Get the Benefits of Organic UV Filters with the Safety of Inorganic

Today’s beauty consumers prioritize the safety of their ingredients. It’s led to the rise in ingredient safety websites like EWG, Think Dirty, CosDNA, and more. In 2020, EWG reported their app had been installed 2.55 million times. Consumers are moving beyond “clean” as a sufficient claim. Although 42% of U.S. adults continue to rank natural/clean ingredients as one of the most important attributes for them when shopping for skincare, consumers are doing more of their own homework on ingredients.

The growing hunger for ingredient information comes as no surprise with recent sun protection recalls. In May 2021, Valisure notified the FDA of the 192 sunscreen and after-sun care samples with detectable levels of benzene (classified as a human carcinogen). Another FDA document detailed aerosol sunscreen test results of benzene concentrations up to 23.6 ppm, beyond the FDA guidelines of 2 ppm. In July 2022, the FDA announced yet another recall of organic sunscreens due to trace levels of benzene. Popular media outlets like Allure and Byrdie have cued consumers on these sunscreen concerns.

Consumers want safe, effective products; it’s up to brands like yours to hold the highest standards of protection from harm. In this blog, you will learn how to use mineral UV filters to get the same benefits of chemical sunscreens without the complications.

The Benefits of Organic UV Filters

Today, the FDA has 16 sunscreen active ingredients considered GRASE (a la the 1999 sunscreen monograph). There had previously been recent proposals from the FDA to propose GRASE for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (inorganic UV filters) but remove GRASE status from organic UV filters such as cinoxate, dioxybenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, avobenzone, and more.

Despite the potential risk, brands often opt for chemical UV filters for many reasons, including:

  1. Non-whitening: Organic UV filters tend to have higher visible light transmission and therefore decrease the chance of white cast. Not only is it more pleasant to wear on a daily basis, but it broadens the target customer for a wider range of skin tones.
  2. Easy to dissolve: Most organic UV filters readily dissolve in emollients or water. This creates more straightforward formulation steps.
  3. Compatible for broad-spectrum protection: Organic UV filters can typically be used alongside many other UV filters, hero ingredients, or actives without disrupting their function. Chemical filters in tandem provide fine-tuned protection against UVA and UVB rays.
Sugarcane on green background for sustainable clean beauty ingredients

CleanScreen™ Z60SF: The Benefits of Organic UV Filters without the Risk

Inorganic UV filters (like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) have historically been more challenging to work with. In addition to the stark white cast, they often do not provide full broad-spectrum protection. Moreover, many mineral UV filters are chalky, difficult-to-dissolve pastes.

We developed CleanScreen™ Z60SF to offer the same key advantages of organic filters without the disadvantages of mineral filters. CleanScreen Z60SF is the safer, non-whitening broad-UV protection without petrochemicals or silicones. It addresses increasing consumer concerns about sunscreen safety and sustainability without compromising performance or sensory properties. It’s the best mineral UV filter that provides the formulation benefits of organic UV filters:

  1. Non-whitening: CleanScreen Z60SF uses bio-fermented Neossance™ Squalane to disperse zinc oxide particles evenly. Sugarcane-derived Squalane as the carrier oil creates a uniform, sheer film of sustainable sun protection.
  2. Easy to dissolve: CleanScreen Z60SF is a pourable format, ready to be added to skincare, color cosmetics, and body care applications. Simply add it to the oil phase for straightforward formulation.
  3. Broad-spectrum protection: CleanScreen Z60SF uses non-nano zinc oxide. The non-nano particle size affords broad-spectrum protection without the requirement of boosters or titanium dioxide. Beyond this, the non-nano particle size ensures the zinc oxide does not enter the bloodstream or contaminate waterways and coral reefs.

CleanScreen Z60SF empowers SPF formulators to easily create safe, effective products. Because there are no organic filters, there is no risk of benzene contaminants in CleanScreen Z60SF.

Choose Safer Sunscreen with CleanScreen Z60SF

As formulators choose the appropriate UV filters for their next sun protection products, it’s important to keep in mind a variety of benefits and features.

CleanScreen Z60SF allows formulators to get the same benefits of chemical UV filters (non-whitening, ease of use, and broad-spectrum protection) without the risk of benzene. Our non-nano zinc oxide performs favorably both in the experience of formulating and the high performance of the product.

Now, you’re able to get the best of both worlds in sun protection — sustainably and with high performance.

REQUEST A SAMPLE OF CLEANSCREEN Z60SF

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