Over the last several years, the $523 million Indian sunscreen industry has lacked a standardized regulatory framework for testing protocol and procedures. As a result, different manufacturers use different methods to test and claim SPF % in their products. This leaves the consumer clueless about the actual sun protection they are deriving from the products they use.
This situation is set to change with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Indian Beauty and Hygiene Association coming together to develop new specific and scientific protocols to test sunscreen efficacy for diverse skin tones under the ISO framework. This will be India’s first-ever comprehensive and standardised method to accurately determine Sun Protection Factor (SPF).
What is the new BIS protocol for sunscreens that brands need to follow?
The new protocol relies on new scientific methods that work especially well on complex skin tones in tropical regions. This scale is based on measuring the constitutive pigmentation and not merely the skin’s exposure to the sun. This method is known as the Indian Typology Angle (ITA), which is totally different from the traditional Fitzpatrick scale modelled for mainly Caucasian skin tones, where concerns like skin cancer are targeted.
With all the players strongly adhering to these new protocols, this can set new uniform SPF classification and standards to maintain product efficacy and safeguard consumer health in the best way possible.
