Ingredient glossary / UV filter
Zinc oxide
On the label: Zinc Oxide · UV filter
What it is
A mineral UV filter that scatters and absorbs UVA and UVB; also an FDA skin protectant (diaper creams). Leaves a white cast unless micronised or tinted.
UV filters: UV filters absorb or scatter ultraviolet light; the working part of a sunscreen. In the US they are regulated as over-the-counter drugs.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q190077 →
In the research
911 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Prophylactic Dressings for Pressure Injury Prevention in Critically Ill Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Contr · Nursing in critical care, 2026
- Below-knee dermatologic surgery: Prevention of surgical complications, wound healing, and reconstructive techniques-A narrative review · Actas dermo-sifiliograficas, 2026
- Innovative strategies on accelerating skin wound healing in dogs using chitosan-coated zinc oxide nanoparticles delivered by two different routes · Journal of veterinary research, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Products whose label lists it
2 on the siteMatched from the ingredient list the supplier printed; the position in the list (first or thirtieth) is on each product page.
Other uv filters
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.