ACTIVE: Zinc oxide 22% INACTIVE: Water ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is the sunscreen active, providing broad-spectrum UV attenuation by scattering, reflecting, and absorbing UV radiation. At 22%, it is present at a high active level, with water serving as the carrier phase.
What does ACTIVE: Zinc oxide 22% INACTIVE: Water do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is the sunscreen active, providing broad-spectrum UV attenuation by scattering, reflecting, and absorbing UV radiation. At 22%, it is present at a high active level, with water serving as the carrier phase.
Is ACTIVE: Zinc oxide 22% INACTIVE: Water clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks generally treat this ingredient as acceptable, especially in non-nano form, because it has low sensitization potential and minimal systemic absorption. The main scrutiny is particle size, inhalation format in loose powders or sprays, and trace heavy-metal specifications.
Is ACTIVE: Zinc oxide 22% INACTIVE: Water sustainable?
This material is mineral-derived, not renewable or biodegradable, and its lifecycle depends on mining and refining. Environmental discussion centers on particulate release into waterways, with smaller particles receiving more scrutiny for aquatic effects.
Is ACTIVE: Zinc oxide 22% INACTIVE: Water COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when it meets the standard’s mineral, UV-filter, particle-size, and purity requirements. From a Green Chemistry lens, it scores well for inertness and low skin absorption, but less well on renewability and biodegradability.
How does ACTIVE: Zinc oxide 22% INACTIVE: Water work chemically?
The molecule is an inorganic amphoteric metal oxide that is insoluble in water and oils, so performance depends on dispersion quality, particle size, surface treatment, and film formation rather than dissolution. In OTC sunscreens it is commonly used around 5% to 25%, with 22% near the upper U.S. active-use range, and it is generally stable across typical cosmetic pH while needing careful co-formulation with thickeners and pigments.
Last updated 2026-05-14