Zinc Oxide: Comedogenic Rating & Safety Profile

What is Zinc Oxide?

Zinc oxide is a white, mineral powder (chemical formula ZnO) used as a physical UV filter in sunscreens. Unlike chemical UV filters that absorb UV energy, zinc oxide reflects and scatters both UVA and UVB light at the skin's surface. It is the only single sunscreen ingredient approved as truly broad-spectrum in most regulatory frameworks, including the FDA, EU and UK. It also has mild anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and is the active ingredient in nappy rash creams worldwide.

Comedogenic Rating: What 0/5 Means for Your Skin

Zinc oxide is rated 0/5 comedogenic. The mineral particle does not penetrate intact skin or follicles, so there is no mechanism for pore-clogging. People sometimes blame mineral sunscreens for breakouts, but the cause is almost always the carrier oils, butters or silicones in the formula — not the zinc oxide itself. Look for lightweight gel or fluid mineral sunscreens if you are acne-prone.

• True broad-spectrum from a single ingredient
• Non-irritating and photostable
• Anti-inflammatory — helps calm redness
• Reef-safe and pregnancy-safe

Zinc oxide is one of the safest cosmetic actives. Allergy is essentially unknown. The main 'side effect' is the cosmetic white cast it leaves, especially on darker skin tones — this can be reduced by choosing formulations with smaller (micronised, but non-nano) particles, tinted versions or hybrid mineral-chemical sunscreens. It is the recommended sunscreen for babies, pregnant users, post-procedure skin and those with sensitive or rosacea-prone skin.

Use a sunscreen with at least 10% zinc oxide for meaningful UV protection. Apply two finger-lengths to the face and reapply every 2 hours of sun exposure. Tinted versions blend more naturally on medium and deep skin tones than non-tinted formulas.

Zinc oxide is in mineral sunscreens, tinted moisturisers, BB and CC creams, baby creams, calamine lotion, nappy rash treatments and post-procedure recovery balms.