Kool-a-Sun Sunscreen

Understanding the Safety of Vitamins A, C, and E in Baby Sunscreen Formulations

Baby sunscreen containing Vitamin A, C and E - Understanding vitamin safety in infant sun protection
A comprehensive technical guide for parents and caregivers

Why Are These Vitamins Included in Sunscreen Formulations?

The primary purpose of incorporating Vitamins A (Retinyl Palmitate), C (Ascorbic Acid), and E (Tocopherol) into sunscreen formulations is not nutritional supplementation but rather to provide antioxidant protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced damage.

When UV rays penetrate the skin, they generate highly reactive molecules called free radicals (also known as reactive oxygen species or ROS). These unstable molecules can damage cell membranes, DNA, and proteins—contributing to premature ageing, inflammation, and potentially increasing long-term skin cancer risk.

Vitamin E acts as a direct antioxidant against singlet oxygen and superoxide anions. Additionally, when lipid peroxidation occurs in cell membranes, tocopherol's function as a 'chain breaker' prevents lipid peroxidation by scavenging peroxyl radicals (PMC, 2023).

Think of these vitamins as a molecular clean-up crew: whilst traditional UV filters in sunscreen absorb or reflect the sun's rays, antioxidant vitamins neutralise any residual damage that manages to slip through. Dermatologists often describe antioxidants as a 'second layer' of protection on top of SPF (Standard Procedure, 2025).

The Critical Distinction: Topical Application vs. Oral Ingestion

A common misconception is that vitamins applied to the skin behave identically to those consumed orally. This is fundamentally incorrect from both a pharmacological and physiological standpoint.

How Skin Absorption Differs from Digestion

When you swallow a vitamin supplement, it travels through your digestive system, is absorbed through the intestinal wall, enters the bloodstream directly, and is then processed by the liver. This route provides efficient, near-complete absorption into the body's systemic circulation.

Topical (dermal) application follows an entirely different pathway:

  1. The substance must first penetrate the stratum corneum—the skin's outermost protective barrier comprising layers of dead, keratinised cells embedded in a lipid matrix
  2. It must then traverse the viable epidermis (living skin layers)
  3. Only then can a fraction potentially reach the dermis and underlying capillaries for systemic absorption

Key Research Finding

Studies provide evidence that human topical exposure to cosmetic creams containing retinyl palmitate at 30,000 IU/day at maximal use concentrations do not affect plasma levels of retinol or retinyl palmitate, whereas single oral doses at 10,000 IU or 30,000 IU produce significant increases in plasma retinyl palmitate (CIR Safety Assessment, 2012).

This is a crucial finding: even at concentrations thousands of times higher than used in our formulation, topically applied Retinyl Palmitate does not measurably increase blood vitamin A levels, whilst the same amount taken orally causes clear, dose-dependent increases.

Quantifying the Safety: The Mathematics of Ultra-Low Concentrations

Let us examine precisely what 0.001% Retinyl Palmitate means in practical terms:

Calculating Actual Exposure

Parameter Value
Concentration of Retinyl Palmitate 0.001% (10 ppm)
Typical generous sunscreen application (baby, full body) ~10g maximum
Amount of Retinyl Palmitate per application 0.0001g (100 micrograms)
Dermal absorption rate (SCCS estimate) ~5-8% maximum
Amount potentially reaching bloodstream 5-8 micrograms

To convert this to International Units (IU), the standard measure for vitamin A: 1 microgram Retinyl Palmitate ≈ 1.82 IU. Maximum systemic exposure per full-body application: approximately 9-15 IU

Comparing to Recommended Daily Allowances

According to WHO guidelines, a dose of 100,000 International Units (IU) in infants 6–11 months of age is considered to provide adequate protection for 4–6 months in therapeutic supplementation programmes (NCBI Bookshelf, WHO Guidelines).

Reference Point Vitamin A Amount
Your sunscreen (per application, absorbed) ~9-15 IU
Adequate daily intake for 0-6 month infants ~400 IU
WHO therapeutic supplementation dose (6-11 months) 100,000 IU (single dose)
Upper tolerable limit (1-3 year olds) 2,700 IU/day

Putting It In Perspective

The exposure from your sunscreen formulation represents approximately 0.004% (four thousandths of one percent) of the recommended daily intake for an infant.

