Best UVA Active Ingredients

Sunscreens typically contain several active ingredients (2-5 on average). These actives work in synergy to provide broader coverage than one ingredient can do alone, as well as stability to the formula.

Don’t worry about learning all of them. Just pay attention to four key UVA ingredients. Most sunscreen formulas offer reliable UVB protection, so your focus should be on the UVA ingredients.

Which UVA Active Ingredients Are Most Effective?

In the U.S., there are four ingredients that will provide protection in the UVA spectrum (but not all equally):

  1. Zinc Oxide
  2. Titanium Dioxide
  3. Avobenzone
  4. Ecamsule (often listed by its trade name, Mexoryl SX, patented by L’Oreal)

In Europe, you have more options for UVA protection, 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), so you can’t buy European sunscreens with these ingredients from a U.S. retailer.

Your sunscreen must contain at least one of these ingredients. So which one?

First, decide whether you want a physical sunscreen or chemical sunscreen (you can learn more about the differences here: Physical vs Chemical Sunscreens).

If You Choose A Physical Sunscreen

You have 2 options: nano or non-nano sunscreens. Non-nano may give a white cast; nano won’t. But nano sunscreens are controversial.

If you can tolerate the texture and potentially whitish cast of a non-nano physical sunscreen, consider this first. Then the choice becomes Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide. Zinc Oxide is definitely the better choice.

  • Zinc Oxide provides the most complete protection in the entire UVA spectrum (280-400 nm). It protects against both UVA-1 and UVA-2.
  • While Titanium Dioxide provides good coverage for UVA-2 (320-340 nm), it is weaker and insufficient at UVA-1 (340-400 nm).
  • Note: Zinc Oxide by itself in a formula isn’t sufficient if a high SPF is required (i.e. you need high UVB protection if you’ll be in intense sunshine or you burn easily). For this reason, Zinc Oxide is often combined with UVB filters, such as Octocrylene. But if you don’t expect to be under intense sun for a long period, a zin sunscreen without Octocrylene is fine.

    • La Roche Posay’s Anthelios SX contains Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX), Avobenzone, and Octocrylene (which stabilizes the Avobenzone).

If You Choose A Chemical Sunscreen

If you don’t like the feel or look of a non-nano mineral sunscreen, or don’t want to use a nano mineral sunscreen, then you are left with 2 chemical sunscreen options: Avobenzone and Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX). Your product should contain BOTH.

  • Avobenzone protects mostly in UVA-1 (340-400 nm). Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX) protects mostly in UVA-2 (320-340 nm). That’s why you need these two ingredients  together to obtain complete coverage in the UVA range (320-400 nm).
  • Avobenzone is very photo unstable. It gets degraded by light quickly. This can be reduced by adding photostabilizers such as Octocrylene or encapsulating the ingredient into liposomes. However, there is still much more research needed on photostabilizing Avobenzone.
    • Neutrogena’s patented Helioplex contains Avobenzone, Oxybenzone and DEHN (diethylhexyl 2,6-naphthalatate). DEHN is an electron acceptor that stabilizes Avobenzone.
    • Solastay (Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene) is a photostabilizer for Avobenzone and Octinoxate.
  • Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX) is limited to L’Oreal owned brands (e.g. La Roche Posay’s Anthelios SX line, Lancome), since L’Oreal has the patent on this ingredient.

Take a look at this table. You can see that only Zinc Oxide protects in both UVA-1 and UVA-2. All other ingredients require a partner ingredient.

[table id=4/]

Personally, I only use Zinc Oxide sunscreens for the following reasons:

  • Physical blocking – There is no consensus in the scientific community on whether physical deflection or chemical absorption of UV rays is the better method for blocking UV. I’m in the camp that believes radiation is better scattered than absorbed. Also, absorption of UV radiation requires that you have enough product on your skin. This is tricky. When I use a non-nano mineral sunscreen (which scatters rays; a nano form absorbs them), I am much better able to control how much product is on my skin because I can see it (also, I don’t rub it completely in – see my application technique). Chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin, so it is hard to know how much you have on.
  • Most complete UVA coverage – Zinc Oxide provides more coverage in UVA-2 than Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX). Ecamsule attenuates at 390 nm, while Zinc Oxide attenuates at up to 700 nm.
  • No irritation – Mineral sunscreens don’t irritate my eyes, like many chemical sunscreens do. Since they rest on the surface of skin and do not get absorbed, they also do not cause reactions.
  • My skin type – My skin can handle the texture of a mineral sunscreens. Occlusive ingredients also do not normally clog my pores. My skin is sometimes dry and can use the extra emollience that is typically found in mineral sunscreen creams. Also, I welcome a slight whitish cast as it minimizes my underlying yellow skin tone.

I use both nano and non-nano forms.

  • Nano for when the weather is hot and humid. A nano form absorbs into skin, producing a light and thin layer that prevents my pores from getting clogged. It also feels better on my skin. I also use a nano sunscreen when I’m wearing foundation over it. For the same reasons – it’s a lighter ‘load’ on my skin.
  • At other times during the year, I’ll use a non-nano form.

Now that we have figured out which ingredients matter, the next part is to look at percent concentration – how much of it you’re getting.

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