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13 Dermatologist-Approved Natural Sunscreens for Every Skin Concern
From acne-prone skin to sunburns.
It’s time to invest in natural sunscreen. Apart from saving the coral reefs, you could also be protecting your skin. Dr. Melanie Palm, board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon from Art of Skin, explained that with chemical sunscreens, the product is essentially changing light into heat energy, which can negatively affect the skin. “Heat causes inflammation on the skin, which can cause deleterious effects on the skin and premature aging changes,” explains Palm.
Needless to say, choosing the right sunscreen matters. There are so many options these days, from powder SPFs, to tinted sunscreens, to SPFs that you can buy at the drugstore. Natural sunscreens, also called “physical sunscreens” by the FDA, consist of two types of mineral-based formulas: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These sunscreens work by reflecting the sun rather than using energy conversion like other chemical-based sunscreens.
Some of the best sunscreens out there now combine the best of natural sunscreen elements with the power of anti-inflammatory agents and/or anti-oxidants. Palm advises looking for active ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide on the labels to check. We’ve also taken the guesswork out of finding the perfect natural sunscreens for you with these 13 dermatologist- and editor-approved picks.
Chloe Hall oversees all beauty coverage at ELLE.com. She knew she wanted to get into beauty the moment Donna Summer came on her screen and she's been chasing the perfect disco shadows ever since. Her sweet spot is the intersections of beauty with current culture, whether it's music, movies, or social media. You can find her in Brooklyn with her pug or in Rihanna's comment section.
Ariana Yaptangco oversees all #content across ELLE's social media platforms and covers beauty news. When she isn't staring at a screen, you can find her drinking tea, trying new skincare products, or yelling about the New York Mets.
As ELLE’s beauty editor, Margaux wants to try it all and do it all…and she does. She's not afraid to chop, slather, dye, swipe, inject, and more—and if it's worth your time and money, she’ll rave about it here.
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