Difference between Sunscreen and Sunblock

Key Difference: Sunscreen products are those products that merely filter the sun’s rays. It allows some of the ultraviolet rays to go through and penetrate the skin. On the other hand, the sunblock product blocks all of the sun’s harmful rays from penetrating the skin.

In day-to-day activity, sun rays always worry everyone. This is the reason why everyone is so particular about sun lotions. People usually interchange the terms sunscreen and sunblock, however, they are entirely different forms of sun protection.

Sunscreen products are those products that merely filter the sun’s rays. They allow some of the ultraviolet rays to go through and penetrate the skin. The creams/lotions applied by men or women are to get protection from the direct sun rays while spending time on the beach. Sunscreen lotions tend to be more liquid in their consistency because they are spread around on the skin.

The sunblock product blocks all of the sun’s harmful rays from penetrating the skin. The men or women whose skin is very delicate and who experience rashes when spending long periods under the sun should apply sunblock products. The sunblock products are much denser compared to sunscreens because of their zinc oxide substance.

Comparison between Sunscreen and Sunblock:

	Sunscreen	Sunblock
Description	Sunscreen filters out certain sun rays. It means they block some rays and allow others to penetrate the skin.	Sunblock products completely block off all of the harmful sunrays.
Product	Liquid form	Creamier form
Prevents	It prevents from UV radiations and reduces the amount of radiation that reaches skin.	It prevents from UV radiations and it completely blocks the radiation from reaching the skin.
When applied	Transparent and invisible when applied	Thicker and remain visible
Main ingredients	Aminobezoic Acid Avobenzone Benzophenone Cinoxate Dioxybenzone Ensulizole Homosalate Meradimate Octisalate Octinoxate Octocrylene Oxybenzone PABA Sulisobenzone Trolamine Salicylate	Titanium dioxide Zinc oxide Iron oxide
Must be applied	30 minutes before going out in the sun.	Effective as soon as it is applied, so that it can be applied immediately before sun exposure.
Advantage	It goes on skin relatively smoothly and does not leave a white tint on one's skin.	They are safe to use and can be sweat-proof, and water-resistant.
Disadvantage	One has to reapply the sunscreen more often It sometimes becomes less effective Some ingredients like benzophenone are not water-resistant	Because of the ingredients it can leave white tint on the skin.