Two main ingredients are FDA-approved for sunscreen, both of which are very common, but have chemical names that can seem strange.
Titanium dioxide could be called 'Brightener.' It has the unusual quality of being opaque but enhancing brightness. That's why it is found in makeup, for example. For sunscreen, titanium dioxide is made ultra-fine so it is transparent, yet absorbs bad UV light, protecting skin.
Another approved sunscreen is familiar: Zinc Oxide, which could be called 'Reflector.' Naturally occurring in minerals, zinc oxide has been used by humans since about 500 BC. The mineral remains on top of the skin, scattering and reflecting UVA and UVB rays.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