Your baby would need to have approximately 6,500 to 11,000 full-body sunscreen applications (with complete absorption) to receive the equivalent of a single WHO therapeutic vitamin A supplement dose given to infants in deficiency programmes.

Regulatory and Scientific Assessment of Safety

Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel Assessment

The CIR Expert Panel reviewed the safety data on Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate and concluded that these ingredients were not mutagenic or carcinogenic. Cosmetics and personal care products containing 0.1-1% of these ingredients were at most slightly irritating. A recent publication demonstrated that topically-applied Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate did not result in measurable increases in the amount of vitamin A in the blood (Cosmetics Info, 2023).

The CIR has consistently found Retinyl Palmitate safe at concentrations up to 5%—that is 5,000 times higher than our 0.001% concentration.

European SCCS Findings

The SCCS considers that the use of Vitamin A in body lotions at the maximum concentration of 0.05% is safe, estimating exposure may lead to a daily systemic dose of approximately 1003 IU for an adult, constituting up to 20% of the Upper Limit of 5000 IU/day (European Commission, 2016).

The maximum permitted concentration of 0.05% RE (Retinol Equivalent) for body lotions is 50 times higher than our formulation's concentration.

Addressing the "Photocarcinogenicity" Concern

You may encounter references to a 2010 National Toxicology Program (NTP) study that examined Retinyl Palmitate and UV exposure in mice. It is important to provide accurate context:

According to an article in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, "The data summarised in this review clearly indicate that SKH-1 mouse skin is significantly more photosensitive than human skin and that retinyl palmitate is not only safe for topical use but that it may provide a UV-protective effect when incorporated into skin care products" (Cloud Vitamin Cream, 2023).

Critical Contextual Factors:

  • Species differences: Hairless mouse skin used in the study is considerably thinner and more UV-sensitive than human skin
  • Concentration differences: Study concentrations (0.1-0.5%) were 100 to 500 times higher than our 0.001%
  • No human evidence: There are no clinical reports or epidemiological studies demonstrating photocarcinogenic effects of Retinyl Palmitate in humans despite decades of widespread use
  • Potential protective effects: Retinyl Palmitate can exert a photoprotective action in skin by absorbing UVB radiation

Summary: Why Parents Can Be Confident

Concern Reality
"Is there enough to cause harm?" At 0.001%, the amount absorbed is approximately 0.004% of an infant's daily requirement—physiologically insignificant
"Does it enter the bloodstream?" Studies confirm topical application at even much higher concentrations does not measurably elevate blood vitamin A levels
"Is there regulatory concern?" Both CIR and SCCS have assessed concentrations 50-5,000 times higher as safe
"What about sun exposure concerns?" No human evidence of harm; potential UV-protective benefits actually documented
"Why include it at all?" Functions as an antioxidant free radical scavenger, providing supplementary protection beyond UV filtration

The Bottom Line for Parents

The inclusion of Vitamins A (Retinyl Palmitate), C, and E in our sunscreen formulation serves a protective purpose—neutralising damaging free radicals generated by UV exposure. At the ultra-low concentration of 0.001% Retinyl Palmitate:

  • The amount potentially absorbed through baby's skin is thousands of times lower than therapeutic vitamin A doses safely given to infants worldwide
  • Independent scientific bodies have confirmed safety at concentrations vastly exceeding our formulation
  • These vitamins work synergistically with UV filters to provide comprehensive sun protection
  • Parents can be confident that this formulation prioritises their baby's skin health without any meaningful risk of vitamin A accumulation or toxicity

The trace quantities present serve purely as antioxidant guardians—not as nutritional supplements—and their safety profile at these concentrations is exceptionally well-established by global regulatory authorities and peer-reviewed scientific research.

