Modern sunscreen does not have a single inventor; several innovators developed early formulas during the 1930s and 1940s. Australian chemist Milton Blake, L'Oréal founder Eugène Schueller, and Austrian chemist Franz Greiter all formulated early ultraviolet filters. In 1944, airman and pharmacist Benjamin Green created Red Vet Pet to protect soldiers, which eventually evolved into Coppertone. Greiter later introduced the Sun Protection Factor rating standard in 1962.
While modern shoppers can select from hundreds of sheer lotions, tinted creams, and invisible mists, the path toward reliable sun protection required decades of scientific experimentation, military necessity, and consumer trial. Understanding who contributed to modern sun care reveals how daily skincare shifted from treating painful burns after the fact to proactively shielding the skin against invisible ultraviolet radiation.
The Early Twentieth-Century Pioneers of Ultraviolet Filters
The groundwork for modern commercial sunscreens emerged simultaneously across different parts of the world during the 1930s. In Australia, a chemist named Milton Blake experimented extensively in his kitchen with various chemical compounds to protect fair-skinned locals from intense southern hemisphere sunlight. By 1932, Blake founded Hamilton Laboratories, producing one of the earliest commercial sun-filtering creams designed to minimize painful outdoor sunburns.
Around the same period in Europe, French chemist and L'Oréal founder Eugène Schueller introduced Ambre Solaire in 1935. Schueller, an avid sailor who suffered severe sunburns on the French Riviera, formulated a scented tanning oil containing a specific ultraviolet filter designed to allow tanning while reducing immediate burning. Meanwhile, in 1938, an Austrian chemistry student named Franz Greiter suffered a severe sunburn while scaling Mount Piz Buin in the Alps. Inspired by his discomfort, Greiter formulated a protective topical product called Gletscher Crème (Glacier Cream) under the brand name Piz Buin. Although these early formulations provided minimal protection by today's standards—likely equivalent to an SPF 2—they established the concept of using synthetic filters to alter how sunlight interacts with human skin.
Military Urgency and the Birth of Commercial Sun Care
During World War II, sun protection shifted from a recreational novelty to a military imperative. Allied troops stationed in the South Pacific suffered debilitating sunburns that compromised mission readiness and caused severe physical distress. In 1944, a pharmacist and former airman named Benjamin Green developed a heavy, viscous compound using red veterinary petrolatum, commonly known as 'Red Vet Pet.' This thick, petroleum-based jelly served as an opaque physical barrier that physically deflected sunlight rather than absorbing it chemically.
While Red Vet Pet was greasy, heavy, and stained clothing, its effectiveness in the field proved that topical barriers could dramatically lower the incidence of severe burns among service members. Recognizing the commercial potential for postwar civilians, Green refined his formulation after the war by blending petroleum jelly with cocoa butter and coconut oil. This lighter, more pleasant formulation became the foundation for Coppertone, marking the transition of sun care into a household consumer category across the United States. The initial marketing prioritized tanning, but the underlying science focused on reducing acute skin erythema.
Ancient and Traditional Ancestors to Modern Sun Barriers
Long before synthetic chemistry identified ultraviolet rays, ancient civilizations utilized natural minerals and plant-based preparations to protect skin from extreme environmental exposure. Ancient Egyptians blended extracts from rice bran, jasmine, and lupine plants to prevent darkening and sun damage, while also using mineral pastes around the eyes to cut glare. Modern analyses show that rice bran contains gamma-oryzanol, a compound known to absorb ultraviolet radiation, proving that traditional practices often carried genuine photoprotective value.
Similarly, ancient Greeks applied generous layers of olive oil before athletic training and outdoor labor, while early communities in the Americas used mud, plant resins, and ground minerals as broad-spectrum barriers against harsh mountain and desert climates. In Myanmar, the centuries-old tradition of applying thanaka paste—made from ground tree bark—continues to provide cooling, soothing physical protection from sun and wind. Although these traditional mixtures lacked standardized measurement systems and had inconsistent durability, they laid the cultural and functional groundwork for topical sun shielding.
