You've probably seen “non-nano” on natural sunscreens and wondered what it actually means. The simple answer is size.
Nano ingredients contain incredibly tiny particles. Non-nano products use larger particles instead.
You'll see the term most often with mineral sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Making these minerals nano-sized can make sunscreen look less white on the skin, but their extremely small size also raises questions about how they may behave in and around the body.
At MyPure, we take a precautionary approach and choose non-nano ingredients. Here's what that means in plain English.
What's Inside
What does non-nano mean?
Non-nano simply means an ingredient hasn't been made into extremely tiny nano-sized particles.
A nanometre is one billionth of a metre, so we're talking about particles far too small to see with the naked eye.
Particle size matters because making a material this small can change the way it behaves. That's why nano ingredients have their own rules and labelling requirements in cosmetics.
Just how small is nano?
Really, really small. A nanometre is one billionth of a metre. To put that into perspective, a human hair is tens of thousands of nanometres wide.
The nanoscale is commonly described as around 1–100 nanometres, although the official definition of a nanomaterial is a little more complicated than simply measuring one particle.
A human hair vs a nanoparticle
Imagine the width of a human hair. Now imagine something hundreds or even thousands of times smaller. That's the sort of scale we're talking about with nanoparticles.
At this incredibly small size, materials can behave differently from their larger-particle versions. That's one reason nano ingredients receive particular attention from scientists and cosmetic regulators.
Why are nano ingredients used in cosmetics?
There can be practical advantages to making an ingredient extremely small.
A good example is mineral sunscreen. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are naturally white minerals. In traditional mineral sunscreens they can sometimes leave a visible white cast on the skin.
Making the particles much smaller can make them appear more transparent, helping manufacturers create mineral sunscreens that look less white when applied.
So there is a reason for using nanotechnology: it can improve the look and feel of a product.
It's still the same mineral
Zinc oxide doesn't stop being zinc oxide because its particles have been made smaller.
The difference is the size of those particles. And when particles become extremely small, some of their properties and the way they behave can change too.
What does non-nano mean in sunscreen?
Sunscreen is where you're most likely to come across the words “non-nano”.
Mineral sunscreens commonly use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as UV filters. Zinc oxide is particularly useful because it can provide broad-spectrum protection across both UVA and UVB.
If a sunscreen says it contains non-nano zinc oxide, it means the zinc oxide hasn't been made into the extremely small particle form classified as nano.
One of the challenges with non-nano mineral sunscreen is that larger mineral particles can be more visible on the skin. Modern formulations have improved enormously, however, and today's non-nano mineral sunscreens can be far more wearable than the thick white sun creams many people associate with mineral SPF.
Does non-nano sunscreen still work?
Yes. Non-nano refers to the size of the mineral particles, not how effective the finished sunscreen is.
A well-formulated non-nano mineral sunscreen can provide excellent UV protection. Look at the SPF and UVA protection of the finished product to see the level of protection it provides.
So what's the concern with nano ingredients?
The concern isn't simply that “small is bad”. It's that making particles incredibly small can change the way they behave.
Their tiny size has also led scientists to investigate whether some nanoparticles may be more able to cross the body's natural barriers and what could happen if they enter the body.
That doesn't mean every nano ingredient is dangerous. Different nanoparticles behave differently, and some nanomaterials have been studied and approved for particular cosmetic uses. Specified forms of nano zinc oxide, for example, have been assessed for use on the skin in sunscreen under particular conditions.
But nano is a broad category. The material itself, the size and shape of the particles and the way you're exposed to them can all make a difference.
There are also still unanswered questions about some nanomaterials, particularly around what happens if very small particles enter the body and their possible longer-term effects.
Why we choose non-nano
For us, it comes down to taking a precautionary approach.
If we can offer an effective product without reducing its mineral ingredients to nano size, that's the option we'd rather choose.
We don't need to claim that every nano ingredient is harmful. We simply prefer the non-nano approach while questions remain about how some extremely small particles may behave in and around the body.
It's part of the thinking behind our MyPure Purity Promise.
How can you tell if a cosmetic contains nano ingredients?
Fortunately, you don't have to get out a microscope.
