<p>Ultraviolet radiation exerts detrimental effects on skin health, necessitating the use of sunscreen products for effective protection. However, conventional sunscreens encounter limitations due to their susceptibility to photo-instability, skin irritation, and environmental impact. The primary objective of this study is to circumvent these limitations by substituting plastic microspheres and conventional sun protection agents with enzyme-modified natural porous corn starch microspheres and <i>Xanthoceras sorbifolium</i> bunge (<i>X. sorbifolia</i>) oil composites. The average particle size of enzyme-modified porous corn starch microspheres was 13.24&#xa0;μm, and they possess a porous structure, enabling adsorption and shielding effects. The SPF value of the sunscreen product formulated by substituting an equivalent quantity of UV shielding agent TiO₂ with porous microspheres was 23.75 ± 0.15, which was comparable to the TiO₂ sunscreen product. Following the reduction of the UV absorber in the sunscreen product by half and the incorporation of microspheres and the <i>X. sorbifolia</i> oil composite, the SPF value of the product retained a higher level compared to its predecessor (30.5 ± 0.07 vs. 16.44 ± 0.02). When this natural composite synergistically worked with conventional UV absorbers benzophenone-3 (BP-3) and ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), the photostability of BP-3 and EHMC was effectively enhanced. Embryotoxicity studies conducted on zebrafish demonstrated that natural porous starch and <i>X. sorbifolia</i> oil exhibited reduced toxicity compared to conventional sunscreen agents, particularly at elevated concentrations. These findings suggest novel ideas for the development of safe and effective sunscreen products in the future.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>