Maximum UV Protection: How Modern, Safe Sunscreens Are Built – With Less Filter and More Performance

Higher sun protection factor, better UVA protection and, at the same time, stricter safety and environmental requirements: sun care is under pressure in 2026. As one of the leading independent developers of sun protection products, Cosmacon shows how maximum UV protection is achieved through a smartly combined filter system, targeted auxiliaries and the right formulation architecture – and which modern UV filters you can already source from Cosactive starting at just 1 kg.

Why maximum UV protection is being rethought

Demand for products with a high sun protection factor (SPF) and improved UVA protection keeps rising: by 2025, 76 % of all sun care products on the European market carried an SPF of 50 or higher – in 2010 it was only 50 %. At the same time, the regulatory requirements for the safety and environmental compatibility of UV filters are becoming ever stricter. Because some filters could be restricted in the future for health or ecological reasons, formulators are actively working on new solutions that deliver equally effective – or even improved – protection.

This is exactly where the core paradox of sun care formulation arises: you want to keep the filter concentration as low as possible for sensory, regulatory, ecological and safety reasons – and still achieve maximum UV protection. The European Commission recommendation calls for a minimum UVA protection (UVA-PF) of one third of the labelled SPF. The way to resolve the paradox is not “more filter”, but “smarter formulation”.

The two levers for maximum UV protection

A scientific guideline by our partner BASF describes two complementary strategies with which the highest protection can be realised at a reduced filter concentration:

1. Maximising the efficacy of the UV absorption system – by combining different filter technologies, ensuring high photostability and using synergistic combinations (e.g. water- and oil-dispersed filters as well as particulate filters).
2. Targeted use of auxiliaries and formulation properties – scattering particles extend the optical path length, film formers improve the homogeneity of the applied layer.

The optimal UV filter system

1. Full spectral coverage (UVB + UVA)

For maximum UV protection, the combination of UVB and UVA filters is essential. The SPF mainly measures protection against UVB-induced skin reddening; UVA protection (measured as Persistent Pigment Darkening, PPD) contributes equally to a high level of protection. With UVB filters alone, an SPF of at most 10 to 15 can be reached, because unfiltered UVA radiation still accounts for around 20 % of skin reddening.

2. Photostability – the foundation

Photounstable filters can form by-products and free radicals under irradiation. The classic example is Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDBM/avobenzone), which can lose more than 80 % of its efficacy. It can be partially stabilised with quenchers such as octocrylene (OCR) or BEMT – but not completely. The safest route to long-lasting, reliable protection is via inherently photostable filters such as Ethylhexyl Triazone (EHT), DHHB and BEMT, which avoid unwanted secondary reactions from the outset.

3. Synergy through phase distribution (hydrophilic + lipophilic)

In oil-in-water emulsions, purely oil-soluble filters leave the water-phase areas unprotected after application. Adding a water-soluble UVA filter such as Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid (TDSA) (maximum absorption at 345 nm) raises both SPF and UVA protection: in the guideline’s example, the SPF increases by about 20 %, while the total filter content rises by less than 10 %.

4. Scattering effect: absorption plus light scattering

Beyond pure absorption, the scattering of light also contributes to protection: scattering particles extend the optical path length within the sunscreen layer, increasing the likelihood that radiation is absorbed by the soluble UV filter molecules. This combined effect of absorption and scattering accounts for roughly 10–20 % of the total performance and can be harnessed specifically via light-scattering agents (see below) – as a complement to a photostable system of soluble filters.

Boosting performance through auxiliaries & formulation structure

The second lever lies beyond the filters themselves:

• Light-scattering agents: functionalised particles based on Calcium Carbonate/Hydroxyapatite extend the path length without a chromophore of their own. In the example, the SPF rises from 44 to 54.
• Film formers: waxes such as Dicocoyl Pentaerythrityl Distearyl Citrate create a uniform layer and increase SPF and water resistance – more sustainably than conventional Triacontanyl PVP.
• Carrier system & viscosity: the choice of emulsifier, thickener and viscosity determines film distribution. Formulations without adequate thickening achieve significantly lower in-vitro SPF values – thickeners are an essential prerequisite for reliable protection.

The guideline’s conclusion: maximum UV protection is a holistic result of filter system, auxiliaries and formulation architecture – not the outcome of ever-higher filter concentrations.

Product suggestions: modern UV filters from Cosactive – from 1 kg, no MOQ

So that maximum UV protection does not fail because of sourcing hurdles, Cosactive – the raw material and active ingredient house of the Cosmacon Group – supplies the key modern UV filters even in the smallest quantities. This lets you freely combine, sample and test filter systems in the lab without being tied to minimum order quantities.

In addition, Cosmacon formulates in performance-boosting auxiliaries – such as light-scattering particles based on Calcium Carbonate/Hydroxyapatite and sustainable film formers like Dicocoyl Pentaerythrityl Distearyl Citrate – to further maximise SPF, UVA-PF and water resistance.

Filter matrix: maximum UV protection at a glance

FAQ on maximum UV protection

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