UV Cameras: Can you Use them To Tell You if your Sunscreen is 'Good' or 'Bad'?

“UV cameras can help ensure complete sunscreen coverage—but cannot judge a sunscreen’s effectiveness. At The Sunscreen Company, our mineral sunscreens offer reliable, broad-spectrum protection based on science, not camera tricks.”

Don’t Judge this Sunscreen

At least not by your UV Camera- here’s why UV Cameras are limited in what they can tell you

You might have seen UV cameras on social media. Let’s explore what they can—and can’t—tell you—and why our mineral sunscreens are still the smart choice.

Do UV Cameras work for sunscreens?

Here is the trending question of the day: do UV cameras work for sunscreen? Can they tell you how strong your sunscreen is? If it’s ‘good’ or ‘bad’ or can you use it to compare different sunscreens and the strength of their UV protection… The short answer is no.

People are going crazy over these UV light and sunscreen application videos, especially as they trend on TikTok, but here is the issue. UV cameras are not designed to show you the strength of your sunscreen’s performance and here is why.

The Physics of a Woods Light and UV Cameras

First- what is a UV camera and how does it work? There are a couple of different options available from ones that can be used in your dermatologists office to take home ones you can buy online. A Woods light as used in dermatology offices is to diagnose lots of disorders like melasma, skin fungal infections and much more. It’s a weak form of UVA light in the range of 320 to 400 nm wavelength. Importantly, it peaks at 365 nm. It’s unclear if the UV cameras that you can buy for home emit the same wavelength of light or what the absorption is, unfortunately, they don’t share a lot of details in their product descriptions. It’s probably a safe assumption they are using similar wavelengths of light but they may not be standardized across different models, nor are they regulated.

In short:

• These cameras are not standardized or regulated.

• Most at-home versions don’t disclose their exact wavelength range or light intensity.

• They’re not designed to measure sunscreen performance.

So while it looks interesting on camera, it’s not a reliable way to compare or evaluate SPF protection.

“Pro tip: Use a UV camera only to see where you might have missed applying sunscreen—not to judge how effective it is.”

Why does sunscreen show up dark on a UV camera?

So the idea is that you put a sunscreen on and you can see where you are applying it because it shows up as darker. Why?  Basically the photons of UVA light are sent out, pigmented skin and sunscreens (at least some) absorb the light and send back light as visible light, ie fluorescence, ie it looks darker. Your skin reflects and scatters light and therefore doesn’t appear as dark by contrast.

But here’s the twist—not all sunscreens look dark, and that doesn’t mean they’re weaker.

Why does this not work for all sunscreens?

People often assume that if a sunscreen doesn’t show up dark under UV, it’s not working. That’s simply not true—especially for mineral sunscreens like ours.

Here’s why:

• Mineral filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide do some amount of scattering, reflecting, and absorbing UV light.

• Some filters, like Tinosorb M or Tinosorb A2B, are “particulate grade” and behave differently depending on how they’re formulated.

• These scattering and reflection effects can make them appear less dark under a UV camera—even if they’re performing exceptionally well at blocking real UV damage.

So while chemical filters like avobenzone might look impressive on camera, mineral filters are quietly doing their job in real life—protecting your skin from both UV and visible light.

UV Camera’s are not well studied and many questions are unanswered

What UV Cameras Don’t Tell You

UV cameras can’t accurately:

• Compare how different sunscreens perform

• Measure UVA vs UVB protection

• Indicate whether you’ve applied enough product

Even studies have shown that 1 mg/cm² and 2 mg/cm² of sunscreen can look the same under a UV camera—despite the latter providing double the protection.

And one more consideration: daily use of a UVA-emitting device might not be ideal for your skin over time.

So instead of relying on camera illusions, rely on what’s clinically tested and dermatologist-approved like our mineral sunscreens with 25% zinc oxide.

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How should I use my UV camera?

If you are going to use one, we suggest using it purely to see where to apply your sunscreen, i.e. to answer whether you missed a spot. You can check to see if you might need to re-apply. However, rather than invest in expensive devices with limited benefits, we recommend investing in a good quality daily sunscreen and apply generously. This simple habit has the best chance to transform your skin without the complication of expensive, unregulated devices. With that, which sunscreen should you use?

The Real Story: Why Choose Mineral Sunscreens

At The Sunscreen Company, our formulas are designed for true protection, not just good lighting.

Our mineral sunscreens:

• Use high concentrations of zinc oxide for broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection

• Are SPF-tested and dermatologist-developed, not “SPF-inflated” with chemical boosters

• Blend invisibly on all skin tones, check out our nearly perfect 4.8 star ratings for both sunscreens

• Provide added protection from blue light and visible light, which UV cameras don’t show at all

When you wear our sunscreens, you’re getting real-world defense backed by science—not just social media filters.

Ready for real protection—not just a camera illusion?

Browse our mineral sunscreen collection to get broad-spectrum defense, backed by science—not social media filters. Get 15% off dermatologist-developed mineral sunscreens that deliver true protection—not just camera tricks.
Use code UVCAMERA at checkout.
Shop Now →

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Thanks for taking the time to learn with us! As a special thank you, we’re giving you 15% off any of our dermatologist-developed suncare and skincare products.

Protect your skin with formulas you can trust—crafted with high-performance mineral filters and proven science.

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