated application of ZnO-NPs to the skin…no evidence of ZnO-NP penetration into the viable epidermis nor toxicity in the underlying viable epidermis.”)
To sum it all up, more studies on human models are needed to back up claims that nanoparticles in zinc oxide compromise the public’s safety. While we wait for more studies, there has been one skin care ingredient which has shown to be a promising alternative: Non-nano zinc oxide.
What is Non-Nano Zinc Oxide?
Non-nano zinc oxide sunscreens are manufactured with different particle sizes (typically, over 100nm) and shapes compared to their nanosized counterparts, making them—in theory—a safer and more effective solution to our sun safety dilemma.
Non-nano zinc oxides aren’t without their problems—namely, they can sometimes leave white residue on the skin. You may need to shop around to find a non-nano zinc oxide product that won’t leave white streaks on your skin.
Even if you prefer your chemical sunscreens over physical blockers, you may want to consider looking for a non-nano zinc lip balm. The reason for this is simple: Though most research currently suggests that zinc oxide isn’t absorbed into the skin, you can accidentally ingest the active ingredient or inhale its fumes by putting it on your lips.
Is Zinc Oxide Good for Your Skin?
Despite the controversy surrounding nanoparticles in zinc oxide, the ingredient itself isn’t necessarily bad. In fact, the opposite is true: Zinc oxide can offer a wide range of skin benefits.
For example, zinc oxide has been used successfully to treat eczema, a skin condition which affects around 10 percent of the worldwide population.
In a 2013 study published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, researchers concluded that zinc oxide textiles were an effective treatment for atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema (see claim: “We observed a rapid improvement of AD severity, pruritus, and subjective sleep quality when AD patients wore the ZnO textiles overnight for 3 consecutive days…”)
Zinc oxide has also been used to treat acne and minor burn wounds. Basically, you shouldn’t write off zinc oxide as a skin care ingredient entirely. It all depends on how it’s manufactured.
Does Zinc Oxide Protect Against UVA and UVB Rays?
Zinc oxide is one of the few ingredients used in sunscreens that offers effective protection against both UVA and UVB rays. For this reason, mineral zinc sunscreens are some of the most highly rated on the Environmental Working Group website.
UVA rays are associated with premature aging, while UVB rays are associated with melanoma, the most-deadly form of skin cancer. By wearing a broad spectrum mineral sunscreen, you can lower your risk of melanoma and keep wrinkles at bay for longer.
How Much Zinc Oxide Do You Need in Sunscreen?
Those who want to make homemade sunscreen with zinc oxide often wonder how much they need to add to achieve an adequate sun protection factor (SPF). This method isn’t recommended because the only way to be certain of any product’s SPF is through clinical testing.
Choosing the Best Sunscreen for Your Skin
If you find yourself skipping your sunscreen because it leaves behind white residue, there is nothing wrong with sticking to your daily moisturizer with SPF. Since your lips are a place where nanoparticles are most prone to accidental ingestion, consider reserving the non-nano zinc oxide for your lip balm.
Ultimately, it’s important to make the decision that feels right to you. While you wait for more research to become available on non-nano zinc oxide, feel free to check out the rest of our skin care blogs or try one of Tiege Hanley’s skin care systems for yourself.
Nano vs Non-Nano Zinc in Sunscreens: Which Is Better?
Sunscreens are one of the most effective methods to protect the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Sunscreens also prevent premature aging and skin cancer. There are two types of sunscreens, chemical and physical barriers. Of the two, physical barriers work by reflecting or scattering the UV rays away from the skin. [1] They are not absorbed into the skin.
Until recently, zinc oxide sunscreen formulations appeared as a thick, white paste on the skin. However, new nanotechnology has revolutionized the opaque appearance of zinc oxide by refining the zinc particles to make them smaller. But can these tiny particles be harmful to our body?
When shopping for a sunscreen, it is not only important to know what ingredients are safe and effective in combating the sun’s harmful rays, but it is also important to understand what terms like “micronized,” “nanosized,” and “nanoparticles” refer to when it comes to your sunscreen.
Sunscreen Particle Size Matters
Zinc oxide is a common ingredient found in many sunscreens that are effective in blocking ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. [1,2] While it is an effective physical sun blocker, it does have some cosmetic drawbacks. Zinc oxide is classically associated with the pasty white lifeguard nose. It’s thick white appearance is what makes it so effective, but also not a popular choice when selecting between different sunscreens.
The efficacy and cosmetic nuisance are due to the size of the zinc particle. To reduce the opaque appearance of zinc oxide, many sunscreen companies are making the particle smaller through a process referred to as “micronizing” to produce nanosized zinc particles. Nanoparticles are particles are typically less than 100 nanometers in diameter or 0.1 microns. For comparison, 10,000 nanoparticles could fit in the diameter of a human hair!
As the size of these particles decreases, the surface area covered on the skin increases, as well as the reduction of the opaque appearance without compromising the UV coverage. [1] Additionally, the smaller sized particle converts from solely blocking UVA rays to becoming a broad-spectrum sunscreen, with an increased ability to block UVB rays. [1,2]
Are Sunscreens with Nanoparticles Safe?
