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Symrise has established itself as one of the leading developers and suppliers of sun care solutions. The company is known for its commitment to innovate and its journey in the world of sun protection began decades ago.

Woman with sunscreen on her cheek

Natural sunlight has a major positive effect upon the human psyche and health. However, too much sun exposure also bears various risks for the skin, even if only a small part of the sun’s radiation reaches the earth’s surface.

Of this radiation, over half is received as infrared (heat), nearly 40% as visible light and only 6% is visible UV radiation with wavelengths from 290 to 400 nm (UVA and UVB rays). All these forms of radiation can contribute to short-term and long-term skin damages.

Symrise’s commitment to develop the best possible protection started in 1953 when the Symrise predecessor Haarmann & Reimer became part of Bayer AG who had obtained the first patent for the UVB filter Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid (Neo Heliopan® Hydro USP) in 1938.

Since then, the understanding of UVA and UVB radiation as well as the effect of air pollution, infrared, visible and blue light, on the skin has improved significantly. Therefore, today’s requirements that sun protection products are very different from those of the 1930s, 50s or even the 2000s.

With its Neo Heliopan® UV filter range, Symrise has continuously driven innovation in sun protection and acquired Bayer's process patent for the Neo Heliopan® Hydro USP UVB filter. Neo Heliopan® AP, the first water-soluble UVA filter developed in the late 1990s and introduced in the early 2000s, is a typical example of this. This UVA filter protects the skin from the harmful UVA rays that penetrate deep into the skin and can cause skin damage and accelerate the skin's aging process.

The early recognition of consumer trends has since been one of Symrise's great strengths and has made the company one of the most important innovation drivers in the sun protection industry. This and continuous research and development have helped to improve the skin protection against harmful effects of solar radiation and bring innovative products to market.

Today, Symrise's Cosmetic Ingredients portfolio includes a wide range of solutions, from classic UVA and UVB filters to various active ingredients to protect and prevent skin damage caused by solar radiation and environmental pollution.

The company's cross-category expertise underpins Symrise's outstanding reputation as a leading force in innovation and redesign in sun care.