The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a mineral sunscreen (instead of a chemical sunscreen).“Mineral sunscreen [ingredients], zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, are small particles that sit on the skin’s surface and physically prevent UV rays from penetrating the skin,” says Jennifer L. MacGregor, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York City. You can also apply mineral sunscreens on top of other skin-care products.Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, allow UV light into the skin. Once the light is absorbed into the skin, the chemicals in the sunscreen (the AAD lists oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate) create a chemical reaction in which UV light is converted to heat, and the heat dissipates from the skin, says Lauren Ploch, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Augusta, Georgia.