The concern with nanoparticles is that they can be absorbed by the skin and harm living tissues within the body. However, several studies including both in-vitro and in-vivo suggest that systemic absorption is unlikely. Studies using both animal and human skin have shown that nanoparticles do not penetrate the underlying layers of skin, with penetration limited to the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum. [3-5]
So, yes! Sunscreens containing micronized zinc particles are safe to apply to the skin, with the added cosmetic benefit of a more natural appearing application.
What About My Lungs?
Some studies suggest that if nanosized particles were to be ingested or inhaled, they can potentially cause harm to the lungs. [6] This is because these tiny particles can activate an innate immune reaction, which would lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). [6] ROS create free radicals that can cause harm to cells inside the body. However, conflicting studies done in rodents demonstrate that immune cells (macrophages) can effectively recognize and destroy nanosized particles when inhaled. [7]
While more research still needs to be done, perhaps it would be advantageous to avoid spray-on sunscreens, loose powdered makeup containing nanoparticles, as well as sun protectant chap stick containing nanoparticles in order to prevent accidental inhalation and ingestion. At the very least, breathe out while applying sunscreens around your nose.
Do Nanoparticle Sunscreens Work Differently?
It turns out that nanoparticles do work differently from non-nanoparticles. Zinc is a good example. One of the reasons that nanoparticles are more clear and sheer is that they reflect less and less of visible light as the particle size becomes smaller and smaller. What this means is that nanoparticle zinc may not be as good as blocking blue light. Blue light may have an important role in oxidative stress to the skin [8] and in stimulating melasma more than ultraviolet radiation type A (UVA) [9] so you may need to take this into account if these are problems for you.
Table 1. Nanoparticles vs non-nano zinc
Type of Sunscreen
Advantages
Disadvantages
Non-Nano Zinc
Broader coverage against UVB, UVA, and blue light
More white and visible
Nano Zinc
Broad coverage and less visible on the skin
The coverage is not as broad and may no cover very long wavelength UVA and blue light
What Brands Have Nanosized Zinc?
Recall that zinc oxide is the ingredient in sunscreen that is responsible for making the skin pasty and white after application. For this reason, manufacturers make the zinc oxide particles smaller to minimize the whiteness of the skin after application. This is certainly more appealing than having a chalky white face, right? Companies may enticingly label sunscreen products as “invisible zinc”, “sheer” or “clear”. These words give clues that these products most likely contain nanosized zinc particles.
How Can You Tell Whether a Sunscreen Has Nanoparticles or Not?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not currently have rules against varying sizes or types of zinc oxide particles in sunscreens (FDA11a). [10] Therefore, reading the back of the label to find out what is in your sunscreen might not always be your best option, although some companies are starting to label the type of zinc oxide contained within their product. Even though not all sunscreen labels will reveal what type of zinc is within them, it is still important to always read to the back of sunscreen labels to ensure there is zinc, as well as determine the type of coverage the sunscreen has.
If a sunscreen does not contain nanosized zinc, some companies label “non-nano” next to the ingredient. For example, a label might read “Zinc Oxide 20% (non-nano).”
What Is Non-Nano Zinc Oxide? Finding The Safest Sunscreen Ingredients
In recent years, you’ve probably seen zinc oxide become increasingly popular as an ingredient in sunscreens. This is because zinc oxide is a very effective broad-spectrum sunscreen that can protect against both UVA and UVB rays. But what you may not know is that zinc oxide comes in both nano and non-nano applications, and some of their effects on the environment are questionable.
In this blog, we’re going to take a look at which of these are the safest sunscreen ingredients, and ask a couple of important questions: how does zinc oxide protect the skin and is non-nano zinc oxide better ?
How Does Zinc Oxide Protect the Skin?
Zinc oxide works as a sunscreen by scattering, absorbing, and reflecting the sun’s rays. When the sun’s rays hit the zinc oxide particles, they are scattered in all directions, preventing them from reaching the skin. Zinc oxide also absorbs some of the sun’s rays, which helps to prevent sunburn. It’s also generally thought that zinc oxide (mineral) sunscreens are better for humans and the environment, as opposed to chemical sunscreens .
What Are Nanoparticles?
Zinc oxide can be found in two forms: nano and non-nano. Nano zinc oxide is made up of very small particles, while non-nano zinc oxide is made up of larger particles.
Nano particles are particles that are less than 100 nanometers in diameter and are often used in sunscreens because they are more easily absorbed into the skin. This can provide greater sun protection; however, there are a few concerns.
The Potential Adverse Effects of Nano Zinc Oxide
There has been a lot of public concern in recent years about the safety of nano zinc oxide for humans. However, and this is important to note , according to many sources ( including this one ), “. both [zinc oxide] and [titanium oxide] [nanoparticles] either do not penetrate or minimally penetrate the stratum corneum and underlying layers of skin.”
