What is 5 star sunscreen?
A 5-star sunscreen refers to the UVA protection rating system used in the United Kingdom. Products are rated from 1 to 5 stars based on the ratio of UVA to UVB protection. A 5-star rating means the sunscreen offers balanced, high-level UVA protection relative to its UVB protection. In India, the equivalent marker is PA++++.
Different countries use different rating systems for UVA protection. The UK uses the Boots Star Rating. Japan and several Asian markets including India use the PA system, where PA++++ is the highest rating available. Europe uses a different threshold requiring UVA protection to be at least one-third of the labelled SPF value. When buying sunscreen in India, the PA++++ rating is the most relevant and meaningful indicator of full UVA coverage. A sunscreen labelled SPF 50 PA++++ has met the highest available standard in the country.