Before the first sunscreen came on the market in 1933, people could either avoid the sun or wear appropriate clothing to protect their skin from harmful radiation. Since then, knowledge about the danger of UV radiation has grown enormously.

The first sunscreens and their UV filters focused only on preventing UV erythema, otherwise known as a sunburn. Earlier, sunscreens only covered the shorter-wave UVB range. Mindset B = Focus is on Burns. It was later recognized that even the longer-wave UVA range could be unhealthy.

Now sun care products have to do much more. In the meantime, blue light has become the focus of research. As a result, the demands made on UV filters have increased in recent years, making it necessary to have an ongoing development process.

"The mere scientific knowledge on sun protection is much broader compared to other products BASF produces. Besides outright chemistry and UV filter performance, there are the biological effects of solar radiation on our skin," explains Dr. Christian Cremer, Director Global Development & Technical Service UV Protection at BASF in Grenzach.