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DermFriends | Sunscreen Doping: Clarifying the Controversy Around SPF Boosters in Mineral Formulas

DermFriends | Sunscreen Doping: Clarifying the Controversy Around SPF Boosters in Mineral Formulas

Skincare News | TikTok & Instagram Trends | Skincare Bestsellers

Heather Woolery-Lloyd
September 26, 2025

This Allure article addresses the hot topic of "sunscreen doping" in skincare. Here’s a quick summary:

"Sunscreen doping" is a term implying that mineral sunscreens "cheat" by using "booster" ingredients that function similarly to chemical filters🤨
SPF boosters are common ingredients that increase the efficiency or efficacy of UV filters✨
Boosters are not considered sunscreen filters and do not require the same FDA approval as traditional sunscreen active ingredients. But some boosters have similar chemical structures to FDA-approved UV filters🚫
- One example is octisalate, which is an FDA-approved UV filter, and an analog called butyloctyl salicylate, which is an SPF booster🧪
Some brands add “chemical” boosters to “mineral” sunscreens to achieve higher SPF values, and to reduce the white cast🏷️
Cosmetic chemists confirm that using boosters does not necessarily "cheat" the system because the labeled SPF value reflects the actual, tested performance of the product✅
The main issue is that some brands market products as 100% “mineral" while demonizing chemical filters, despite using “chemical” boosters that are structural analogs to chemical filters⚠️
Dermatologists and experts emphasize that the best sunscreen is any one with SPF 30 or higher that you will consistently use, regardless of whether it is mineral or chemical🧴

What are topical adaptogens in skincare? A recently published paper reviews the literature. Here’s a quick summary:

Topical adaptogens are active ingredients that enhance the skin's resilience and quality by mitigating the damaging effects of intrinsic and extrinsic stressors✨
Adaptogens in skincare are defined by three core criteria: they are nontoxic to skin, their function is homeostatic to adapt to stressors, and their mechanism of action is multitargeted and diverse✅
The systematic review analyzed 12 scientific papers over the last 20 years and identified 29 distinct botanicals that are reported to function as adaptogens in skincare📚
A new classification system for topical adaptogens was described and includes a comprehensive list of 16 proposed mechanisms of action for adaptogens in skincare🆕
The review notes that the number of scientific studies on topical adaptogens is limited and that more research is needed in this growing segment of skincare📉

The White House reports a TikTok deal will be signed this week. Here’s a quick summary:

The White House claims that the final TikTok deal is expected to be signed this week📆
The Chinese government has not confirmed that the deal is imminent, suggesting the White House's confidence may be overstated📢
The proposed deal requires TikTok's U.S. operations to be controlled by a new joint venture that is majority-owned by U.S. investors🏢
The new U.S. entity will have a seven-person board, with U.S. business leaders like Larry Ellison and Michael Dell among the members👥
ByteDance, TikTok's owner, will be limited to selecting only one representative on the new U.S. board📱
The core of the arrangement involves TikTok U.S. leasing its algorithm from ByteDance instead of outright owning it🔑
Oracle is tasked with overseeing the creation and maintenance of a new, U.S.-only version of TikTok's recommendation algorithm🖥️
Algorithmic control and diluting the influence of Chinese ownership remain the key points of contention in the negotiations⚖️