Introduction
The sun protection market is a dynamic one, which should enjoy annual growth of 3.5% over the next 5 years, driven by consumer awareness of the risk of skin cancer and of skin ageing linked to exposure to UV rays.

Brands are contributing to this growth by constantly innovating to ensure that effective sun protection is not a burden for consumers, but a pleasure. However, this innovation is taking place in a regulatory framework increasing the pressure on filters and calling into question the range of ingredients essential to formulators in developing high-performance formulas.

Formulating suncare products
Formulating suncare products is a complex business, requiring a high level of technical expertise from formulators. Each filter has specific properties (solubilization, absorption wavelength, etc.), and only a combination of filters can provide the desired stability, SPF and UVA/UVB ratio. There can be no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” formula, since the supply of suncare products must meet all skin types and expectations. Each type of formulation requires a specific and delicate combination of filters, and even minimal formula changes can have a direct impact on the final SPF.

Suncare products have also become more technically advanced in recent years, especially for water-resistance and sweat-resistance, but also in terms of sensoriality. This criterion is essential to ensure the protection of consumers, who will only use a protective product if it meets their needs and is pleasant to apply.

UV filters account for most of formula costs, so the formulator’s skill also lies in finding the most optimal synergies, to offer products that are accessible to different consumer budgets.

Last but not least, hundreds of patents have been registered on filters or combinations of filters that make the work of the formulator even more sensitive.

Worldwide availability of UV filters
Considering an international formula for a suncare product is complex today, given the number of criteria to be taken into account, and in particular the UV filters that are authorized in the different parts of the world.

To generalize, most countries in the world operate in a similar way to the European Union, with a positive list of UV filters, outside of which it is not possible to use a substance with UV protection properties.
In Europe and other areas, such as ASEAN and Mercosur, the list evolves quite frequently, and while many filters are increasingly restricted, new molecules or nano forms are also added.

For other countries, the list of authorized UV filters rarely changes (e.g. China, Japan), and remains limited and different from EU filters, making it impossible for companies marketing in the EU to export their product without modifying the formula.

The equation becomes even more complex if we take into account the restrictions put in place to protect the environment. Some island states have banned filters such as benzophenone-3, which are suspected to be harmful to corals.

A simplified assessment of the number of UV filters that could be used for a suncare product to be exported internationally limits the result to around ten filters. And this is without considering nano forms which would have to be removed, because their proven safety is sometimes questioned in some countries.

In the USA in particular, the use of UV filters is threatened by the CARES Act, a bill which recognizes as GRASE (generally recognized as safe and effective) only non-nano mineral filters (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide). A call for data is currently underway to maintain the use of the other filters.

Regulatory context in the EU
European cosmetics regulation defines a positive list of UV filters in annexe VI. But in practice, to formulate products that can be exported, or to anticipate regulatory measures.