Take a glance at the store shelves and you’ll see that there is a huge number of sunscreen products available. And this is a good thing, because not only is protection from sunlight important for everyone, but it is now also a highly individual matter.

The result: consumers were rather reluctant to use sunscreen, and many preferred not to use it at all. The level of protection provided was also incomparable with today’s high-performance sunscreen products. In a nutshell: sunscreen is much better today and, above all, more versatile. You could now say that sunscreen is now a firm fixture among users of personal care products. 

Diversity, personalization, meeting a wide range of needs – all of these topics have long played a role in the world of cosmetics. And now personal care and sun protection have caught up. Tailor-made sun protection makes sense and offers many possibilities. But what exactly does this mean? “Good sun protection is important, of course. But exposure also plays a role. If you are indoors or if it is a very cloudy day, you need far less sunscreen than if you are lying on the beach all day long. You need to use sunscreen in a way that suits the situation and the individual,” explains Marcel Schnyder, Head of Global Technical Center Sun Care.

To achieve all this, you need to have a) high protection performance across the entire light spectrum and b) a good and sensible combination of UV filters, oils and other ingredients in the formulation, with this formulation of various components then serving the requirements for the product. In addition to the sun protection factor, photostability and sensory effect, it is important to consider the trend of formulating and manufacturing sun protection in accordance with environmental sustainability.

There’s something for everyone 

Use sunscreen in a way that works. Sounds simple, but what exactly does this mean? Here are just a few examples. In everyday life, there is a high demand for light formulations. Combined with the right skincare properties, nothing stands in the way of UV protection. Sunscreen becomes part of the daily skincare routine, feels good on the skin and is also visually attractive, i.e. the product is not visible after application and doesn’t whiten. Thanks to UV filters, such as Uvinul TS Hydro, particularly light formulations with extremely appealing sensory effects are also able to offer a high SPF (sun protection factor). SPF is still one of the main features for consumers when it comes to buying sunscreen. But a high sun protection factor alone does not ensure a good sunscreen. 

What you need to pay attention to in your daily sun protection routine is where you are. For example, if you’re sitting in the office during the day, you don’t need a product with SPF 50+, but you should still use sun protection. As UVA rays can penetrate your skin through the windows, you should use products with high UVA protection. Your skin will thank you in the long run. 

“In very hot countries, light sensory properties are more important. In the mountains in winter, a slightly heavier composition is preferred. The regional differences are very strong,” says Marcel Schnyder, Head of Global Technical Center Sun Care at BASF in Grenzach.  It is important to choose the right product for your particular activity and life situation. 

Let’s take a look at the best time of the year: summer vacation. Here, too, consumers have the opportunity to choose a suitable sunscreen that they like and need. In addition to the appropriate protection against UVA and UVB rays, water resistance for all swimmers among the vacationers is an important factor. Claims about a sunscreen’s water resistance are not only of interest and important for those consumers who are about to go on a beach vacation. These customers in particular do of course want to be able to rely on the fact that the product guarantees a certain level of water resistance. Our colleague Myriam explains when a sunscreen is considered “waterproof” in this video. Even so, remember to put on more sunscreen after swimming.