Piz Buin SF 30 sun block lotion

Piz Buin SF 30 sun block lotion in brown bottle

In 1938, a chemistry student Franz Greiter was sunburned while climbing in the Swiss Alps. Inspired by this experience, he founded his company, Piz Biun, naming it after the mountain he was climbing. His first product Gletscher Crème (Glacier Cream) was launched in 1946. Working with Marga, his wife, they developed a range of sun creams.

Greiter also introduced the idea of sun protection factor (SPF) in 1962. Glacier Cream was originally given SPF 2. Early sun creams only worked against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays which cause sun burn. As this was standard when SPF was developed, it also only rates how effectively a product protects against UVB radiation. However, more modern sun cream also protects us from ultraviolet A (UVA) rays which can penetrate the skin more deeply. Therefore, sun cream now also has a star rating to show how effectively it protects against UVA rays.

Over the past 50 years, our relationship with the sun has changed. There has been a move away from tanning and an increased awareness of the risks of sun exposure.