By mid 2008 water-resistant sunscreens should be on the market, at least in the northern hemisphere. The ingredient being refined by Eastman Chemical that will give sunscreen this ability is AQ 38S. Eastman Chemical claims that AQ 38S ‘remains effective’ even after being submerged, which is good news for sunscreen manufacturers as most sunscreens loose almost 40% of their protective powers after being submerged. This development will not only deliver water-resistant sun protection, but will do so at a reduced cost because a lower dosage would be required.

The component AQ 38S was originally developed for use in insect repellants.