Boots UVA Star Rating System

Not too long ago, UVA rays were thought to be the 'safe rays', the weaker rays that tanned you slowly. Now research has highlighted that although UVB is the most potent and more dangerous ray for burning, because UVA is always present it increases the risk of skin cancer as well as premature ageing.

If an individual was using a UVB only sunscreen, or one with moderate UVA protection, they could stay in the sun for long periods
without burning, allowing many times more exposure to UVA than normal.

Now UVA sunscreens are included in sun protection products and there is a Star Rating System which informs people how effective the UVA protection is.

The ideal sun protection product reduces UVA and UVB equally, so you are not exposed to more of one than the other. The Boots Star Rating system represents a ratio of UVA and UVB protection, and ranges from zero to four stars. It therefore indicates how much protection you're getting against UVA rays. The more stars, the more protection the sunscreen offers. Our Sun Shield products have been tested and score the maximum 4 star rating.