Suncare
Safety of suncare products: our sun Care product testing
Suncare products are essential for protecting the skin from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun, which can cause sunburn, premature aging, and increase the risk of skin cancer. Regular use of creams and other sun care products helps prevent these damaging effects, keeping the skin healthy and youthful.
However, for these products to be truly effective, they must first be safe. That’s why our Cosmetic & MD business unit supports cosmetic companies in selecting safe and effective ingredients for their sun care formulations.
To this end, we use both in vitro and in vivo skin models to evaluate the efficacy and safety of various ingredients.
Suncare product testing: in vitro skin models
In vitro skin models are artificial reconstructions of human skin, created in the laboratory to simulate the structure and function of skin in a controlled environment.
By developing these models, we are able to accurately replicate the biological and physiological characteristics of human skin, ensuring reliable and precise testing of cosmetic ingredients and products. In vitro skin models also offer an ethical and effective alternative to in vivo testing, allowing for the rapid and cost-efficient assessment of a wide range of ingredients.
In vitro skin models provide insights into the following aspects:
- Ingredient penetration into the skin: using reconstructed skin models, we can study how ingredients in sun care products penetrate the skin. This analysis helps to understand how active compounds interact with the different skin layers, evaluating both their effectiveness and safety.
- Ingredient toxicity: toxicity tests conducted on skin models assess whether an ingredient may harm skin cells, without posing any risk to humans or animals. These tests are essential to ensure that sun care products are free from harmful substances that could compromise skin health.
- Effects on cell proliferation and cell death: by analyzing how ingredients influence cell proliferation and apoptosis (programmed cell death), we can determine whether a product supports skin regeneration or, conversely, causes cellular damage.
- Effects on collagen and elastin production: collagen and elastin are key proteins for skin structure and elasticity. Testing the effects of ingredients on their production allows companies to develop sun care products that enhance skin firmness and flexibility, helping to counteract signs of aging.
Suncare product testing: in vivo skin models
In vivo skin models use human skin obtained from patients undergoing surgery or from donors, following an ethical approach to analysis.
These models allow for the testing of ingredient efficacy and safety in a more realistic environment than in vitro models. Human skin, with all its intact physiological characteristics, provides a more accurate context for studying how ingredients interact with potential consumers’ skin. Additionally, in vivo models preserve the biological complexity of the skin — including various cell types and their interactions — aspects that cannot be fully replicated in vitro.
In vivo skin models enable the evaluation of the following aspects:
- Ingredient efficacy in protecting the skin from UV damage: in vivo skin models are essential for testing how sun care ingredients protect the skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays. These analyses make it possible to formulate products that truly prevent sunburn, premature skin aging, and the risk of skin cancer. Specifically, in vivo models allow for the assessment of the effectiveness of sunscreens and protective ingredients in an environment that realistically simulates sun exposure.
- Effects of ingredients on skin pigmentation: in vivo models enable the observation and study of how ingredients affect skin pigmentation. These models make it possible to determine whether an ingredient causes hyperpigmentation or discoloration, supporting the development of sun care products that help even out skin tone and reduce dark spots. This is critical for ensuring that brightening products are effective without damaging the skin.
- Effects of ingredients on the skin’s immune response: in vivo skin models allow for the examination of how sun care ingredients impact the skin’s immune response. This type of analysis is particularly important for products intended for sensitive skin or for individuals with dermatological conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. Specifically, evaluating the immune response to sun care products and their ingredients helps identify components that can soothe inflammation and irritation, improving quality of life for those with skin disorders.
Custom in vitro testing for suncare products
In addition to in vitro and in vivo skin model testing, we offer a tailored in vitro testing service to help evaluate the effects of ingredients used in sun care products.
These tests are essential to ensure that products provide comprehensive protection against various types of radiation and potential skin damage. They also support continuous innovation in suncare by enabling the development of customized solutions to improve sun protection across a wide spectrum of harmful rays.
Our custom in vitro tests cover the following areas:
- Photoaging: photoaging is caused by prolonged exposure to UV rays, which accelerates the skin’s aging process. Our tests assess how the ingredients in sun care products can prevent or reduce signs of photoaging such as wrinkles, sunspots, and loss of elasticity.
- UV Protection: as previously highlighted, protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays is critical to preventing sunburn, cellular damage, and skin cancer. Our in vitro tests measure the effectiveness of sun care ingredients in blocking or absorbing UV radiation, ensuring maximum protection.
- Blue Light: blue light, emitted by both the sun and digital devices, can damage the skin, causing uneven pigmentation and contributing to photoaging. At Lifeanalytics, we evaluate how sun care ingredients protect the skin from blue light, helping maintain a healthy and youthful appearance.
- Infrared Radiation: infrared rays can penetrate deeply into the skin, causing thermal and oxidative stress. Our in vitro tests assess the ability of sun care ingredients to protect the skin from infrared-induced damage, ensuring safe, effective, and comprehensive protection.
Suncare: additional services from Lifeanalytics cosmetic & MD
At Lifeanalytics Cosmetic & MD, we also support you with targeted consulting services for ingredient selection, ensuring that every component of your suncare products is chosen to maximize efficacy, quality, and safety.
In addition, our specialized unit can assist you with the execution of stability and shelf-life studies, helping to ensure that your sun care products maintain their quality over time.
Finally, we offer support for the registration of sun care products, facilitating compliance with international regulations. This enables you to create high-quality sun care products that not only meet customer needs and promote consumer trust and satisfaction, but also fully comply with national and international regulatory standards.
Innovation and safety in suncare: why choose us
Lifeanalytics Cosmetic & MD services support cosmetic companies in developing safe and effective sun care products. Through our in vitro and in vivo skin model testing, as well as our customized in vitro tests, we assess the effectiveness of ingredients against UV rays, blue light, and infrared radiation — helping to prevent photoaging and protect both skin and consumer health.
Our three distinct approaches allow suncare manufacturers to reduce product development time and costs. In addition, our suncare product analyses help companies meet consumer expectations for safety, efficacy, and performance, ensuring that products offer complete protection while keeping skin healthy and youthful.
Finally, we provide detailed and scientifically grounded evaluations to help companies comply with national, European, and international regulations. Our services enable brands to meet market demands, increase consumer trust and satisfaction, and gain a competitive edge within the industry. With Lifeanalytics, companies can continuously innovate and improve their suncare formulations, staying at the forefront of the cosmetic sector.
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