The Invention of SPF and the Standardization of Protection
For decades after commercial sunscreens appeared, consumers had no reliable way to compare the protective strength of different products. Franz Greiter, the Austrian chemist behind Piz Buin, resolved this ambiguity in 1962 by introducing the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) metric. Greiter defined SPF as a ratio measuring the amount of ultraviolet energy required to produce minimal erythema (sunburn) on protected skin relative to unprotected skin under laboratory conditions.
The introduction of SPF transformed the cosmetics industry by establishing an objective baseline for formulation testing and regulatory oversight. In 1978, the United States Food and Drug Administration adopted the SPF framework to establish formal standards for over-the-counter sunscreen labeling and efficacy testing. However, early SPF testing only measured defense against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which cause sunburn, leaving skin vulnerable to deeper-penetrating ultraviolet A (UVA) rays that contribute to premature aging and deeper cellular stress. This limitation eventually prompted global regulators to mandate broad-spectrum testing that verifies balanced protection across both wavelengths.
The Evolution from Heavy Pastes to Mineral and Chemical Filters
The formulation of sun care has undergone two major technological transformations: the refining of organic (chemical) ultraviolet absorbers and the micronization of inorganic (mineral) physical blockers. Early chemical sunscreens relied on active ingredients like PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), which were effective at blocking UVB but frequently triggered skin irritation, allergic contact dermatitis, and fabric staining. Over subsequent decades, cosmetic chemists developed photostable organic filters, including avobenzone, octisalate, and modern broad-spectrum molecules that absorb UV light and release it harmlessly as ambient heat.
In tandem, mineral sunscreens moved away from the thick, chalky zinc oxide pastes historically favored by lifeguards. Through advanced milling and surface-coating technologies, modern mineral sunscreens utilize micronized and nano-sized particles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These refined minerals disperse more evenly across the skin, reflecting and scattering rays without creating an impenetrable white cast on diverse skin tones. Today's consumers can choose between chemical filters that offer invisible, lightweight wear or mineral filters that provide gentle, low-irritation options for sensitive and reactive skin barriers.
Applying the History of Sunscreen to Your Modern Routine
Knowing how sun protection evolved helps demystify product claims and simplifies choosing a formula suited to daily life. An effective sun care routine does not require purchasing extreme SPF ratings; rather, it depends on consistent application, adequate coverage, and selecting a broad-spectrum product with an SPF of 30 or higher that feels comfortable on your individual skin type.
Every sunscreen formula represents practical trade-offs between texture, water resistance, finish, and skin compatibility. Chemical formulations tend to absorb quickly and sit invisibly under makeup, making them well-suited for everyday urban wear, though they may occasionally sting sensitive eyes. Mineral formulas, by contrast, sit on the skin's surface and offer reliable tolerance for acne-prone, post-procedure, or sensitive skin, though they may require extra blending on darker complexions. Regardless of which historical filter technology a formula uses, applying approximately two finger-lengths of lotion for the face and neck, along with reapplication every two hours during extended outdoor exposure, ensures your skin receives the full protection intended by its inventors.
Frequently asked questions
Did Benjamin Green invent the very first sunscreen?
Benjamin Green did not invent the first sunscreen, but he created Red Vet Pet in 1944 to protect Allied troops during World War II. His formula was later commercialized into Coppertone, making sun protection widely accessible to the public.
When was the SPF rating system invented?
Austrian chemist Franz Greiter introduced the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) concept in 1962. It was formally adopted by regulatory bodies like the FDA in the late 1970s to establish standardized testing methods for consumer sun care.
Why did early sunscreens only protect against sunburn?
Early formulas were designed exclusively to prevent visible erythema caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Scientific understanding of how ultraviolet A (UVA) rays cause deeper photo-aging and long-term damage developed later, leading to modern broad-spectrum standards.
Your next step
Check the label of your current daily sunscreen to confirm it offers broad-spectrum protection with at least SPF 30, and establish a habit of applying a full nickel-sized amount to your face and neck every morning.