Is zinc good for your skin? My first reaction: you have probably been using it since you were in diapers.
The short answer: Yes. Zinc is good for your skin. Your skin holds more zinc than almost any other part of your body, and the outer layer holds the most. Put on the skin, zinc oxide stays on the surface as a soft, protective layer. That is why it shows up in diaper creams, calamine lotion and mineral sunscreens.
By Dr. Doug Strobel, MD, a board-certified neurologist who formulated Dr. Doug's balms. Last reviewed October 20, 2026.
Why do so many skin products use zinc?
In clinic, people hand me a tube and ask what the zinc oxide on the label is doing there. I am Dr. Doug Strobel, MD, a board-certified neurologist. I read the studies before anything goes in a balm, and zinc passed because it is gentle and it stays put.
What does zinc do for your skin?
Zinc helps your skin build new skin cells. That is its main job.
Your skin has the third most zinc of any part of the body. A 2016 review found that the top layer of skin holds more zinc than the layer under it. The reason is simple. The top layer is always making new cells, and those cells need zinc to grow up right. When the body runs low on zinc, the skin is one of the first places it shows. (Ogawa 2016)
A 2014 review in a skin journal says zinc oxide and calamine have been used on skin for centuries, to soothe it and to shield it from the sun. (Gupta 2014)
What does zinc do for skin topically?
On the outside, zinc oxide sits on top of your skin. It does not sink in deep.
Scientists in Australia tested this on real people. They put zinc oxide on the skin, then had people flex and massage the spot, the way you would in daily life. Every bit of the zinc oxide stayed in the outer layer of the skin and in its tiny folds. None of it went deeper, and the skin showed no harm. (Leite-Silva 2016)
A 2021 study looked closer. The zinc oxide stayed on the surface. A small amount of zinc did move into the skin, but it was far less than the zinc your skin already makes on its own. (Khabir 2021)
So zinc oxide works right where you put it. I like that in a balm. It stays on the dry knuckle, the ear tip, the back of the neck.
Is zinc good for your face?
For most people, yes. Zinc oxide is one of the gentlest things you can put on your face.
Zinc oxide is in diaper creams, which tells you a lot. If your face is touchy, try a small spot on your jaw first and wait a day. Start with a thin layer. A lot of zinc can leave a white look. A little rubs in clear.
Is zinc better for your skin than sunscreen?
Zinc oxide is one of the two minerals used in mineral sunscreens. The other is titanium dioxide.
A sunscreen is tested as a whole product, and the result is printed on the label as an SPF number. So read the label of whatever you use. If you want a deeper look at sun protection, read our guide to sunblock and SPF.
Is taking zinc good for your skin?
Food first. Most people get the zinc they need from meat, shellfish, beans, nuts and whole grains.
That is vanilla first, the way I treat everything. If you think you run low, ask your doctor before you start a zinc pill. More is not always better.
A zinc balm for skin that lives outdoors
Miracle Balm + Clear Zinc was the second balm we ever made. A dermatologist asked us to add zinc to our Original Miracle Balm, and we did.
It starts with the same base as the Original: organic beeswax, organic olive oil, organic coconut oil, organic shea butter, organic peppermint and lavender essential oils, and vitamin E. Seven ingredients, six of them certified organic. On top of that we add zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the same minerals used in mineral sunscreens. It rubs in clear. It comes as a 2.5 oz twist-up stick, an 8 oz jar and a 0.5 oz mini.
Golfers, gardeners, boaters and hikers keep it in a pocket. So do people with no hair on top of their heads.
What our customers say
"Perfect for my continually winter dry hands and feet. Would highly recommend!" (Tami S., verified buyer)
"I use the miracle balm +zinc on my face and hands every day. ... A little goes a long way" (Rich R., verified buyer)
"This is a great overall balm for anywhere on the body... I use it everyday and sets me up well for feeling great!" (Alicia B., verified buyer)
Your plan: pick, rub, repeat
- Pick. Skin that is out in the wind and sun all day gets Miracle Balm + Clear Zinc. Face, hands, ears, the back of the neck. Skin that only needs moisture gets Original Miracle Balm.
- Rub. Start small. Massage it in until it disappears, on the spot plus about 5 inches above, below and around it. Still feel the oils? Use less next time. Not full coverage? Use a little more. The magic happens when you massage it in.
- Repeat. Put it on in the morning before you head out. Put it on again after you wash your hands.
Picture the end of a long Saturday in the yard. Your hands are not cracked. Your face does not feel tight. You wipe your hands on your jeans and nothing white comes off.
Shop Miracle Balm + Clear Zinc
Related reading
- Balm for Dry Skin: What One Balm Does for Hands, Heels, Elbows and Cuticles
- Is Beeswax Good for Your Skin?
- Best Sunblock and SPF Guide
Frequently asked questions
Is zinc good for your skin?
Yes. Your skin holds more zinc than almost any other part of the body, and it needs zinc to build new skin cells. Put on the skin, zinc oxide stays on the surface as a gentle, protective layer.
What does zinc do for skin topically?
Zinc oxide sits on top of the skin. In a study on real people, it stayed in the outer layer even when the skin was flexed and massaged, and it caused no harm. It works right where you put it.
Is zinc oxide good for your skin?
For most people, yes. It has been used on skin for centuries, it is in diaper creams, and it stays on the surface. Start with a thin layer so it rubs in clear.
Is zinc good for your face?
For most people, yes. Zinc oxide is one of the gentlest things you can put on your face. If your skin is touchy, test a small spot first and wait a day.
Is zinc better for your skin than sunscreen?
Zinc oxide is one of the two minerals used in mineral sunscreens. A sunscreen is tested as a whole product and labeled with an SPF number, so read the label of whatever you use.
Is taking zinc good for your skin?
Food comes first. Most people get enough zinc from meat, shellfish, beans, nuts and whole grains. If you think you run low, ask your doctor before you start a zinc pill.
Will zinc oxide leave a white cast?
A thin layer rubs in clear. A white look usually means you used more than you needed. Start small and massage it in until it disappears.
Sources
- Ogawa Y, Kawamura T, Shimada S. Zinc and skin biology. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 2016. PMID 27288087
- Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS. Zinc therapy in dermatology: a review. Dermatology Research and Practice, 2014. PMID 25120566
- Leite-Silva VR, Liu DC, Sanchez WY, et al. Effect of flexing and massage on in vivo human skin penetration and toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Nanomedicine (London), 2016. PMID 27102240
- Khabir Z, Holmes AM, Lai YJ, et al. Human epidermal zinc concentrations after topical application of ZnO nanoparticles in sunscreens. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021. PMID 34830253
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Dr. Doug's products are cosmetic and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.