What Are the Top Sunscreen Ingredients to Avoid?

People generally agree that sunscreen works—in that it helps prevent skin cancer, skin damage, and premature aging by blocking harmful UV rays (that's ultraviolet rays from the sun). But not all formulas are created equal.

There are some toxic sunscreen ingredients to avoid if you struggle with acne or have sensitive skin. And some products contain potentially harmful ingredients pretty much everyone might want to steer clear of.

Why Is Sun Safety Important for Skin Health?

Sun protection is vital for skin health. Besides slathering any exposed skin with sunscreen before heading outdoors, this includes wearing protective clothing (like a UPF shirt), rocking a sunhat, and posting up in the shade whenever possible.

But why does all this matter? Over the years, continuous sun exposure (and tanning bed use) leads to photoaging, the clinical term for sun damage.

By damaging skin cells, photoaging can result in:

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Different types of hyperpigmentation or melasma (also called sun spots, dark spots, and liver spots)
• Inflammation and general redness
• Visible blood vessels
• Purpura (red or purple blood spots)
• Loss of elasticity or saggy skin
• Dry skin or uneven texture

Sun safety prevents these effects and helps your skin look, feel, and perform its best. Year-round sunscreen use is a big part of this.

Common Sunscreen Ingredients

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved a number of active ingredients for sunscreens manufactured in the U.S. Based on FDA regulations, active ingredients are what treats or prevents a health condition or disease—in this case, preventing sunburn and skin cancer.

FDA-approved sunscreen ingredients include:

• Avobenzone
• Dioxybenzone
• Homosalate
• Menthyl anthranilate
• Octocrylene
• Octyl salicylate
• Oxybenzone
• Phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid
• Sulisobenzone
• Titanium dioxide
• Zinc oxide

The most commonly used active ingredients are generally zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone, homosalate, and oxybenzone.

Then there are inactive ingredients included for numerous purposes, like moisturization, redness reduction, or oil control. Many sunscreens also contain preservatives. It’s important to also be aware of the differences between chemical vs. mineral sunscreen so you can find a quality sunscreen that you can use every day.

Ingredients to Avoid in Sunscreens

What are the top sunscreen ingredients to avoid? We recommend looking for formulas made without:

• Oxybenzone
• Octinoxate
• Homosalate
• Octocrylene
• Parabens
• Retinyl palmitate (vitamin A palmitate)

Keep scrolling to find out why these pore-clogging ingredients should be avoided.

Oxybenzone

Some research has suggested that oxybenzone may enter the bloodstream and negatively affect fertility, fetal development, thyroid hormones, kidney function, and the immune system.

And in recent years, Hawaii and Key West, Florida, have banned the sale of sunscreens containing this active ingredient because of its potential to threaten marine life and damage the coral reef. That's why you'll see some sunscreens labeled as "reef-safe."

Octinoxate

Like oxybenzone, there are concerns about octinoxate's effects on reproductive hormones, fetal health, kidney function, and the immune system.

And similarly, this active ingredient has also been banned in sunscreens sold in the state of Hawaii and the island of Key West.

Homosalate

You may also want to avoid homosalate in sunscreen. This chemical UV filter might enter the bloodstream through the skin and lead to hormone disruption.

The FDA allows this active ingredient in higher dosages (up to 15%) than other countries. For instance, the European Commission recommends a maximum of 1.4%.

Octocrylene

Octocrylene is another chemical UV filter. In unsafe levels, some evidence suggests it might cause hormonal imbalances.

Though it's not banned anywhere in the U.S., this active ingredient has also been linked to marine toxicity, meaning it could harm fish or coral reefs.

Parabens

Parabens are a type of preservative used in many skincare products to prevent oxidation and bacterial growth. But some people are concerned about their effects on hormonal function and reproductive health. Sunscreens containing parabens might also cause skin irritation.

When looking at an ingredients list, parabens may be listed as methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isopropyl-paraben, butylparaben, or isobutylparaben.

Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate)

Retinyl palmitate is a form of topical vitamin A (retinoid) that encourages cell turnover. That's why it's often used in anti-aging skincare products.

This is an ingredient you'll want to avoid when buying sunscreen because it might actually exacerbate the effects of sunlight exposure, increasing the risk of sunburn and skin cancer.

Recommended Ingredients for Sensitive Skin

Now you know what sunscreen ingredients to avoid. But what are the best ingredients for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin?

In terms of active ingredients, your best bet is a mineral formula containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. There are many benefits of mineral sunscreen no matter your skin type. These are considered ideal for keeping acne breakouts at bay, as they may be less likely to clog pores or cause irritation.

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are natural ingredients. They serve as broad-spectrum UV filters, meaning they block out both UVA and UVB rays.

What's more, these mineral filters are thought to be harmless to the coral reef and marine life, so you can slather them on before swimming in the ocean.

How to Choose the Right Sunscreen

Choosing a good sunblock is about more than just avoiding bad ingredients in sunscreen.

First, you should know the difference between chemical and physical sunscreen. Besides that, we recommend looking for calming ingredients that are gentle on sensitive skin.

Chemical vs. Physical Sunscreen: Which to Choose

There are two main categories of sunscreen, physical and chemical:

• Physical sunscreen. Also known as mineral sunscreen, physical sunscreen physically blocks out UV rays with mineral filters like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. The white cast you often see with this type of sunblock is the physical sun barrier in action.
• Chemical sunscreen. Sometimes called organic sunscreen, chemical sunscreen uses a chemical reaction to essentially convert ultraviolet radiation into heat to dissipate it from the surface of the skin.

We generally feel that chemical sunscreens should be avoided, especially for folks with particularly sensitive skin and those looking to prevent acne breakouts. And the best mineral sunscreens counteract the dreaded white cast with sheer or tinted formulas.

Other Ingredients for Sensitive Skin

Beyond mineral actives, you might want to look for sunscreen formulas containing calming, anti-inflammatory ingredients to reduce redness and soothe irritation.

Think vitamin E (tocopherol), colloidal oatmeal, thermal spring water, aloe vera, algae extract, green tea, bakuchiol, licorice root, and comfrey root extract (allantoin).

The Future of Sunscreen Formulations at CLEARSTEM

With CLEARSTEM, you can rest assured there are no bad ingredients in sunscreen. Our vegan, reef-safe formulas are made without animal ingredients, synthetic fragrances, or known hormone disruptors.

The broad-spectrum formulas from CLEARSTEM offer SPF 30 to SPF 50+ protection from the sun's harmful rays. Instead of problematic chemical filters, our selection of non-comedogenic sunscreen calls on zinc oxide to protect your skin while preventing breakouts, calming inflammation, and minimizing the risk of irritation.

Don't stop with sunscreen lotion each morning. To make reapplying SPF throughout the day easy, try our mineral powder sunscreen. The lightweight formula comes with a handy brush attachment to dust on over your makeup as many times as you'd like without worrying about cakey buildup or clogged pores.

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