Introducing: Zinc Oxide (nano) – the new lavera UV filter
As of: 17.07.2024
Sun protection products are designed to protect our skin from the sun's rays. To achieve this, different types of UV filters can be used, which can be divided into two main groups:
Chemical UV filters
such as Octocrylene, Oxybenzone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, and Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
Natural Mineral UV Filters
such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
For more than 30 years, Laverana GmbH & Co. KG has been using only natural, mineral UV filters in their sun protection products. The advantage of these UV filters lies in their natural mode of action: when applied, they spread finely like a film on the skin and form a protective shield that immediately reflects harmful sun rays. Furthermore, the mineral UV filters remain on the skin's surface, while chemical UV filters penetrate the skin and can accumulate in the tissue.
At Laverana GmbH & Co. KG, we have decided to use only zinc oxide in our sun protection products. We have even gone a step further and, after an intensive development phase, have chosen to use nanoparticles in order to continue offering our customers innovative, reliable, and safe sun protection products.
Nanoparticles
But what exactly are nanoparticles? This term refers to particles with a size of 1 to 100 nanometers. In our sun protection products, the use of zinc oxide nanoparticles allows for a light texture that still provides effective protection against UV radiation. And of course, we are also happy to announce that we can now say goodbye to the dreaded whitening effect.
Zinc oxide
And by the way, zinc oxide does not cause clothing to yellow, unlike synthetic UV filters which can cause irreversible discoloration. The reason is that zinc oxide is inert and does not undergo any chemical reaction. So if the edges of clothing come into contact with a cream containing zinc oxide, the residues can simply be washed out during the next wash, and the clothing will not yellow.
However, we did not make the decision to use nanoparticles lightly. The safety of our products for children and adults is, of course, our top priority. In the European Union, strict regulatory requirements apply to the use of nanomaterials in cosmetics, including nano zinc oxide. The main regulations are set out in the EU Cosmetics Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009). Furthermore, the safety of zinc oxide nanomaterials has been repeatedly assessed by various national and international institutions/authorities. These include the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety of the EU (SCCS/1489/12) and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). The results of these assessments can be summarized as follows:
- Zinc oxide nanoparticles cannot penetrate the outermost layer of the skin
- The use of zinc oxide nanoparticles in cosmetic products is safe and does not pose a health risk to the consumer