In addition to this, we can see that nano zinc oxide does soak into the epidermis, but, according to this study , there is no local penetration that causes toxicity or elevated blood toxicity levels.
These are reassuring facts, because free zinc oxide in the bloodstream could potentially cause problems like damage to DNA, immunosuppression, reproductive issues, and harm to fetuses. However, we aren’t the only concern with regards to zinc nanoparticles – marine and freshwater life are also susceptible to damage from zinc oxide.
The Factual Adverse Effects of Nano Zinc Oxide
Water life, on the other hand, does absorb and react to nano zinc oxides, and this is where the real concern is. In this study , we see that nano zinc oxide affects freshwater pH values and fungal diversity, and in this one , we find evidence that nano zinc oxide is most damaging to algae and crustaceans. So, while nano zinc oxide may not hurt us , it’s certainly capable of marine damage.
Is Non-Nano Zinc Oxide Better?
Given the public’s concerns, the limited long-term human research with regards to nano particles, and concerning research in relation to marine life, many sunscreen producers (including us) prefer to use non-nano zinc oxide. We encourage you to consider using non-nano particle sunscreens, too.
Rejuvaskin: Choosing the Safest Sunscreen Ingredients for Your Skin and Wildlife
Due to all of these concerns, we’ve chosen to use non-nano zinc oxide in our mineral facial sunscreen. Our mineral facial sunscreen is light, non-greasy, and broad-spectrum. This ticks all of the boxes that you need out of a daily sunscreen (and we do recommend that you use sunscreen daily!). So, pick up some of our non-nano Mineral Facial Sunscreen , get out there, and enjoy the outdoors!
Non-Nano Zinc Oxide: What Is It & Is It Safe?
When it comes to sunscreen, there are tons of buzz words floating around these days. Specifically when it involves the ingredients we should or should not be looking for in SPF. If you’ve been wondering about non-nano zinc oxide, we’re here to help.
what is zinc oxide?
Zinc oxide is a white, powdery mineral with a longstanding history for its sun protection benefits. It’s one of the main active ingredients you’ll find in mineral, or physical, sunscreen. Rather than soaking into the skin, like chemical sunscreens, zinc actually sits on top of your skin and protects you by scattering and reflecting the sun’s rays. It essentially works much like a mirror.
Zinc oxide is the only FDA approved filter that offers extensive protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Because of this, zinc alone can serve as the sole active ingredient in your mineral SPF formula. Look for a concentration of at least 20% and no more than 25%.
what does non-nano mean?
Hailing from the Greek word “nanos,” the word “nano” means “dwarf.” When it comes to sunscreen or formulations, the term “non-nano” refers to nanometers. Here’s a quick scientific breakdown…
One nanometre is one-billionth of a meter.
That means a nanoparticle is any particle smaller than 100 nanometers.
A non-nano particle, therefore, is larger than 100 nanometers.
In layman’s terms: a nanoparticle is super, super small. Non-nano, on the other hand, means the particles aren’t quite as tiny.
As it turns out, non-nano is what you want to look for when you’re looking at mineral sunscreen.
why is non-nano zinc oxide safer and more effective?
When it comes to sunscreen, you’re looking for something that will protect you. And do so safely. While zinc SPF using nanoparticles will protect you effectively, the question of safety isn’t quite as clear cut. The concern is these tiny-sized particles can find your way into your body by entering your pores and then on into your bloodstream.
Non-nano particles don’t raise this concern, which makes them an all-around safer option when it comes to sunscreen safety. Not to mention, non-nano zinc can’t be ingested by coral reefs — which means they’re safer for our oceans, too.
non-nano zinc oxide faq’s
☀️ what is non-nano zinc oxide used for?
Non-nano zinc oxide is an active ingredient used in mineral sunscreens to provide broad-spectrum coverage against both UVA and UVB rays. Non-nano guarantees you’ll enjoy all the benefits of zinc oxide in the safest and most effective way possible.
☀️ is non-nano zinc good for your skin?
Yes, non-nano zinc sunscreen is probably hands-down the best sunscreen you can possibly use for your skin. Because non-nano zinc oxide doesn’t pose the risk of entering your bloodstream, you’ll steer clear of any potentially harmful or toxic effects.
☀️ is all zinc non-nano?
No, not all zinc is created equal. Because zinc is notorious for leaving a white cast, some companies have developed nano-sized particles of it for a more sheer and less chalky appearance after application. At Goddess Garden, our primary focus is the safety of people and the planet. That’s why we use non-nano zinc oxide in all of our mineral sunscreen products.
shop non-nano zinc oxide sunscreen
Now that we’ve covered the ins and outs of what your best option is when it comes to the size of zinc used in your SPF, you’re ready to choose one that will safely protect you and your family. At Goddess Garden, we designed sunscreen for each and every member of your crew — even the littlest ones. And after 16 years of formulating mineral SPF, we’ve perfected the art of non-nano zinc sunscreen that goes on clear and sheer.