A novel method for evaluating sun visible light protection factor and pigmentation protection factor of sunscreens

Figures & data

Table 1 List of sunscreens evaluated with respective classification by presence of iron oxide in the formulation (IO), labelled Sun Protection Factor (SPF), Solar VL Protection Factor (PF-VIS), Pigmentation Protection Factor (PPF), UVA Protection Factor (PF-UVA), transmittance reduction (TR%) and Integral area in the VL range (IVis)

Sunscreen	IO	SPF	PF-VIS	PPF	PF-UVA	TR%	Ivis
1	+	70	6.3	15.9	37.0	83.84%	39.8
2	+	70	5.8	14.5	37.8	82.37%	37.9
3	+	50+	5.7	14.9	50.4	82.05%	37.5
4	+	70	5.1	12.7	40.3	79.95%	35.1
5	+	50+	4.9	9.2	31.0	79.44%	34.5
6	+	50+	4.7	9.5	24.3	78.50%	33.5
7	+	70	4.5	11.3	41.0	77.67%	32.7
8	+	70	4.3	10.8	38.6	76.28%	31.2
9	+	70	4.1	9.7	27.2	75.13%	30.2
10	+	60	3.9	8.2	23.7	73.98%	29.3
11	+	70	3.9	9.1	25.3	73.75%	29.1
12	+	50+	3.8	7.6	25.1	73.49%	28.9
13	+	50	3.7	7.9	22.6	72.39%	28.0
14	+	70	3.7	8.4	28.8	72.32%	27.9
15	+	60	3.6	8.3	34.8	71.73%	27.5
16	+	50	3.5	8.0	19.2	70.60%	26.7
17	+	50	3.2	7.1	18.2	68.54%	25.2
18	-	55	2.0	5.0	22.3	48.67%	14.8
19	-	30	2.0	4.9	27.6	48.28%	14.5
20	-	30	1.9	4.8	20.9	47.86%	14.2
21	-	70	1.9	4.9	38.3	46.95%	14.0
22	-	30	1.9	4.2	16.0	45.55%	13.3
23	-	99	1.8	4.9	48.9	44.96%	13.2
24	-	50	1.8	4.5	19.9	44.94%	13.2
25	-	70	1.7	4.0	18.2	41.25%	11.6
26	-	90	1.7	4.3	39.0	38.71%	11.1
27	-	30	1.7	3.1	12.9	39.57%	11.0
28	-	80	1.6	4.0	33.9	35.88%	9.9
29	-	30	1.4	3.0	14.2	30.24%	7.8
30	-	45	1.2	2.6	10.2	15.19%	3.6
31	-	50	1.1	2.4	25.6	9.03%	2.1
32	-	50	1.1	2.4	25.8	7.63%	1.7
33	-	30	1.1	2.4	19.5	7.29%	1.6

Figure 1 Spectral output (W*m⁻²*nm⁻¹) of SSR x natural sunlight.

Figure 2 PF-VIS x TR (%) scatterplot.

Figure 3 PF-VIS x Ivis scatterplot.

Figure 4 PF-VIS x labelled SPF scatterplot.

Figure 5 PF-VIS x PF-UVA scatterplot.

Figure 6 PF-VIS x PPF scatterplot.

Figure 7 PPF vs SPF scatterplot.

Figure 8 PPF x PF-UVA scatterplot.

Table 2 Proposed classification of sunscreens by range of protection against visible light

Protection against VL	Stars	PF-VIS	Transmittance reduction (%TR)
Very High		>5.0	>60%
High		4.1–5.0
Medium		3.1–4.0
Weak		2.1–3.0
Absent		<2.0	<60%