Sunscreen Ranker journal
The sunscreen
journal.
Daily, evidence-led notes on SPF, UV filters, and sun protection — every claim sourced, no cap.
- Formulation 'Chemical vs Physical' Is a Myth: Mineral Filters Absorb UV Too The tidy story that mineral filters only 'reflect' UV while chemical filters 'absorb' it is largely wrong, and the truth is more interesting. Read it →
- UV science What 'Broad Spectrum' Really Means (the 370 nm Test) 'Broad spectrum' isn't a marketing word — in the US it's a measurable FDA pass/fail line at 370 nanometers. Read it →
- Kids & family One Blistering Childhood Sunburn Raises Lifetime Melanoma Risk The sunburns kids get today can echo decades later — which is exactly why sun protection in childhood is non-negotiable. Read it →
- Formulation Beef Tallow and DIY Sunscreen: 2025's 'Barnyard Wellness' Wave Tallow, raw milk, and kitchen-made SPF are flooding feeds as 'natural' skincare — here's the dermatologist breakdown of what's harmless and what leaves you burned. Read it →
- Makeup + SPF How to Reapply Sunscreen Over Makeup Without Wrecking It You don't have to strip off your makeup at noon to stay protected — here's how dermatologists do the midday top-up. Read it →
- Sensitive skin Why Derms Pick Mineral Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin There's real science behind why dermatologists reach for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide when skin is easily irritated. Read it →
- Seasonal What the UV Index Actually Means: A Plain-English Guide Your weather app says 'UV 8' — here's exactly what that number means for your skin and your plans. Read it →
- Global Palau's Sunscreen Ban: 10 Ingredients Tourists Get Caught With Palau will confiscate your sunscreen at the border, and its banned-ingredient list is far longer than Hawaii's. Read it →
- Trends Does Sunscreen Cause Cancer? What the Evidence Says A viral claim insists sunscreen causes the very cancer it's meant to prevent — here's what the actual evidence shows. Read it →
- Application How Much Sunscreen to Apply: The Shot-Glass Rule The most common sunscreen mistake isn't the brand you buy — it's how little of it you put on. Read it →
- Skin cancer How Common Is Skin Cancer? The 1-in-5 Risk If you think skin cancer is rare or won't happen to you, the numbers tell a very different story. Read it →
- Formulation Why Avobenzone and Octocrylene Are Always Together Flip over almost any US chemical sunscreen and you'll see avobenzone next to octocrylene — here's the formulation logic behind that duo. Read it →
- UV science Is Higher SPF Always Better? SPF 30 vs 50 vs 100 Reaching for the SPF 100 bottle feels safest, but dermatologists explain why the number alone can mislead you. Read it →
- Kids & family SPF 30 vs SPF 50 for Kids: The Gap Is Tiny Before you pay extra for SPF 50 kids' sunscreen, here's how little protection that higher number actually buys. Read it →
- Makeup + SPF Does SPF Stack? Why SPF 30 + SPF 30 Isn't SPF 60 Layering an SPF 30 moisturizer under an SPF 30 foundation feels like SPF 60 protection, but the math doesn't work that way. Read it →
- Reef-safe Why Hawaii Banned Oxybenzone and Octinoxate: Inside Act 104 Exactly which sunscreens you can legally buy in Hawaii — and why the state restricted two specific chemicals first. Read it →
- Sensitive skin Choosing Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin: What 'Non-Comedogenic' Means Decode the single most-searched label term for breakout-prone skin and turn it into a simple buying checklist. Read it →
- Seasonal WMO: 2015–2025 Are the 11 Warmest Years Ever Recorded An unbroken streak of record-warm years means longer, more intense high-UV seasons — and a stronger case for daily SPF. Read it →
- Global Maui's All-Mineral Sunscreen Rule: What's Banned and the $1,000 Fine Hawaii's state ban covers two chemicals — but Maui bans every chemical sunscreen, and getting it wrong can cost you a fine. Read it →
- Trends Sunscreen Misinformation Online Has Put 16 Million Americans at Risk The anti-sunscreen content in your feed isn't a fringe niche — it's a measurable public-health problem affecting millions. Read it →
- Application Powder and Spray SPF Are Touch-Ups, Not Coverage: 2025 Consensus Dusting on SPF powder or misting setting spray won't get you to the number on the label — it's a top-up, not your base. Read it →
- Sensitive skin Bioré Goes Mineral: Kao's First UV-Absorber-Free Aqua Rich Arrives Japan's biggest mass sunscreen brand finally brings a fully UV-absorber-free Aqua Rich for sensitive skin. Read it →
- Skin cancer A 2025 Study Tracks Rising Surface UV Against Global Melanoma, 1990–2021 Three decades of data link climbing surface UV to melanoma — the big-picture 'why protection matters more now' behind every product choice. Read it →
- Seasonal January 2025 Was the Hottest January on Record — Even With La Niña Record warmth during a 'cooling' La Niña is a reminder that winter is no longer a season to skip SPF. Read it →