ABSTRACT
Historical Background 4
Skin Cancer and the Solar Spectrum 5
Sunscreen Products 6
Issues and Challenges Facing the Sunscreen Industry 6
Regulatory and Safety Issues 6
Sun Protection Factor 7
The Region in the UV Spectrum 7
Water Resistance 7
Photostability and Photoreactivity 7
Safety and Stability 8
Manufacturing and Quality Control 8
Cosmetic Formulation Issues 9
Formula Types 9
Formula Optimization 9
Active Ingredients 9
Other Ingredients 10
Marketing Issues 12
Sunscreen Products for the 21st Century 12
UV Filters 12
Natural Ingredients 13
Biologically Active Ingredients 14
Cosmetic Formulations 14
Conclusions 15
References 16
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
In Ancient Egypt the cult of the sun god Ra provided a sun-centered cosmology
where Egyptians bowed in worship to the powerful effects of the life-giving sun.
The Ancient Egyptians were well aware of the dangers of the sun. Their lands
were scorched with heat. Women protected their skin, preferring light skin to
dark in their cultural hierarchy of beauty (1). Recent discoveries written on
papyri and the walls of several tombs unearthed ingredients and formulations
in use in Ancient Egypt specifically addressing issues of sun damage to the
hair and skin (2,3).