FAQ's
what you
NEED TO KNOW
Sol Sauce is a “mineral” sunscreen. What does that mean?
The active ingredients in sunscreens (the component that provides the UV protection) fall into 2 main categories: “chemical” and “physical/mineral”. Chemical sunscreens work by soaking deep into your skin and provide protection by reacting with sunlight. Physical or mineral sunscreens function by sitting on top of the skin and reflecting UV.
There are 2 types of mineral active ingredients: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. All other active sunscreen ingredients are chemical.
Why should I use a mineral sunscreen?
There are several reasons, the first being safety. Believe it or not, despite having been used in products for decades the effects of chemical sunscreens on the body and environment have barely been studied.
Recently, there have been more studies being conducted and have revealed the disturbing reality that some of these ingredients are toxic to people and the environment, especially marine ecosystems.
Areas where certain chemical sunscreen ingredients have been banned
These facts are easily confirmed by the fact that several popular tourist destinations around the world have banned products containing certain active chemical ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate.
Why is Sol Sauce only SPF 40? Isn’t SPF 50 better?
The meaning behind SPF (sun protection factor) is a bit convoluted and misunderstood. SPF doesn’t necessarily refer to how well a sunscreen protects you, but for how long. SPF 30 means that your skin will be protected from sunburn for 30 times as long as it would be without sunscreen.
Consider the example below:
Let’s say that your unprotected skin will start to get sunburned in 20 minutes (depends on the individual)
SPF 30 X 20 minutes = 600 minutes
SPF 40 X 20 minutes = 800 minutes
SPF 50 X 20 minutes = 1,000 minutes
However, even the most water resistant sunscreens can only claim water resistance for a maximum of 80 minutes before reapplication is required (depends on country-specific regulations).
To put it into the words of the Skin Cancer Foundation, “...there are problems with the SPF model: First, no sunscreen, regardless of strength, should be expected to stay effective longer than two hours without reapplication.”
What is arguably more important than the SPF number is whether or not the product is broad spectrum (protects from UVA and UVB effectively), and that it is applied properly and reapplied when necessary.
The current scientific literature supports the fact that high-concentration zinc oxide formulas offer the most thorough protection while maintaining optimum safety for people and the environment.
Does Sol Sauce turn your skin white?
Sol Sauce products do leave a slight white cast on the skin. Some are led to believe that sunscreens that leave a white tint are inferior products, but the reality is actually the opposite. Mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) that are formulated using non-nano particles will leave this white tint.
While some prefer a completely clear sunscreen, there is a trade off. Nano particles are so small that they penetrate your skin and enter your bloodstream. They have also been shown to have negative effects on some marine species and are not considered reef safe.
To minimize the whitening effect, simply rub it in thoroughly...which happens to be the appropriate way to apply sunscreen.
