This is just less than hundred years since the invention of first gloppy, paint-like versions of sunscreen. These first products are nothing like what’s available today in the markets. They were quite uncomfortable, pasty, thick and felt like ‘paint’. However, it is on that foundation that modern sunscreens were industrialized, improved and waterproofed. So, today, I would like to tell you something about sunscreen.
Delving into the background of sunscreen
The use of sunscreen originated thousands of years ago. In those days, people used a variety of plant extracts to protect the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Use of olive oil for this purpose was extremely common among ancient Greeks. Egyptians used extracts of rice, jasmine and lupine plants for this purpose. Zinc oxide paste has also been popular for skin protection for thousands of years. Surprisingly, these ingredients are still used in skin care. However, when it comes to the invention of actual sunscreen, several different inventors have been credited as being the first to invent such a product.
The first sunscreen known as Glacier Cream (sun protection factor of 2) was invented in the year 1938 by Franz Greiter, a famous chemist. The formulation of Glacier cream was later picked up by Piz Buin the famous company of that time.
In the year 1944, famous pharmacist of that time Benjamin Green invented many popular sunscreen products to protect the soldiers from the hazards of sun overexposure during World War II. This particular sunscreen was named Red Vet Pet for red veterinary petrolatum and was patented by pharmacist Green. Red Vet Pet was a disagreeable red, sticky substance similar to petroleum jelly. The famous Coppertone bought the patent of Green and improved the quality of Red Vet Pet. Later they commercialized the substance and sold it as “Coppertone Girl” and “Bain de Soleil” brands in the early 1950s.
Again in 1930, South Australian chemist H.A. Milton Blake was credited with being the first to experiment with sun protection. He created a sunburn cream in his kitchen which became quite acceptable in those times. Hamilton Laboratories started producing and selling the cream in the 1930’s.
Almost at the same time, the famous chemist Eugene Schueller, the founder of L’Oreal, developed a sunscreen formula in 1936.
