Micronized mineral Sunscreen: good for you and good for Mother Nature

It’s a blistering hot day out— the kind where you set out with a task list in hand, determined to get it ALL done, only to come to the unfortunate realization that you can’t think, can’t breathe, can’t process anything as you are hit square on by a wave of heat at the door. 

“Oh no, it’s gonna be one of those days”, you had said to yourself this morning. 

It’s 2 o’clock now— and it very indeed was panning out to be one of those days. 

“Oh, I need some sunscreen!”

“This one said SPF 50…”

“This one says SPF30+…”

“Oh wow, this one has five-plus signs after, does that mean it’s extra extra extra protective??”

“Chemical sunscreen? That sounds kind of dangerous…wonder what’s in that one..”

“This one says micronized? Micro-whaa? Are we even looking at sunscreens anymore?”

 With such an extensive selection of sun protection products available on the market today, it is often very challenging for consumers to truly make an informed decision with what they are purchasing and putting on themselves and their loved ones everyday. 

At Moor Spa, our SPF 30+ Face Cream and SPF30+ Body Lotion are two of our most celebrated products, not only during the hottest months but also year-round. 

Estheticians love applying this post-treatment on their clients’ freshly hydrated skin beautifully treated skin. Makeup Artists adore it for under the foundation as it provides a water-resistant, invisible finish with its specially formulated micronized Zinc Oxide and micronized Titanium Oxide. 

Micronization: 

The process of reducing the average diameter of a solid material’s particles.

The process of micronizing our Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide in our Sun Care Line not only ensures our clients do not have to worry about an unsightly grey-white cast that is present in a majority of mineral-based sunscreen products, but it also creates a smooth, even barrier to shield your skin from both UVA and UVB damage.

To better understand why we recommend a physical sunscreen with a high concentration of micronized particles, we must also explore the different types of UV rays that we are exposed to every day.

UVA, UVB, and UVC 

About 95% of the sun’s rays that hit the ground are UVA rays, and 5% are UVB rays.

So why do we choose Physical Sunscreens over Chemical Ones? 

To put it simply, chemical sunscreen absorbs, while physical sunscreen blocks. 

Physical Sunscreens are composed of mainly naturally occurring minerals; titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. 

Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, absorb the UV rays like a sponge. 

While chemical sunscreens are effective and prove beneficial to protecting our skin, the formulations are quite the opposite.

Common toxic ingredients in chemical sunscreens include: oxybenzone, homosalate, and octocrylene. 

And they are all very harmful to not just the human body, but to our environment as well contributing to the ocean’s coral bleaching and destruction of marine life ecosystems. 

Oxybenzone

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 97% of Americans have oxybenzone circulating through their bodies. This chemical is known as an eye-irritant, causes skin allergies, and exacerbates pre-existing skin conditions. 

Internally, it is a harmful hormone disruptor that affects estrogen production in women, and testosterone production in men.

Oxybenzone exposure leads to an increased risk of reproductive diseases like endometriosis in women, and poor reproductive rates in men. 

Homosalate

This chemical protects our skin by absorbing harmful UV rays from the sun, but once it has done its job, the particles are absorbed straight into your bloodstream.

Prolonged exposure leads to a build-up of harmful toxins and pesticides within the body, as homosalate is unable to be metabolized by the liver.

This chemical accumulation can be introduced in vitro, through the bloodstream of the expecting mother as well.  

Octocrylene

Recent studies have shown the damaging effects of Octocrylene comes largely after the chemical degrades into benzophenone. 

Benzophenone is associated with a wide range of toxicities, including genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and endocrine disruption. 

 Like its two other counterparts, Octocrylene does not metabolize through the liver, causing long term oxidative damage that only accumulates over time. 

And lastly, what’s the difference between micronized particles andnano-size particles? 

Additional things to look for while shopping for your next sunscreen: 

Non-comedogenic: no one wants clogged pores!

Broad Spectrum: provides protection for both UVA and UVB

Fragrance-Free: these fragrances are generally composed of a myriad of chemicals that irritate the eyes and skin

Oil-Free: it’s most likely hot enough to not want anymore oil!

Paraben-Free: these disrupt the hormone function of oestrogen in the human body, and increases breast cell division and growth of tumours leading to breast cancers and reproductive issues

SPF 30 or higher! 

Since 1998, we have been: