Only 3.3% of Indians use sunscreen regularly, despite living in one of the highest UV-index countries in the world. This is about what UVA actually does to your skin, and why we bring it up every single time.
6 min read · Skincare, India, Science
India’s UV index sits between 9 and 16 during summer months. For context: the WHO classifies anything above 6 as “high” and recommends protective measures. We are at 9 on a normal day. On a hot June afternoon in Mumbai or Delhi, we are at 16.
And yet, only 3.3% of Indians use sunscreen regularly. This is not a statistic to file away. It is a genuine public health gap, one that shows up over decades as hyperpigmentation, melasma, premature ageing, and in worst cases, skin cancer.
UVA vs UVB: The Distinction That Actually Matters
Most people associate sun damage with sunburn: red, visible, immediate. That is UVB radiation, and yes, sunscreen protects against it. But UVB is only 3.5% of the UV energy that reaches the earth’s surface on a summer day. The remaining 96.5% is UVA.
UVA does not burn. It tans. It ages. It penetrates deeper into the dermis and breaks down collagen. It causes the kind of pigmentation and textural change that appears not in days, but in years. UVA is present on cloudy days. It passes through glass. It does not feel like damage. It simply accumulates, silently, until one day the skin looks older than it should, darker than it was, and harder to treat than you expected.
In late 2025, India standardised its SPF testing method for the first time, aligning with ISO in-vivo protocols under BIS standard IS 17494. Before this, an SPF 50 claim on one brand did not necessarily match an SPF 50 claim on another. The new standard means that, for the first time, consumers can trust that the numbers on the box are derived from the same scientifically validated process.
Why Oil and Sunscreen Are Not the Same Thing
Sesame oil has a natural SPF of approximately 4. This is a real and documented property. It also does not make it a sunscreen. An SPF of 4 blocks roughly 75% of UVB rays. A properly applied SPF 30 blocks 97%. The gap is not marginal. It is the difference between protection and exposure.
Malash oils are for nourishment. They deliver vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants directly into your skin. That work is real and valuable. Sunscreen is for protection from a completely different category of damage, UV radiation. These are complementary, not interchangeable. You need both.
What “After Oil” Actually Means in Practice
In every Malash morning ritual, you will notice step five is always sunscreen. This is intentional. Apply your moisturizer, mix in your oil, let it sit for 45–60 seconds, then sunscreen on top. The oil does not block sunscreen from working. It is absorbed into the skin before sunscreen is applied. The sunscreen then sits on the surface and does its job.
The order matters. Oil first, sunscreen last. Never the other way around. If sunscreen goes under oil, the oil can disrupt the film-forming chemicals in the sunscreen and reduce its efficacy. This is a chemistry issue, not a preference.
The Vitamin D Question
The most common pushback against daily sunscreen is the concern that it will block Vitamin D production. The research on this is clear: regular sunscreen use in real-life conditions does not significantly affect Vitamin D levels. Incidental sun exposure, commuting, walking between buildings, provides enough UVB exposure for most people. The risk of unprotected daily sun exposure in India far outweighs the marginal vitamin D benefit from skipping SPF.
Relevant Malash Oils
Key Takeaway
Oil first, sunscreen last. Every morning. Non-negotiable. The glow from your oil means nothing if UV radiation is undoing it silently.
