What is ISO 24444 about?
ISO 24444 discusses sun protection factor (SPF) for cosmetics. ISO 24444 is an international standard that provides for in vivo determination of the sun protection factor (SPF) for cosmetics.
ISO 24444 specifies a method for the vivo determination of the sun protection factor (SPF) in sunscreen products.
ISO 24444 applies to products that contain any component able to absorb, reflect or scatter ultraviolet (UV) rays and which are intended to be placed in contact with human skin. ISO 24444 provides a basis for the evaluation of sunscreen products for the protection of human skin against erythema included by solar ultraviolet rays.
Who is ISO 24444 for?
ISO 24444 on the determination of SPF is applicable in:
- Manufacture of cosmetic products
- Companies dealing with sun protection factor in cosmetic
- Retailers and suppliers for cosmetics
- Cosmetic testing manufacturers/companies
Why should you use ISO 24444?
The sun protection factor (SPF) is determined using an invasive procedure, in which the volunteers are indicated with ultraviolet (UV) light. The level of sun protection provided by sunscreen products has traditionally been estimated with the use of sun protection factor or SPF test., which uses the erythemal response of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
ISO 24444 provides you with the instruction about the sun protection factor which is calculated in a ratio from the energies and is useful in reducing the minimum erythemal response with and without sunscreen product applied to the skin of human test subjects.
ISO 24444 provides the test subject for ensuring the determination of sun protection factors (SPF) such as skin color, age restriction. ISO 24444 also provides you with the test conditions for the application of the product where the Ultraviolet exposures and minimal erythema dose assessment should be carried out in a stable condition, with the room temperature between (23 ± 3) °C.
As a user of ISO 24444, you can acquire a better result for sun protection factor (SPF) through various sun protection test methods for cosmetics.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN ISO 24444:2020 supersedes BS EN ISO 24444:2010, which is withdrawn. The main changes with respect to the previous edition are:
- The definition of the minimal erythema response (MED) criteria has been revised and the bibliography has been updated
- Modification in the reporting tables in Annex G) and the requirements in Clause 11 have to provide more complete information on the results of the testing.
- The ITA° is used to define the range of unprotected MED doses for the provisional or the test day unprotected MED determination (if no provisional MEDu determination is made)
- New test methods are provided to determine the uniformity of the beam of both large and small beam size solar simulators. A requirement for uniformity greater than or equal to 90 % has been added and Sunscreen application procedures have been described in greater detail

