how does sun block work? What makes one stronger than the other?

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How does the magic sun blocking juice work?

In: Chemistry

2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Sunscreen is paint. It’s transparent to the colors of light we can see but opaque to the UV colors that burn skin.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Chemical sunscreens primarily work by absorbing UV rays before they can penetrate our skin. These can be found in most broad spectrum sunscreens and include octisalate, avobenzone, and octinoxate, among others.

Mineral sunblocks – like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide – physically blocking and reflecting UV light.

[Edit] Forgot to add that one isn’t necessarily stronger than the other (although it can be harder to find a high SPF mineral sunblock). Sunscreens with higher SPF ratings just contain more of the active ingredient(s).