A white mineral powder mainly used in skincare as a physical sunscreen. It protects against UVA light that leads to visible signs of aging, including wrinkles and fine lines. Zinc oxide can also be used as a colorant to enhance the whiteness of a product.
Functions
Sunscreen,
Sunscreen
Sunscreens protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation by absorbing or reflecting UV light.
Sunscreen,
Sunscreen
Sunscreens protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation by absorbing or reflecting UV light.
Antimicrobial,
Antimicrobial
Antimicrobials prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms on the skin.
Antimicrobial,
Antimicrobial
Antimicrobials prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms on the skin.
Colorant,
Colorant
Colorants give color to skincare products.
Colorant,
Colorant
Colorants give color to skincare products.
Bulking,
Bulking
Bulking – increases the volume of a product.
Bulking,
Bulking
Bulking – increases the volume of a product.
Light Stabilizing
Light Stabilizing
Light stabilizing – absorbs UV light to protect ingredients.
Light Stabilizing
Light Stabilizing
Light stabilizing – absorbs UV light to protect ingredients.
Origin
Naturally occurring,
Naturally occurring
These are ingredients initially present in nature, such as elements (Zinc, Gold, or Silver), minerals, or water.
Naturally occurring,
Naturally occurring
These are ingredients initially present in nature, such as elements (Zinc, Gold, or Silver), minerals, or water.
Synthetic
Synthetic
All kinds of ingredients formulated or produced by a chemical process, or those that have a chemical modification in their structure.
Synthetic
Synthetic
All kinds of ingredients formulated or produced by a chemical process, or those that have a chemical modification in their structure.
Overview
Zinc oxide is a white mineral powder that is insoluble in water. Although it is found naturally in some places, most zinc oxide is produced synthetically from zinc metal.
The main function of zinc oxide in skincare products is as a physical sunscreen, where it absorbs ultraviolet (UV) light to protect the skin from its damaging energy.
Specifically, zinc oxide primarily absorbs in the UVA region of UV light, which ranges from 320 to 400 nanometers in wavelength. This type of light has the longest wavelength of all types of UV radiation, and this means it travels deeper into the skin. This leads to visible signs of aging, including wrinkles and fine lines.
In addition to working as a sunscreen, zinc oxide can also be used as a colorant, thanks to its bright white appearance. It can enhance the whiteness of a product or be used along with other colorants to adjust the hue they give them skincare product.
Zinc oxide also works as a bulking agent, by creating more volume and even producing a more viscous product.
Finally, it is thought that zinc oxide has some antimicrobial properties, but more research must be done in order to prove these claims.
