Sunblock vs Sunscreen: What’s The Key Difference?

Do you know that most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to UV (ultraviolet) light? It is risky to play and work outside without taking any protection from the sun. You can protect your skin from sun exposure by using sunblock or sunscreen creams.

No matter what color your skin is or what tone you have, it does not matter. People always get confused and mix up while choosing sun protection products. But, you need proper knowledge to select which one is suitable for the skin.

We will attempt to distinguish between two sun protection products in this article. Once you have a clear idea about sunblock vs. sunscreen, you will be able to choose the best one for your skin, no doubt. So let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

What Is Sunblock?

Sunblock reflects sunlight and protects your body from UV (ultraviolet) rays. You can call it physical sunscreen, which blocks the ray from penetrating our skin. We use it as a barrier over our skin. Typically sunblock contains ingredients like titanium oxide. This is such a kind of protector which is noticeable when applied to the skin. Many brands or companies offer both sunscreen and sunblock to their customers.

As it is the physical kind of protector, you need not reapply it after every few hours. Once you apply it to your skin, the barrier serves against the damaging rays of the sun. It helps to scatter and reflect them away from the skin.

What Is Sunscreen?

Sunscreen is a kind of chemical defense that absorbs the UV before they reach damaged skin layers. You can generally use sunscreen in the form of gel, lotion, or cream. Apply it to your skin not covered with cloth to remain protected. But recently, some brands have come out with new ideas for sunscreen in the form of mist and powder. The ingredients that are used in sunscreen cream or lotion are avobenzone, para-aminobenzoic, and oxybenzone. The sunscreen lotions or creams help to filter the UV rays and save our skin.

On the whole, sunscreen absorbs the UVA rays but Once applied and absorbed by the skin, it’s usually imperceptible. It also tends to break down if the sun continues to exposed. Therefore, you need to keep reapplying it to the skin every two or three hours.

Sunblock vs. Sunscreen: Key Differences

Now that you know, sunscreen and sunblock are both used for sun protection. We’ll now discuss the differences between sunscreen and sunblock.

The active ingredient in sunblock is zinc oxide, which is opaque inconsistency. After application, many sunblocks are visible on the skin, and that makes you a little unappealing. You may have noticed that people use sunblock at the beach and often have a streak of sunblock on the parts of their faces. For this reason, Some brands and companies offer less visible sunblock for customers. It is best to use sunscreen for babies that contain only titanium or zinc oxide.

On the other hand, sunscreens use various chemicals that help to absorb UVA and UVB rays. The active ingredients are avobenzone or oxybenzone for a sunscreen cream. Some people are allergic or sensitive to sunscreen like PABA. For this reason, many people choose sunblock over sunscreen lotion. Moreover, some lotion or cream is formulated to include repellant, either natural or artificial. Some experts do not suggest using sunscreen because you need to reapply it often to the skin.

Which Is Better Sunscreen or Sunblock?

According to the expert’s suggestion, you should consider the skin type before choosing the right sun protection product.

You should have to choose sunblocks having less irritating ingredients for the skin. If you go for a swim or sweat a lot, you need to reapply it frequently to the skin.

Ultraviolet rays are so dangerous and can damage your skin without direct sun exposure. In this case, sunscreen is a definite need for you to block UVA. Therefore, it also prevents your skin from getting burned by UVB rays. It is important to remember that you can’t apply both sunblock and sunscreen at the same time.

According to your choice and skin sensibility, choose the best sun protection product. When choosing a product, whether sunscreen or sunblock, don’t forget to check SPF is 30 or higher. You can find the SPF (sun protection factor) on the label of the products. Few products these days are known as suntan lotion with less SPF. It is essential to avoid products like these since they cannot protect your face from the sun.

Why Is Sunblock or Sunscreen Used For?

Here are some reasons why you should use sun protection products.

Reduce aging.
Limit the appearance of sunspots.
Protect the skin from sunburn.
Reduce the risk of skin cancer.
Help to maintain skin tone.
Protects from UV rays.

Sunblock vs Sunscreen: The Bottom Line

That’s it. Daily use of sun protection products is significant for your skin. We hope our article regarding sunblock vs sunscreen will be helpful for you to choose the best one according to your skin type and tone. If you have further queries regarding skincare products, feel free to let us know.