Best zinc oxide Sunblock

Let’s talk about SPF for a second, and I don’t mean the SPF number, or the thick sunscreen you use at the beach. We need to discuss the type of sun protection that is found in daily moisturizers, tinted moisturizers and trendy BB creams. Not to be alarmist, but the bottom line is that you need to throw out your tinted moisturizer or SPF day lotion if it does not contain zinc oxide. I learned something this weekend about sunscreen that rocked my world, so please read my picks for the best moisturizer with zinc oxide, or else you will unknowingly give yourself brown sunspots and UV damage.

Even though I’m a fair-skinned beauty blogger, preoccupied with skincare and have devoted myself to sunscreen from a young age, it turns out I’ve been using the wrong type of daily sun protection. There are two types of sunscreens: physical blockers and chemical blockers. Chemical blockers have names like Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone, and brand names like “Helioplex” (for Neutrogena products), “Hexiplex” or “Mexoryl” (for Loreal products), Aveeno’s “Active Photobarrier Complex” or “Cell-OX Shield” (for La Roche-Posay). The vast majority of drugstore sunscreens, face lotions with SPF, or tinted moisturizers/BB creams all use these chemical blockers. Seriously, go look at the back of your SPF face lotion or tinted moisturizer right now.