UK and European cosmetic labelling rules make nano ingredients relatively easy to spot. Where an ingredient is present as a nanomaterial covered by the labelling rules, you'll see the word “nano” in brackets after its name in the ingredients list.
| Ingredients list | What it means |
|---|---|
| Zinc Oxide | Listed without a nano designation |
| Zinc Oxide (nano) | Zinc oxide is being used in a form requiring nano labelling |
| Titanium Dioxide | Listed without a nano designation |
| Titanium Dioxide (nano) | Titanium dioxide is being used in a form requiring nano labelling |
If avoiding nano ingredients matters to you, checking the ingredients list is useful alongside any non-nano claim made by the brand.
Why does MyPure choose non-nano?
At MyPure, we've specialised in natural and organic beauty since 2004, and non-nano fits naturally with the approach we've taken to selecting products.
We're not saying that every nano ingredient is dangerous. Our position is simpler than that.
If an effective beauty product can be made without reducing ingredients to nano size, we prefer the non-nano option.
That's particularly relevant to mineral sunscreen. Nanotechnology can help make mineral UV filters less visible, but modern formulation means it's possible to create effective, wearable mineral sunscreen using non-nano filters too.
Choosing non-nano is therefore part of a wider precautionary approach to ingredients and formulation, which you can read about in our MyPure Purity Promise.
Non-nano without the scare stories
We think it's possible to prefer non-nano beauty without claiming that every nano ingredient is inherently unsafe.
For us, it's about taking a precautionary approach where there are still questions, choosing effective non-nano alternatives and being clear about the ingredients in the products we sell.
Explore non-nano mineral sunscreen
Discover mineral sun protection selected with MyPure's approach to natural beauty and non-nano ingredients in mind.
Shop Mineral SunscreenNon-Nano FAQs
What does non-nano mean?
Non-nano means an ingredient hasn't been made into the extremely small particle form classified as a nanomaterial. You'll often see the term used for mineral ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
How small is a nanoparticle?
A nanometre is one billionth of a metre, and the nanoscale is commonly described as around 1–100 nanometres. That's hundreds or thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair. The official definition of a nanomaterial is more detailed than size alone.
Why are nanoparticles used in sunscreen?
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are naturally white. Making their particles extremely small can make them appear more transparent on the skin, helping to reduce the white cast sometimes associated with mineral sunscreen.
Can nanoparticles enter the body?
Scientists study this carefully because extremely small particles may behave differently from larger ones. Whether a particular nanoparticle can enter the body depends on factors including the material, its size and shape, the formulation and how you're exposed to it. This is one reason nano ingredients receive additional scientific and regulatory scrutiny.
Are nano ingredients unsafe?
Not automatically. Different nanomaterials behave differently, and some have been assessed as safe for particular cosmetic uses. There are also areas where questions and research gaps remain, which is why MyPure prefers a precautionary non-nano approach where effective alternatives are available.
Is non-nano zinc oxide effective in sunscreen?
Yes. Zinc oxide can provide broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection without being nano-sized. The SPF and UVA protection of the finished sunscreen tell you more about its overall sun protection than particle size alone.
Does non-nano sunscreen leave a white cast?
Non-nano mineral filters can be more visible because the mineral particles are larger. However, the finished appearance depends greatly on the formulation, and modern non-nano mineral sunscreens can be considerably more wearable than older mineral formulas.
How do I know if a product contains nano ingredients?
Check the ingredients list. Under UK and European cosmetic labelling rules, nanomaterials covered by the requirements are identified with the word “nano” in brackets after the ingredient name.
Why does MyPure prefer non-nano?
MyPure takes a precautionary approach. Where an effective product can be made without reducing ingredients to nano size, we prefer the non-nano option. You can read more about our wider ingredient philosophy in the MyPure Purity Promise.
The bottom line
Non-nano sounds technical, but the basic idea is simple: it's about how small the particles are.
Nano particles are incredibly tiny. Making ingredients this small can offer cosmetic advantages – such as helping mineral sunscreen look less white – but it can also change how a material behaves.
Their tiny size has led scientists to investigate whether some nanoparticles may be more able to cross the body's natural barriers and what happens if they enter the body. Some nanomaterials have been well studied and approved for particular uses, while questions remain around others.
That's why MyPure takes a precautionary approach.
If an effective product can be made without reducing its ingredients to nano size, we'd rather choose non-nano.
It's a straightforward principle and part of our wider MyPure Purity Promise.
Please note: This article provides general beauty, skincare and sun-protection information rather than medical advice. Always follow individual sunscreen instructions. No sunscreen provides 100% protection from UV radiation, so combine SPF with sensible measures such as seeking shade and wearing protective clothing.