Remember the white noses that lifeguards sported in the 1960s and 1970s? The white cream was usually a zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide-based sunscreen. It protected their noses by creating a physical barrier between their skin and the sun’s rays. Such physical blocking of the sun’s UV rays is an effective way to protect yourself from skin damage caused by the sun. The downfall was that the cream was a thick, greasy paste that caste a white sheen on the skin and no one really liked using it.
That’s not the case anymore. Through years of research, scientists at Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen have created a high-grade formula that is non-greasy and invisible when applied to the skin. All Blue Lizard products contain this formulation of zinc oxide.
Zinc oxide is available in several grades — Blue Lizard Sunscreen uses the very high-grade zinc oxide, which is preferred for pharmaceutical dermatology products. It is the only one of its kind recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Category I skin protectant. Because of its high quality, it is classified as USP (pharmaceutical) grade, a higher rating than cosmetic-grade zinc oxide. And, Blue Lizard’s zinc oxide is also recognized as a diaper rash treatment by the FDA.
Titanium dioxide is another physical blocking agent that is used in Blue Lizard products for sensitive skin and babies. It has a high refractive index, which enhances its stability and ability to protect skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
The sun produces two kinds of rays that are harmful to the skin — UVA and UVB rays. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide protect your skin from both types of UV rays and together provide effective broad-spectrum protection. For people with sensitive skin, absorption of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can sometimes cause irritation. But with Blue Lizard, the particle sizes of both minerals are too large to penetrate the skin, so Blue Lizard products are safe to use for even the most sensitive skin.
Another important feature in a sunscreen is its ability to be stable over time in the sun. Some sunscreens require solvents or photo stabilizers to circumvent this problem. Blue Lizard’s formulation does not. Blue Lizard was originally created in Australia, which has the highest sunscreen standards in the world.