The Problem With Conventional and Chemical Sunscreens

Today, we’re diving into a side by side comparison to help you decide: conventional skincare product or holistic SBA formulation? Lets compare three popular products to SBA staples and see which one's are better for your skin and health!

Let's waste no time! In the first part of our series, we're comparing SPF.

UNSEEN SUNSCREEN VS DAYDREAM MINERAL SPF

Supergoop: Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50

First up is a current top seller at Ulta, Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50. You’ve likely heard of Supergoop, especially for their “unseen” or invisible sunscreens. They are known for formulas that disappear into the skin and feel silky smooth. It sounds ideal... Invisible protection without any cast... Lightweight... what's not to love? Well, turns out a lot.

What is creating this nearly magical "unseen" effect for this miracle sunscreen? Let's take a closer look.

But first, we need to talk about how over the past several decades sunscreen use has increased dramatically. You’ve probably heard it before because just about every skincare brand and major public health campaign has promoted daily SPF as essential protection against premature aging and skin cancer.

While SPF protection is important, something is not adding up here...

If more people are aware of the risks of sun exposure and are using sunscreen more than ever before, why are skin cancer rates still climbing?!

This very issue has been referred to by some professionals in the skincare field as the “sunscreen paradox.”

While appropriate sunscreen use and the right type of sunscreen can absolutely help protect the skin against skin cancers and premature aging, there are still other factors to consider. Like most things in life, this is not a black and white, sunscreen or no sunscreen issue. We have to take into account a multiplicity of factors one major one being the quality and ingredients in the sunscreen you use! Could it be that the toxic ingredients in conventional sunscreens could be making the problem worse?

With that said, let’s take a closer look at Ulta’s top selling SPF.

The Concerns with Chemical Sunscreens

Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50 uses chemical UV filters to achieve its clear or “unseen” finish. At the top of the ingredient list are several of these UV filters:

-Avobenzone
-Homosalate
-Octisalate
-Octocrylene

Chemical filters work by absorbing ultraviolet radiation and converting it into heat within the skin which allows the product to go on clear. Kind of a big part of its appeal. However, several of these filters have been studied for potential endocrine disrupting effects. YIKES. Endocrine disruptors are compounds that can interfere with hormone signaling in the body. For women especially, this should raise a big red flag. And as we often talk about around here, hormonal balance influences everything from thyroid function to fertility to long term metabolic health. This is exactly why we have never and will never formulate products with hormone disrupting ingredients.

Did you know that FDA studies have shown that certain chemical sunscreen ingredients (including some used in Unseen Sunscreen) can be detected in the bloodstream for weeks after repeated application? This means the ingredients in the sunscreen are entering systemic circulation in the body. While these ingredients are still being studied and evaluated for long term harm, their risk factors are known and they are being absorbed into the bloodstream. That is not something I am personally willing to risk, especially when there's a holistic alternative that blends into the skin beautifully. More on that below...

Supergoop's Unseen Sunscreen also relies heavily on silicone based ingredients to create its silky smooth texture. Instead of beneficial ingredients that actually nourish the skin, this product and products alike use cheap silicone fillers for aesthetics sake. Silicones are inexpensive and sit on top of the skin more like a mask rather than delivering nourishment.

For acne prone or sensitive skin types, silicones can trap heat and sweat against the skin and potentially contribute to congestion or irritation over time since they are occlusive.

So, turns out it isn't magic. It's synthetic toxic UV filters that raise endocrine concerns and a silicone dominant base. There is not much true nourishment happening here.

Now for the next part of our deep dive. Let’s take a closer look at how Daydream Mineral Sunscreen compares, not only to Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50, but to most conventional sunscreens on the market. Because once you start reading ingredient labels, you may notice something surprising. Many mainstream SPFs rely on the same handful of chemical UV filters. The branding may change and the packaging may look different, and the marketing language may feel fresh. But the core active ingredients are often nearly identical and equally as bad for you.

So what actually makes Daydream different?

Daydream Mineral SPF (Fair & Deep Shade)

Now let’s step into the other side of the sun. If chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays into the skin and convert them into heat, mineral sunscreens work very differently. They create a physical barrier on the surface of the skin that reflects and scatters both UVA and UVB rays.

