It’s time for a Top 10 list. Well, actually Top 4.
By now, you’re probably thinking that choosing a sunscreen is complicated. (It is.) But the good news is that, there are only 4 UVA ingredients you should care about.
In the U.S., these four ingredients provide solid protection in the UVA spectrum (but not all equally):
- Zinc Oxide
- Titanium Dioxide
- Avobenzone
- Ecamsule (often listed by its trade name, Mexoryl SX, patented by L’Oreal)
You have more options for UVA protection in Europe, such as: Mexoryl XL (also patented by L’Oreal, the oil-soluble version of Mexoryl SX), Tinosorb S, and Tinosorb M. These ingredients have not been approved in the U.S. (but are under review).
I recommend that you read the entire section on Best UVA Ingredients in the Sun Protection Guide, which will help you decide which ingredient is right for you.
Personally, Zinc Oxide is what I use 90% of the time. Occasionally, I’ll use a chemical sunscreen if I am indoors. You can see a photo collection of my sunscreens in What’s In My Cabinet. Each photo has my comments about the sunscreen.
