Who Invented Sunscreen?
There is no single universally accepted answer to the question “Who invented sunscreen?” Modern sunscreen developed through a series of discoveries and commercial products rather than one invention at one moment.
Several people are repeatedly credited with important steps in the history of sun protection.
Milton Blake and early Australian sunscreen
Australian chemist Milton Blake is often credited with developing an early sunburn-preventive cream in the late 1920s. His work was associated with the development of Hamilton Laboratories, founded in Australia in the early 1930s.
These early products were part of the transition from simple oils and physical coverings toward purpose-made preparations designed to reduce sunburn.
Eugène Schueller and Ambre Solaire
Eugène Schueller, the founder of L'Oréal, was another major early contributor.
L'Oréal's own history records the creation of Ambre Solaire in 1935, describing it as an early filtering sun-protection oil. Its launch helped bring sun-protection products to a much larger consumer market in Europe.
Benjamin Green and Coppertone
In the United States, pharmacist Benjamin Green developed a red petroleum-based preparation in 1944 to protect military personnel from severe sunburn.
He later improved the formula with ingredients including cocoa butter, and the work eventually developed into the Coppertone brand.
Franz Greiter and modern sunscreen
Franz Greiter, a Swiss-Austrian chemist and mountaineer, is widely associated with the development of modern sunscreen and with the SPF system.
Greiter developed and commercialised Gletscher Crème (Glacier Cream) in the 1940s after experiencing severe sun exposure while climbing. The product later became associated with the Piz Buin brand.
Who invented SPF?
Greiter is widely credited with developing the concept of Sun Protection Factor, or SPF. Historical sources commonly date the introduction of the SPF rating concept to the 1960s, with 1962 frequently cited.
SPF eventually became an international framework for comparing a sunscreen's protection against sunburn under controlled test conditions.
Our SPF guide explains what the rating means today and why it should not be interpreted simply as a number of safe hours in the sun.
Sunscreen changed as scientists learned more about UVA
Early sunscreens focused heavily on preventing sunburn, which is mainly associated with UVB radiation. As knowledge of UVA-related skin damage increased, sunscreen development shifted toward broader protection.
Modern broad-spectrum products are designed to reduce exposure across both UVA and UVB wavelengths.
Modern sunscreen ingredients
Today's sunscreens are very different from the thick early creams and oils. Formulators can choose from multiple mineral and organic UV filters, depending on the regulatory system in the country where the product is sold.
In June 2026, the U.S. FDA added bemotrizinol to the U.S. over-the-counter sunscreen monograph, the first new active sunscreen ingredient added to that framework in decades.
Learn more about modern sunscreen ingredients.
So who deserves the credit?
The most accurate answer is that sunscreen has several important pioneers:
- Milton Blake contributed to early Australian sunburn-prevention products.
- Eugène Schueller helped commercialise filtered sun-protection oil through Ambre Solaire.
- Benjamin Green developed the wartime product that evolved into Coppertone.
- Franz Greiter helped shape modern sunscreen and is widely credited with the SPF concept.
Modern sunscreen is the result of all of these developments, followed by decades of testing, regulation and improvements in UVA and UVB protection.