References

Regulatory and Safety Assessment Documents:

  1. Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR). (2012). Safety Assessment of Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate as Used in Cosmetics. Available at: cir-safety.org
  2. European Commission – SCCS (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety). (2016). Vitamin A (Retinol, Retinyl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate) Opinion. Available at: health.ec.europa.eu
  3. European Commission – SCCS. (2023). SCCS/1639/21 Final Opinion on Vitamin A. Available at: health.ec.europa.eu
  4. Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM). Risk assessment of vitamin A (retinol and retinyl esters) in cosmetics. Available at: vkm.no

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:

  1. Wang, H.C., et al. (2010). Safety of retinyl palmitate in sunscreens: A critical analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Available at: jaad.org
  2. Fu, P.P., et al. (2007). Physiological role of retinyl palmitate in the skin. Vitamins and Hormones, 75:223-56. PubMed: 17368318
  3. Yan, J., et al. (2006). Levels of retinyl palmitate and retinol in the stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis of female SKH-1 mice topically treated with retinyl palmitate. Toxicology and Industrial Health, 22(4):181-91. PubMed: 16786840
  4. Antioxidants in Sunscreens: Which and What For? (2023). PMC/MDPI. Available at: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. Darr, D., et al. (1996). Effectiveness of antioxidants (vitamin C and E) with and without sunscreens as topical photoprotectants. PubMed: 8869680
  6. Lin, J.Y., et al. (2003). UV photoprotection by combination topical antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. ScienceDirect: sciencedirect.com
  7. Vitamin E inhibits the UVAI induction of 'light' and 'dark' cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. (2018). Scientific Reports (Nature). Available at: nature.com
  8. The Epitome of Antioxidants Against UV Photodamage: Vitamin E Use in Skin Protection. (2025). ResearchGate. Available at: researchgate.net
  9. Casting New Light on the Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate Functions as Chemical Enhancers for Transdermal/Topical Drug Delivery. (2024). PubMed: 39580684

WHO and Government Health Guidelines:

  1. World Health Organization. Guideline: Vitamin A Supplementation in Infants and Children 6–59 Months of Age. NCBI Bookshelf: NBK185173
  2. World Health Organization. Guideline: Vitamin A Supplementation in Infants 1–5 Months of Age. NCBI Bookshelf: NBK131995
  3. WHO. Children 6-59 months receiving vitamin A supplements. Available at: who.int
  4. Vitamin A supplementation: who, when and how. (2014). PMC: PMC3936689
  5. U.S. FDA. Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide: Appendix C. Daily Values for Infants. Available at: fda.gov
  6. Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne – Immigrant Health Service. Vitamin A Guidelines. Available at: rch.org.au
  7. MSF Medical Guidelines. Retinol = Vitamin A oral. Available at: medicalguidelines.msf.org

Industry and Educational Resources:

  1. Cosmetics Info (Personal Care Products Council). (2023). Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate. Available at: cosmeticsinfo.org
  2. Cloud Vitamin Cream. (2023). Is Retinyl Palmitate Safe? Available at: cloudvitamincream.com
  3. Standard Procedure. (2025). Antioxidants in SPF – Vitamins B, C, E. Available at: standardprocedure.com
  4. Skin Type Solutions. (2022). How to use Retinyl Palmitate in Skin care. Available at: skintypesolutions.com
  5. Truth In Aging. Retinyl palmitate sunscreen and skin safety. Available at: truthinaging.com
  6. Dr. Green Mom. (2025). The Benefits of Vitamin A & Pediatric Dosing. Available at: drgreenmom.com
  7. Wikipedia. Retinyl palmitate. Available at: wikipedia.org

Additional Scientific References:

  1. ScienceDirect Topics. Retinol Palmitate – Overview. Available at: sciencedirect.com
  2. Recommendations for Vitamin A Supplementation. (2002). ScienceDirect: sciencedirect.com
  3. EWG (Environmental Working Group). What Scientists Say About Vitamin A in Sunscreen. Available at: ewg.org [Note: Included for completeness; this source presents concerns which are addressed and contextualised in the main document]

Questions About Our Baby Sunscreen Formulations?

Our team is here to help you understand our ingredients and choose the safest sun protection for your family:

Click to reveal email address

View Our Mineral Sunscreen Range All Sunscreen Products