Mineral sunscreen has become increasingly popular in recent years, and we understand the appeal: the term mineral can sound more reassuring than chemical, particularly amid concerns about sunscreen ingredients and past product recalls. But when chemists in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty & Personal Care Lab put 92 sunscreens to the test with 766 consumer testers across a range of skin types and tones, the results were clear: Overall, chemical sunscreens performed better than mineral formulas in our consumer testing. Here is why:

Why chemical sunscreens came out on top in our testing

At the GH Beauty Lab, we test sunscreens with real people across the country, representing a range of skin types, tones, and sensitivities, as well as different texture and finish preferences. We score a variety of factors, including texture, spreadability, absorption, tackiness or greasiness, skin feel, ease of application, performance, and overall satisfaction, to name just a few. Each attribute is scored on a five-point scale, from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Here are the tallies:

Face sunscreens

  • For face sunscreens, our test included 43 chemical and 24 mineral formulas.
  • Chemical sunscreens scored higher on 11 of 17 attributes, or 65%, with advantages in areas that can make a big difference in whether you actually want to wear sunscreen every day, including less white cast, better texture and absorption, easier application, and less tackiness.
  • Perhaps the most surprising finding (which we have seen through the years) is that chemical sunscreens scored notably higher for leaving skin feeling hydrated.
  • They scored the same as their mineral counterparts for non-irritation or not causing breakouts, even across people with self-proclaimed sensitivities.

Body sunscreens

  • The difference was even more pronounced for body sunscreens.
  • Of the clearly classifiable formulas, 14 were chemical and 10 were mineral (plus one that included both UV filters).
  • When it came to the beachgoers' feedback, chemical body sunscreens scored higher on 12 of 13 attributes, or 92% of the time.
  • Chemical body sprays were clearly favorable for their easy application and fast absorption.
  • Chemical lotions took a close second place while mineral lotions and sprays ranked lower, especially mineral sunscreen sprays.
  • Testers also praised the ease of rinsing off chemical sunscreens and ranked them higher in their surveys.
  • Mineral formulas slightly edged out chemical ones only for testers reporting that they didn't get sunburned, and the difference was just 0.03 points on a five-point scale.

The bottom line: Across the face and body tests, chemical sunscreens outperformed mineral formulas on 77% of the consumer-rated attributes. Their biggest advantages came down to the overall user experience, including white cast or residue, texture, absorption, tackiness, scent, application, and skin feel. That's no small distinction: A sunscreen you enjoy applying is one you're more likely to use consistently.

To further understand the difference between these UV filters, we tapped dermatologists and skincare experts to get real answers on the differences between mineral and chemical sunscreen.

What is mineral sunscreen?

“Mineral sunscreens use the ingredients titanium oxide and zinc oxide,” says GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler. “Mineral ingredients on their own are like white powders and they’re tiny solid particles.” Because of the color of the mineral particles, these sunscreens can leave a white cast on the skin. “It’s going to look a bit pasty,” Butler adds. “People with deeper skin tones are going to notice this more, so this can be a concern for some people.” This also makes a case for tinted sunscreens.

Mineral sunscreens also differ in the way that they provide sun protection for the skin. These formulations absorb and scatter UV rays.

It’s also a common misconception that mineral sunscreens are more “natural” than chemical sunscreens. “The truth is that the mineral ingredients that go into mineral sunscreens are not being harvested from the earth and used as is,” Butler says. “They are also synthesized in a laboratory just like the ingredients that go into the chemical sunscreens.”

What is chemical sunscreen?

Unlike mineral sunscreens, chemical sunscreens rely on carbon-based molecules to provide sun protection. The number of those ingredients can be vast. “There are a ton of chemical sunscreen [ingredients]—more than mineral,” says Kristin Z. Haushalter, M.D., a dermatologist in Miami, Florida. A few you may see appear on your sunscreen label are “ingredients like avobenzone and octisalate,” Butler says. Homosalate, octocrylene, and bemotrizinol (which was recently approved by the FDA) are a few others.

These ingredients also “tend to have a clear appearance on the skin,” according to Butler. “UV absorbers used in chemical sunscreens are clear, oily liquids. They are not going to leave that white cast or film over the skin.”

Is one truly better than the other?

When selecting which sunscreen ingredients will be best for your skin, it can come down to your specific needs and preferences.

A mineral sunscreen may feel thicker on the skin or leave a white cast but, “most mineral sunscreens are better for sensitive skin,” Dr. Haushalter says. “A lot of these chemical [ingredients] will burn on skin that’s sensitive.” Meanwhile, a chemical sunscreen may better serve someone who wants to avoid a white cast.

The truth is it’s always better to some form have sun protection than none. “They’re both really effective and it’s more of a matter of preference,” Butler says. “They’re both great to use.” Still, the best sunscreen for you is the one you’ll actually want to wear daily, but our tests showed that chemical was clearly preferred for looking and feeling more discreet.