The rainbow face paint that can save you from sunburn
Think i look utterly bonkers in this photo? i don’t blame you. no, i blame Colin Firth’s wife Livia, actually. Last week, she posted a picture of herself on social media, her face adorned with bright pink and orange stripes of sun cream as she posed on the beach.
She wrote: ‘Did i find the perfect recipe for being in the sun wrinkle-free although looking like a lunatic? Just discovered Zinka, which surfers in California use to stay in the sun all day.’
Zinka is a sunscreen developed in the U.S. in 1986 by two surfers who wanted a more colourful version of the white zinc oxide lifeguards used on their noses.
Zinc oxide has been used since 500BC to treat wounds and skin conditions. it is now in nappy rash and antiseptic creams, but its ability to protect us from the sun has made it invaluable.
Most sun creams work by absorbing the sun’s harmful rays, but zinc oxide sits on top of the skin and reflects them off. ‘Reflector’ sunscreens are particularly good for people with sensitive skins.ins.
The ultraviolet light that we e worry about is separated into UVA, associated with ageing and skin cancer, and UVB, whichh causes burns and also contributes to skin cancer.
‘Broad spectrum’ are the bestt sun creams because they protect t against UVA and UVB rays.
Often, in order to get that level el of protection, you have to mix x several sunscreen ingredients. s. Zinc oxide is, however, effective e against a wide range of UVA and d UVB rays, making it the broadest st spectrum ingredient available.
Unlike some sunscreens whosee efficacy diminishes so you have too keep reapplying it, zinc oxide e remains active as long as it is on n your skin. Provided you haven’tt rubbed, sweated, or washed it off,f, it offers the same protection n hours after you applied it.
Advances in technology have now given us zinc oxide made of nano-particles up to four times smaller than usual.
‘This means they don’t appear white but still cover the whole skin and act like tiny mirrors, reflecting UV light,’ says Dr Emma Meredith, of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association.
it isn’t in every sun cream because while the U. S. and Australia have approved it in sunscreens, Europe hasn’t.
‘in the EU there are lists of ingredients, known as positive lists, which indicate the ingredients deemed appropriate,’ says Dr Meredith. ‘There’s a list for UV filters, and if you want to make a product that contains sun protection, you have to pick from the positive list of UV filters.
‘Zinc oxide is not on the positive list for historic reasons that meant only absorber-type sunscreens were listed.
‘That doesn’t mean you are not allowed to include it in a sun protection product, as it is an approved skincare ingredient, butb t if you want t tot say your product offers sun protection, zinc oxide cannot be the only UV filter it contains.’
Studies on mice have also shown that zinc oxide nano-particles kill brain stem cells. But these nanoparticles cannot penetrate the skin or reach the bloodstream, so are safe when used as sunblock.
if you want to try it, the Uk’s biggest stockist of Zinka is suncareshop.com which stocks 12 colours (£7.49 each) as well as a clear version. it is also available from shops including Sweaty Betty and Urban Outfitters.
While it looks fun and smells deliciously of coconut, it is quite greasy, and the orange one takes a lot of scrubbing off. if you don’t want to look like a toddler has scribbled on you, try these less brightly coloured options: