Sunscreen seems like a modern invention, something that has existed since dermatologists started talking about UV radiation and photoaging. But the reality is that humanity has been looking for ways to protect the skin from the sun for thousands of years.. Of course, what has changed is the science behind it. The instinct to protect, no.
The Sunscreen Timeline
3000 a.C.
ancient egypt: the first natural filters
The Egyptians used rice mixtures, jasmine and lupins to protect the skin from the sun. They also used olive and sesame oil., which in modern studies have shown to have some UV filtering capacity. Skin care wasn't vanity — it was part of her medicine.
S. XIX
White skin as a status symbol
For centuries, in Europe, light skin was a sign of social distinction. The upper classes protected themselves from the sun with umbrellas, gloves and clothing that covered the entire body — not for health, but for aesthetics. Sun exposure was something for those who worked in the fields.
1920s
Coco Chanel and tanning as fashion
In the years 20, Coco Chanel popularized tanning as a symbol of glamor and freedom. Suddenly, dark skin was synonymous with leisure and luxury. This cultural shift triggered sun exposure — and over time, also the need to protect yourself from it.
1938
The first sunscreen in history
Swiss chemist Franz Greiter developed what is considered the first modern sunscreen after suffering a severe burn climbing Piz Buin.. He called it Gletscher Crème — Glacier Cream — and decades later he would name his own brand.. The real product was born from a real experience.
1944
Sunscreen reaches the army
During World War II, Pharmacologist Benjamin Green developed a red petroleum cream to protect American soldiers from sunburn in the Pacific.. That formula would be the basis of what would later become Coppertone, one of the best-known solar brands in the world.
1962
The concept of SPF is born
Franz Greiter introduced the concept of Sun Protection Factor — SPF — as a way to measure and communicate the effectiveness of solar products.. A standard that, with some updates, we still use exactly the same today.
1980s
Skin cancer awareness changes everything
Studies on the hole in the ozone layer and the increase in melanoma cases put sunscreen at the center of the public health debate. for the first time, Protecting yourself from the sun stopped being an aesthetic issue and became a health issue..
2000s
UVA protection comes into play
For decades, SPF only measured protection against UVB — the rays that burn.. Research showed that UVA, that penetrate deeper and accelerate aging, They were equally dangerous.. Broad spectrum sunscreens became the recommended standard.
Hoy
Textures, formats and daily use
Current sunscreens are light, invisible, adapted to each skin type and formulated to integrate into the daily routine effortlessly. Science has traveled thousands of years to arrive at a bottle that fits in your bag and is applied in thirty seconds.
The history of sunscreen is, actually, the story of our relationship with the sun: to fear it, to adore him, to ignore it and, finally, to learn to live with it intelligently. Definitely, Today we are lucky to have decades of research summarized in a product that protects, cares for and accompanies the skin every day. You just have to use it.
