Sun protection formulations & skin care creams with SPF
Consumer awareness of the need to protect the skin from UV rays is increasing all the time. Today, products with a high sun protection factor and day creams with at least SPF 15 are part of a normal skin care range.
These products are a big challenge for cosmetic developers. It takes great skill to balance the influence of the raw material matrix, combinations of oily and soluble ingredients, particular UV filters and economic factors influencing product development.
The consumer is looking for elegant cosmetic sun protection with balanced sensory aspects and the choice from an extensive product range using various different Technologies:
| Technology | Discription |
|---|---|
| W/O-Emulsions | Basic Technology for babies and medical sun products, SPF 10 up to 50+ |
| O/W-Emulsions | Products from SPF 10 up to 50+, wasserfest |
| Sun Oils | SPF 10 up to SPF 30 |
| Alcoholic Sprays | SPF 15 up to SPF 50+ with or without „Wet-Skin-Technology“ |
| Aerosol Mousse | SPF 10 up to SPF 30 |
| Aerosol Sprays | SPF 10 up to SPF 50+ |
| Sun-Foams (without propellant) | SPF 15 up to SPF 30 |
| Switch-Emulsions | SPF 15 up to SPF 30 |
To produce high quality sun protection products it is necessary to have a precise knowledge of the spreadability of the oily components, of pigment dispersion, solubility of UV filters and of course to produce a cosmetic with excellent dermatological qualities.
The danger of crystallising out and the associated instability of the formulation resulting in reduced sun protection is not the only risk that hast to be excluded in the formulation. The right choice of titanium dioxide is also critical (Rutile type).
Lipid polarity influences UV absorption and can produce an SPF boosting effect. The right choice of film developer should provide a good water resistance and an attractive feel on the skin. The liquid UV filters need to be integrated into the spreadability cascade so that the skin is left with a light, nurtured, non-sticky feel.
Sun protection emulsions are normally used at high temperatures and therefore need to contain emulsifiers with extremely good stabilising characteristics effective up to at least 50°C, regardless of the polarity of the emollients used.
The type of emulsion chosen is critical for an effective sun protection product. Families with children playing on the beach and having fun can lose their sense of time. W/O emulsions are very effective in this case as they offer a high level of sun protection and skin care combined with the advantage of water resistance. By using modern PEG-free W/O emulsifiers it is now easier to achieve a light and sophisticated sun protection emulsion.
Phase inversion emulsions are an innovation in sun protection product development. They are light and easily spread like an O/W emulsion, and when they are rubbed into the skin they transform into a W/O emulsion offering very effective sun protection. For the user this provides a comfortable sensual cream combined with a very high UV protection.
Have we caught your interest? Then call us to discuss how we can improve your sun protection range.