Quick refresher on UVA and UVB rays (click here for more info). SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, measures protection against UVB rays, the ones responsible for sunburn. If you normally burn in 10 minutes SPF 30 theoretically allows you to stay in the sun 30 times longer before burning. That said, reapplication every two hours is still essential - especially if you are sweating or swimming!

But SPF numbers alone do not tell the whole story of how long or much a product can protect the skin from sun burn.

Broad spectrum protection means a sunscreen protects against both UVB and UVA rays. UVA rays penetrate clouds and glass, contribute to wrinkles, collagen breakdown, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer. UVB rays are more intense in summer months and are primarily responsible for burns and play a major role in skin cancer development. Your sun protection needs to address both.

So how does Daydream Mineral Sunscreen compare to Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50?

Unseen Sunscreen relies on chemical filters: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene.

These chemical filters absorb into the skin and neutralize UV rays internally. They achieve that invisible finish because they are fully integrated into the skin and potentially are absorbed into the blood stream. Daydream Mineral SPF uses non nano zinc oxide as its active filter.

Imagine zinc oxide as tiny particles. When those particles are larger than 100 nanometers, they are considered non nano. That size actually really matters. Non nano zinc oxide is too large to penetrate the skin barrier. Instead, it remains on the surface, forming a protective shield that reflects harmful rays away from the skin. Not all zinc sunscreens are non-nano.. this is something to watch for. Also, not every mineral SPF is truly mineral... read about the shocking findings that reveal a vast amount of "natural" and "mineral" SPFs actually have hidden chemicals filters!

But back to the main point here.. One type of SPF absorbs... the other type shields the skin.

One enters systemic circulation. One stays where it belongs... protecting the skin by creating a physical barrier against the sun. That alone is a major distinction.

Unseen Sunscreen leans heavily on silicones to create that primer like glide. Silicones are aesthetic ingredients. They do not nourish.

On the other hand, Daydream Mineral SPF is more accurately described as a facial balm. It contains skin nutrient rich emollients like: Babassu oil*, Shea butter*, Beeswax*, Raspberry seed oil*, Blackberry seed oil, & Pomegranate seed oil (*organic).

These ingredients do more than sit there looking pretty. They nourish the skin deeply AND create a luxurious texture without the need for silicones.

These ingredients contribute to barrier repair, antioxidant defense, and long term skin resilience instead of simply coating the skin for texture’s sake. Read more about the skin benefits of the ingredients in the Daydream Mineral SPF!

Note: That is a very different intention behind a formula.

It is also worth noting that higher SPF does not exactly increase protection.

SPF 15 blocks about 93 percent of UVB rays.
SPF 30 blocks about 97 percent.
The jump in protection becomes marginal as the number increases.

So while Unseen advertises SPF 50, that higher number does not mean dramatically superior coverage when compared to a mineral sunscreen like our Daydream. What matters more is ingredient quality, proper application, and consistent reapplication.

Daydream Mineral SPF is estimated at a minimum (likely much more) of broad spectrum SPF 30 based on formulation research. While it does not carry conventional lab testing, it also does not contain endocrine disruptors, synthetic fragrance blends, or hidden chemical boosters.

When it comes to something you apply daily, often multiple times per day, it matters the quality and ingredients of the product. Only one of the two discussed SPF's is built without endocrine disrupting filters, hidden chemical boosters, synthetic fragrance, parabens, and other common toxic ingredients.

Because sun protection should not come at the cost of hormonal balance, systemic exposure, or environmental damage!

And that is where Daydream Mineral SPF stands apart.

 

With care,

The SBA Team

 

All you need to know below about SPF: 

-Why Is Non-Toxic Mineral SPF So Rare for Melanin-Rich Skin? We've Changed That.

-Not All Mineral Sunscreens Are Created Equal

-Treating & Preventing Hyperpigmentation

-Everything You Need to Know About SPF & Why We Created a Mineral SPF Facial Balm

-Why The Sun IS Important + How to Enjoy it While Protecting Your Skin